Panelists on Part I of Tough Times: Jobs

Jobs Panelists

Peter Dorman is a Professor of Economics at The Evergreen State College. Talking points: Stimulus package and financial bailout strategy; their expected results and risk factors.

Lee Gorsuch is the President of City University. He is a recognized leader in education, public policy, economics and science. Talking Points: New scholarship program for returning students and a new program for unemployed workers who want to go back school.

Matt Hornyak is the Executive Director of Washington State 211. Talking Points: What is 211, and how can it help you if you are unemployed?

Mike Humphries is the President of Waldron & Co., a prominent human resource and organization development consulting firm providing corporate-sponsored outplacement. Talking Points: The strongest areas for finding employment; how to make yourself marketable; e-resumes, social networking and marketing oneself in the technology world; what to pay attention to and what to ignore; the value of creating.

Paula Klempey is the Director for MBA Career Services at the University of Washington. Talking Points: College graduates looking for work—where is the light? What can students do to market themselves?

Desiree Phair is the Regional Labor Economist for the Employment Security Department’s Labor Market and Economic Analysis branch, covering King County. Talking Points: Strengths and weaknesses in the King County job market.

Arun Raha is the new Chief Economist for the State of Washington. He is responsible for forecasting the state economy and revenue collections for the government. Talking Points: Job outlook in the state and how that will or won’t affect our economic performance.

Sue Walden is an outreach specialist at Within Reach, a local resource for family health. Talking Points: Applying for federal aid programs—food stamps, reduced lunches, summer lunch programs and subsidized healthcare.

Mark Varadian is the Communication Manager for the unemployment insurance division of the Employment Security Division. Talking Points: How to sign up for unemployment and the answer to the big question: Is the state prepared to handle this level of unemployment?

Matt King is the Senior Director of Employment Services for the YWCA. Talking Points: What are the resources that WorkSource offers?

Margret Graham is a planner for the Workforce Development Council (WDC) of Seattle-King County, a local nonprofit with the dual mission of ensuring a strong economy and a path to prosperity for everyone. Talking Points: The numerous employment and training programs for the adult workforce, at-risk youth and employers offered by WDC.