Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced today three new members to its Board of Directors.
The new board members include Mike Schroyer, president of Baptist Health Floyd and Tony Waterson, president and CEO of Southern Indiana Works. Jason Bearce, vice president of the Strada Education Foundation, also joins as an ex officio member.
“We are fortunate to have Jason, Mike and Tony join the Ascend board, which continues to expand in both geographic reach and thought leadership,” said Brad Rhorer, president and CEO of Ascend Indiana. “These three new members bring expertise in the areas of workforce development, community development and nonprofit excellence, all of which are key ingredients to delivering our mission to ensure all Hoosiers and all employers are equipped to thrive in Indiana’s evolving economy.”
Jason Bearce joined the Strada Education Foundation in 2025 as vice president, where he leads state advocacy efforts focused on increasing education opportunity and economic mobility for residents in Indiana and across the Midwest.
Bearce’s career has spanned more than two decades in the education and workforce development sectors. Before joining Strada, he served in senior leadership roles at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Indiana Department of Education. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and his MBA from Western Governors University. He has served as a board member and officer for Indy Reads, board president for an Indianapolis charter school and as a mentor through Starfish Initiative and the Indiana Latino Institute.
Mike Schroyer joined Baptist Health Floyd in 2020 as president, where he has developed a patient-focused, team-oriented leadership culture to increase patient, physician and team satisfaction and improve efficiency and overall cost structure.
Prior to joining Baptist Health Floyd, Schroyer spent over 14 years with Ascension St. Vincent Health in Indianapolis, serving as COO/CNO for the Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center, and as a Regional President for the Northeast Region. Before joining Ascension St. Vincent, he led the cardiovascular program at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois.
Schroyer is active with the Indiana CEMETS iLab project, working toward development of a new educational model focused on apprenticeships and professional education. He is co-leader for the healthcare group tasked with developing and implementing the model for healthcare in Indiana.
Schroyer earned his MBA in healthcare business administration from Auburn University and holds a Master of Science in nursing administration from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Loyola University, Chicago. He is a certified healthcare executive, a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and an associate in the American College of Cardiology.
Tony Waterson serves as president and CEO of Southern Indiana Works (SIW), where he leads regional workforce strategies that connect individuals to meaningful career pathways and support employer talent needs. As president and CEO of SIW, Tony works closely with key regional partners—including Ivy Tech Community College, One Southern Indiana and Prosser Career and Education Center—to align training, education and employment services with local economic demands. His leadership has expanded programming for opportunity youth and underserved populations through initiatives such as Modern Youth Apprenticeships, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), SummerWorks, Fair Chance Bootcamp and SoINCares.
Waterson currently serves as chair of the Indiana Workforce Alliance and represents Indiana on the Great Lakes Employment and Training Association (GLETA), where he contributes to regional and national dialogue on workforce innovation, policy, advocacy and system alignment.
