Hiring and Recruiting Best Practices
Join us on Thursday, October 20 at 11 a.m. to hear from Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SP – Senior Vice President of Grants and Communications, at the Kessler Foundation and Jackie Lue Raia, President & Owner at ALEXENA Consulting, LLC to learn:
-What is considered a “disability”
-Why you should hire People with Disabilities (PWD) to fulfill your skilled workforce needs
-The cost effectiveness of workplace accommodations and supports
-Why it’s all important to your business success
Our Presenters
Elaine E. Katz
Senior Vice President of Grants & Communications, The Kessler Foundation
Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP is Senior Vice President of Grants and Communications. Elaine Katz oversees Kessler Foundation’s comprehensive grant making program and its communications department. During her tenure, the Foundation has awarded more than $49 million in grant support for national and community-based employment programs. For more than 25 years, Katz has worked with non-profit organizations in the areas of board development, fundraising, marketing, and business development. Katz often speaks about innovative practices for employing people with disabilities, and is the author/co-author of articles and papers on related topics.
She currently serves on the board of directors of JESPY House, New Jersey Association of People Supporting Employment First (NJAPSE), Essex/Newark Disabilities Issues Committee, and on the program committee of the Council of NJ Grantmakers. Elaine served as a member of the Human and Children Services Transition Advisory Committee for Governor-elect Phil Murphy. She is also an appointed member of Empower NYC Advisory Board, Workforce Matters National Steering Committee, ReelAbilities NY Advisory & Council, ReelAbilities 2019 Selection Committee and the NJ Veterans and Community Collaborative Network (VCCN).
View comprehensive listings of publications for Elaine Katz on ResearchGate and Google Scholar
Jackie Lue Raia
President, ALEXENA Consulting, LLC
Jackie Lue Raia is the president of ALEXENA Consulting, a firm focused on Workforce Development and Employee Engagement. As a certified Minority/Women Business Enterprise, the firm serves as an essential and important partner to businesses and stakeholders across all industry sectors. Their goal is to ensure the creation of the strongest, most engaged and satisfied workforce possible. This is accomplished by creating a professional atmosphere and environment that is empathetic, nurturing, engaging and safe. Based on formalized evaluations and feedback from their clients, the firm’s planning and execution of unique, highly customized, interactive, real-life workshops and roundtable discussions have been well received and impactful.
Jackie currently sits on the Leadership Committee of NJ Business and Industry Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council; Board of Directors of the Bergen and Essex County Workforce Development Boards; Leadership Council for the New Jersey Statewide Network for Cultural Competence; Board of Directors for Global Business Travel Association – NJ; Advisory Board Member of NJ Association for School Resource Officers (NJASRO); and is the Goodwill Ambassador of the Blue Knights NJ Chapter VIII law enforcement motorcycle club. She was awarded a certificate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace by the University of South Florida.
ALEXENA Consulting was awarded the 2022 New Jersey Business & Industry Association and New Jersey Business Magazine’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award for Excellence in DEI Initiatives.
In 2023, Jackie received the YWCA Northern New Jersey Tribute to Women of INfluence (TWIN) award.