More Than 60 Sessions. Countless Ideas to Take Back Home.

August 10, 2026

The Career-Connected L/Earning Conference features more than 60 interactive sessions designed to help education, workforce, industry and community leaders strengthen career-connected pathways across Colorado and beyond. 


From innovative partnership models and emerging policy to practical tools you can put to work immediately, each session offers real-world strategies, lessons learned and opportunities to connect with peers tackling similar challenges. 


Here's a preview of some of the newest sessions added to the agenda: 


From Evidence to Impact: What It Takes to Scale Programs Well 
Learn what separates promising programs from those that achieve lasting impact at scale and explore practical strategies for expanding what works. 

  • Featuring: Nathaniel Riggs, Professor, Human Development & Family Studies and Executive Director of the Prevention Research Center, Colorado State University; Tiffany Madrid, Organizational Performance Management Supervisor, CDHS 


Postsecondary Employment Outcomes: Critical Data for L/Earners and Those Invested in Their Success 

Discover how national employment and earnings data can help educators, workforce leaders and learners make more informed decisions about education, training and career pathways.  


When Credentials Cause Harm: Unpacking the Risks of Verifiable Learning and Work Records 

As digital credentials and verifiable learning records become more common, what unintended consequences should we be preparing for? Explore the opportunities, risks, and ethical considerations surrounding the future of learner records. 


From Data to Action: Building Community-Driven Career Pathways 
See how communities are using shared data to identify workforce needs, strengthen partnerships and design career pathways that reflect local priorities. 

Featuring: Kelly Mitchell, Founder/ Principal, and Chris Mitchell, Data and Operations Consultant, Inclusive Design Group 


What It Takes to Scale: Turning Cross-Sector Partnerships into Workforce Pathways 
Learn how communities are building and sustaining workforce pathways through strong cross-sector collaboration and shared leadership. 


Outreach to Employment, By Design: How Commerce City and the Community College of Aurora Aligned Public Dollars Behind One Workforce System 
Discover how local leaders aligned funding, partnerships and workforce services to create a more coordinated system connecting residents to employment. 


Grow Your Own: Navigating the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Journey 
Hear firsthand from the partners and apprentices helping build Colorado's Teacher Degree Apprenticeship pathway and learn what's required to launch and sustain this innovative model. 

  • Featuring: MK Sagaria-Barritt CareerWise Colorado; Liz Qualman, Associate Dean of Education, Colorado Mountain College; Christina Randle: Educator Pathway Instructor, Harrison School District 2 


Leveraging CTE Centers to Build CE Credential Pathways 
Explore how Career and Technical Education centers are expanding access to college credentials while creating stronger pathways into high-demand careers. 

  • Featuring: Shari Culver, Associate Dean, Arapahoe Community College; Dana Levesque, Coordinator of Postsecondary, Littleton Public Schools; Tara Bell, Director of Work-based Learning, Cherry Creek School District 


From Coursework to Workforce: Reimagining Teacher Preparation Through Career-Connected Learning 
See how industry experiences are helping prepare future educators to bring career-connected learning and workforce relevance into their classrooms. 

  • Featuring: Courtney Anderson, Education Department Chair, Community College of Aurora; Michelle Pacheco, Interim Vice President of Academic Success Community College of Aurora 

 

From Paycheck to Pathway: A Hands-On Workshop for Mapping On-the-Job Skills to Academic Credit 
Learn practical strategies for translating workplace learning into academic credit and creating more seamless pathways between employment and education. 

  • Featuring: Kim Eckert, Head of Instructional Innovation & Apprenticeship Design, Craft Education 


The Continuity Challenge: Tracing Durable Skills from PreK to Onboarding 
Explore how durable skills develop from early learning through workforce entry and identify practical strategies to strengthen career readiness across every stage of the learner journey. 

RECENT ARTICLES

Helping Every Learner and Earner Navigate Toward Success

September 16, 2026
A Q&A with Michelle and Katherine

Meet the Ingredients in our Secret Sauce

September 4, 2026
Behind every great partnership, successful initiative and ambitious idea is an incredible team of people who make it happen. As The Attainment Network continues to grow, we're evolving our team to better support our partners, communities and the work ahead. Please join us in congratulating these team members on their new roles — and getting to know a few of the superpowers they bring to the table. Libby Klingsmith, Vice President for Strategic Partnerships Libby leads with kindness and brings a joyful energy to every partnership. As Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, she'll lead our strategic partnership work, strengthening relationships across sectors and regions, cultivating new partnerships and funding opportunities, and helping translate what we learn through regional implementation into broader learning and impact across Colorado. Michelle Camacho Liu, Director of Partnerships and Systems Strategy Where others see complexity, Michelle sees opportunity. As Director of Partnerships and Systems Strategy, she'll provide strategic leadership across some of The Attainment Network's most important initiatives, including the Denver Metro Regional Partnership, while advancing statewide policy and systems alignment and strengthening partnerships across agencies and sectors. Katherine Stewart, Director of Partnerships and Engagement With her special brand of gentle yet firm leadership, Katherine keeps all our ducks in a row. In her role as Director of Partnerships and Engagement, she'll strengthen collaboration across our regional partnerships through operational leadership while guiding strategic initiatives, consulting services, new business development and grants management. If there are a dozen moving pieces, chances are Katherine already has them organized. Ashley Maestas, Director of Rural Partnerships Ashley has a gift for energizing people around a shared vision. As Director of Rural Partnerships, she'll continue leading the San Luis Valley regional partnership and its healthcare and construction pathway initiatives while helping other rural communities build the partnerships and systems needed to expand opportunity for learners and earners while meeting critical workforce needs. Wes DeVaul, Coordinator of Operations and Rural Partnerships Wes reminds us to laugh while he rolls up his sleeves and makes things happen. As Coordinator of Operations and Rural Partnerships, he'll help expand the San Luis Valley's successful healthcare pathways model into construction and other high-demand industries while supporting the partnerships that make this work possible. Emily Chatburn, Coordinator of Operations and Professional Learning Emily is our behind-the-scenes mastermind, turning ambitious plans into seamless execution. As Coordinator of Operations and Professional Learning, she'll lead our professional learning and events strategy, provide project management for key strategic initiatives and strengthen the day-to-day operations that keep our work moving forward.

On the Road this September

September 4, 2026
While we’re busily planning the Career-Connected L/Earning Conference with our partners, we’re also looking at a busy month ahead of connecting, listening and collaborating across Colorado. From strengthening career advising and navigation to advancing regional workforce strategies, improving the use of education and workforce data, and helping shape Colorado’s evolving postsecondary talent development system, The Attainment Network team will be in conversations across the state this month. Here’s a look at where we’ll be: ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 1-2 | Construction Collaboration Event | Alamosa Ashley Maestas and Wes DeVaul will connect with regional partners as the Colorado Attorney General’s Office visits the San Luis Valley to learn more about the work underway across Southeast Colorado. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 2 | Economic Summit | Monte Vista Wes will join regional leaders for conversations focused on economic opportunity and the future of the San Luis Valley. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 10 | Homegrown Talent Coalition Steering Committee Michelle Camacho Liu and Stefan Richarz will join partners working to strengthen Colorado’s homegrown talent pipelines. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 11 and Sept. 24 | Postsecondary Talent Development System Transition Advisory Committee | Denver Michelle and her fellow TAC committee members will continue working on recommendations for Colorado’s reenvisioned unified postsecondary talent development system. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 16 | Welcome for Dr. Keith Richard, CCCS | Denver Rana Tarkenton will join education and workforce leaders in welcoming Dr. Keith Richard to Colorado as he steps into his new role as the Vice Chancellor for Workforce Solutions and Innovation at CCCS. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 16 | Rocky Mountain Partnership Community Leadership Council Rana will join leaders from education, business, government and community organizations working toward a shared regional goal of putting 71,000 more young people on track for economic mobility by 2030. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 17 | Better Data for Better Decisions Coalition Stefan will lead the coalition’s bi-monthly meeting as education and workforce partners continue working toward a more relevant, accurate and user-centered longitudinal data system for Colorado. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 18–19 | SLV Collaboration Summit | Monte Vista Ashley and Wes will join leaders and community partners from across the San Luis Valley to strengthen connections, celebrate progress, and align around shared priorities that create greater opportunity for learners, earners, employers, and communities. ๐Ÿ”น Sept. 24 | At the Center: Education in the Pikes Peak Region | Colorado Springs Emily Chatburn will join Peak Education and community partners to explore the challenges and opportunities facing local students and the future of education in the Pikes Peak region. We’re looking forward to the conversations ahead this month. Be sure to reach out to us if you’ll be at any of these events. We’d love to connect.