About Us

|

News

|

Ascend Indiana Names New Member to its Board of Directors

Ascend Indiana Names New Member to its Board of Directors

Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced today the appointment of Rachel Stevens, senior director of Human Resources for the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), to the Ascend Indiana Board of Directors.

“As Ascend works to build a more connected and responsive workforce system, Rachel brings the leadership, expertise and forward-thinking perspective needed to help drive meaningful impact,” said Brad Rhorer, president and CEO of Ascend. “Her experience in human resources will be invaluable as we expand opportunity for Hoosiers and support employers statewide.”

During her 11-year tenure with the IAA, Rachel’s team has been recognized locally and nationally for a multi-pronged approach to talent acquisition and retention, including apprenticeships, internships, tours, outreach to underrepresented communities, tuition assistance, strategic community partnerships, and a public safety talent pipeline. Each partnership and program is intentionally developed to connect classroom learning with industry practice, develop critical soft skills, and leverage partnerships to reach talent where they’re at. Rachel’s approach to workforce development captured the interest of U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who visited the Indianapolis International Airport in June to learn more about the program.

Prior to joining the IAA, she spent over 11 years with Republic Airways and PSA Airlines, where she served as an advisor to other senior leaders and executives on human resource strategic initiatives relating to human capital development and retention.

Rachel sits on the board of directors for Pass the Torch for Women, a career mentorship program, as well as the EmployIndy Workforce Development Board, which aims to address systemic barriers preventing a strong pipeline of entry-level workers and employment opportunities in Central Indiana. She was recently named as the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ 2026 Employer Recruiting Champion.

Back to News Stories

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Stay in the loop with Ascend.  Sign up today for exclusive updates, news, and event information.

Submit
Ellipse 59 (1)

Central Intermediaries

Aspire Johnson County

Supports work-based learning by linking schools and more than 165 local employers to create hands-on opportunities that help students explore and pursue regional career pathways.
Counties Served: Johnson, Marion
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Central Indiana Educational Service Center (CIESC)

Partners with districts, educators, and students to provide high quality, sustainable services that enhance academic achievement and operational efficiencies.
Counties Served: Hamilton, Hendricks, Marion
Supporting: Schools
Visit Website
Contact

East Central Educational Service Center (ECESC)

Provides regional coordination, tools, and training to help schools implement consistent and high-quality work-based learning programs.
Counties Served: Bartholomew, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Henry, Johnson, Madison, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Union, Wayne
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Eastern Indiana Works (EIW)

Engages employers, offers workforce insights, and partners with schools to expand student access to work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush, Union, Wayne
Supporting: Employers
Visit Website
Contact

EmployIndy

Located in Indianapolis, EmployIndy develops career-connected learning systems in Marion County by coordinating employer engagement, work-based learning programming, and youth career pathways.
Counties Served: Marion
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Greater Lafayette Commerce and Economic Development Foundation

Builds connections between schools and employers to expand high-quality work-based learning, coordinate meaningful career experiences, and strengthen pathways from education to employment.
Counties Served: Benton, Carroll, Fountain, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Warren, White
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce

Serves as a bridge between businesses and schools to promote internships, employer partnerships, and hands-on learning opportunities.
Counties Served: Delaware
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Hendricks College Network (HCN)

Connects schools, employers, and community partners—facilitating ongoing collaborations, coordinating a range of employer involvement opportunities, and providing support to help schools track and manage work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Hendricks
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Invest Hamilton County

Works with employers and schools to connect schools and students to employers offering high-quality work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Hamilton
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce

Leads countywide coordination of work-based learning by unifying schools, employers, and partners to streamline student placements and employer onboarding.
Counties Served: Wayne
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Southern Intermediaries

E-REP (Evansville Regional Economic Partnership)

Connects schools, employers, and community partners to expand high-quality work-based learning opportunities, strengthen employer engagement, and support students in exploring and preparing for careers.
Counties Served: Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce

Connects local employers with schools to encourage internships, career exploration, and collaborative work-based learning initiatives.
Counties Served: Monroe
Supporting: Employers
Visit Website
Contact

Hub19

Connects high school students and schools with local employers through career exploration, internships, and hands-on work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Dubois
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI)

Located in Bloomington, ROI helps schools and employers throughout their region understand evolving requirements, building partner capacity, fostering regional connections, and coordinating programs that offer students meaningful career-aligned experiences.
Counties Served: Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, Washington
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Southern Indiana Education Center (SIEC)

Supports educators through training, resources, and collaboration structures that help schools and employers organize work-based learning.
Counties Served: Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Warrick
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Southern Indiana Works (SIW, Workforce Region 10)

Engages employers and develops talent initiatives that connect students to meaningful work experiences aligned with regional workforce needs.
Counties Served: Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, Washington
Supporting: Employers
Visit Website
Contact

Southwest Indiana Workforce Board (SWIN)

Partners with businesses and schools to expand student access to industry-aligned work-based learning programs.
Counties Served: Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick
Supporting: Employers
Visit Website
Contact

Northern Intermediaries

Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI)

Coordinates employer relationships, talent programs, and school partnerships to strengthen work-based learning throughout Northwest Indiana.
Counties Served: Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Starke
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Grow Allen

Supports work-based learning by coordinating student internships and work-based tours, connecting schools with local businesses, and partnering with community organizations to expand training pathways while collaboratively helping partners strengthen their work-based learning efforts.
Counties Served: Allen
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Horizon Education Alliance (HEA)

Partners with schools and employers to provide high school students with career exploration and hands-on work-based learning opportunities.
Counties Served: Elkhart
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Northeast Indiana Workforce Board (NEINW)

Supports regional talent pipelines by linking businesses with schools and promoting work-based learning as part of workforce development.
Counties Served: Adams, Allen, Grant, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, Whitley
Supporting: Employers
Visit Website
Contact

Northern Indiana Workforce Board

Serves as a regional backbone for work-based learning, bringing schools, employers, and workforce partners together to build shared WBL infrastructure and expand student opportunities.
Counties Served: Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, St. Joseph
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Region 8 Education Service Center of Northeast Indiana (R8ESC)

Provides training, coordination, data support, and shared tools to help schools implement and scale consistent work-based learning practices across the region.
Counties Served: Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Kosciusko, Madison, Miami, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, Whitley
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

South Bend Regional Chamber

Coordinates employer partnerships, student programming, and large-scale work-based learning initiatives to connect youth with regional career pathways.
Counties Served: St. Joseph
Supporting: Employers, Schools
Visit Website
Contact

Connect

Contact

Connect with our team

Resources

Intermediaries

Find a regional partner to help you create work-based learning opportunities

Research

Indiana workforce data and insights

News

Workforce insights that inspire and educate

Who We Are

What We Do

Employers
Workforce Council
Choose Indiana
Research
Success Stories
About Us
News
Partners
Team
Board
Contact
Find a Job