Workforce Development Panelist

Workforce Development Panel

Shawn Michael Avery

Mr. Shawn Avery currently serves as the President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council. In this role, he provides leadership for strategic initiatives, partner and community relations, business and industry development, industry sector activities, educational initiatives, and management and oversight for the largest Workforce Development Board in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He comes to the Hampton Roads Workforce Council after serving as Vice President for the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, where he provided leadership for the Councils’ Private / Public Partnership Division. In addition, he has held the positions of Senior Manager of Development and Community Affairs for Opportunity Inc., Manager of the Peninsula Workforce Development Center and Grants Specialist for Thomas Nelson Community College.

Mr. Avery holds a Master of Business Administration from Florida Tech and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University.   He has received a Certificate of Studies in Economic Development from Virginia Tech and the University of North Carolina.

Mr. Avery is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Hampton Roads Chamber Visionary Award, MLK Community Leaders Award, Greater Williamsburg Chamber’s 15 Under 50, Inside Business Top Forty under 40, as well as an Expanding Workforce Opportunities Award and a Chancellor’s Award from the Virginia Community College System, and the Community Builders Award from the Hampton Roads Community Action Program.

Mr. Avery currently serves on various Board and Commissions, including the US Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council, Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, GO Virginia Regional Council, Hampton Roads Chamber, Hampton Roads Alliance and the Virginia Business Roundtable for Early Education.

Katherine Dames

Katherine Dames is the managing director of Workforce Development at BlueForge Alliance, a non-profit integrator supporting the US Navy. Before joining BlueForge Alliance, Katherine was the regional director for a manufacturing-focused adult education & workforce training program in deep South Texas.  Katherine’s prior experiences provide a unique perspective on career and technical education, college access, and workforce development. She led college/career readiness, access, and completion work across the four southernmost counties in Texas for an education-focused non-profit, served as CTE & College Readiness director for a rural school system, and spent a decade in the classroom in Texas, Florida, and Missouri. Katherine holds a BS in Education, and a Master of Arts and is a doctoral candidate at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 

Bill Miley

Bill Miley’s career has spanned more than 40 years within the Construction and Aerospace Industries.  His career has taken him to live and work on five continents. He is a licensed professional engineer with degrees in engineering and a Masters Degree in Business Administration.

Bill started his career as a Welding Engineer for Bechtel and Fluor Corporations.  His projects included pipelines, refineries, coal and nuclear power plants.

Through his Aerospace tenure, Bill developed specific expertise in titanium, stainless steel, high-temperature alloy and aluminum alloy metallurgy and manufacturing methodology. He has utilized lean manufacturing and six sigma methodologies as the backbone of his Business Management Strategies.

Throughout his 30+ years of Aerospace experience, Bill has worked with all major airframe and engine OEMs.   He’s held the positions of Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering, Operations Manager, General Manager, Vice President, President and CEO.

Collectively, Bill’s career spanned 25 years with the Alcoa/ Arconic/ Howmet organization. Followed by positions as the CEO of Lisi Aerospace and thereafter the President Novaria Fastening Systems.

As of March 2023, Bill has worked for TMG.  He is TMG’s Director of Western Operations and the Southern California Flag Lead for the US Navy Talent Pipeline Program.

Bill earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil/ Structural Engineering and Material Science from University of California, Davis and holds a Master of Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach.
Bill’s been married to his wife, Lynne, for 45 years and has two children (Daniel, 40; Kristen, 38) and three grandchildren (Henry, 9, Cora, 6 and Liam, 1.)  He and his wife currently reside in Southern California.

John S. Snell

John Snell is the Sr. Program Manager for Maritime Trades at the Virginia Digital Maritime Center, Old Dominion University. His previous role was with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) where he was responsible for strategic planning and oversight of training and workforce development for over 32,000 employees across the four public naval shipyards including the apprenticeship programs, technical trade skills, trade theory, industrial management, and leadership development and competency management. He also served as the Dean for NAVSEA 04’s pinnacle leadership program; the One Nuclear Shipyard Senior Leaders Development Program.

Mr. Snell is a former enlisted Sailor who joined the United States Navy in May of 1980, volunteering for service in the submarine force. He completed several fast attack submarine tours and has completed multiple deployments. His submarine career included senior leadership assignments as the Chief of the Boat (COB) onboard the USS San Francisco (SSN 711) and Command Master Chief of Commander Submarine Squadron One (COMSUBRON One) in Pearl Harbor, HI. Following COMSUBRON One he was selected to attend the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy with follow on assignment as the Command Master Chief onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4).

Mr. Snell served as the Command Master Chief onboard USS Nassau (LHA 4) from 2001 to 2004, an assignment that included deploying with the 24 Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following the USS Nassau he was selected as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Directed Command Master Chief for Naval Personnel Development Command. During this assignment Mr. Snell oversaw naval enlisted technical and leadership training and education for over 320,000 active duty and reserve Sailors also serving on the CNO Enlisted Board of Advisors advising the CNO on significant matters impacting enlisted Sailors. During this time, he also completed the Navy’s Executive Leadership program at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.

After 26 years of service Mr. Snell retired from the U.S. Navy in April 2006 joining FranklinCovey for five years as an organizational and leadership consultant before returning to serve the Navy at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY). His career at NNSY included Branch and Division Head of the Command University and Superintendent for Production Workforce Development. He was inducted as a Superintendent in the National Association of Superintendents of U.S. Naval Shore Establishments in January 2016.

Mr. Snell has earned a Bachelor of Art in Business Management from Excelsior College and Master in Human Services Counseling with a concentration in Executive Leadership from Liberty University. He and his wife, Belinda currently live in Chesapeake, VA. They have 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and 3 dogs. He spends much of his off-time training for and coaching others in his passion sport, triathlon.