2025-2026 Career Navigation Practitioner Advisory Council

Contributors: Erica Bouris, Senior Director, JFF; Ikeia Miller, Senior Manager, JFF | 5-min read | October 17, 2025

Deciding what to do after high school is one of the biggest choices young people face. From exploring college and training options to understanding career pathways, students need clear, reliable guidance to make informed decisions about their futures.

To help meet that need, the ASA Center for Career Navigation at JFF is proud to announce the 2025-2026 Career Navigation Practitioner Advisory Council.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural council—which brought together 10 accomplished practitioners and sparked widespread engagement across the career guidance community—this year’s council will continue to shape tools, resources, and strategies that make high-quality career navigation support more accessible to young people everywhere.

The 2025-2026 council features a new cohort of leaders in education, workforce development, and career advising who share a commitment to helping the next generation confidently take their next steps.

Read on to meet this year’s incredible advisors and learn how they’re helping redefine what effective career guidance looks like.

“Effective student career planning begins with self-awareness and career awareness, empowering students to understand their strengths, interests, and potential career paths.”
– Jaime Sheggrud, educational leader, Career Development programming in Baltimore County Public Schools

CNPAC Members

Nicole Davis

Nicole Davis serves as the Vice President of Programs at the Work-Based Learning Alliance (WBLA), a non-profit whose mission is to provide all high school students across the United States with equitable access to industry connected learning experiences. Prior to WBLA Nicole spent 15 years driving design, development and execution of learning programs with Sylvan Learning, Northeastern University, and edtech company Practera.

Jaime Sheggrud

Jaime Sheggrud is an educational leader with extensive experience designing and implementing Career Development programming in Baltimore County Public Schools. She works to foster strong connections between classrooms and real-world workforce opportunities. She believes that effective student career planning begins with self-awareness and career awareness, empowering students to understand their strengths, interests, and potential career paths. Passionate about building sustainable partnerships, she advocates for employers to take an active role in engaging with school systems to ensure all students have equitable access to quality job pathways.

Jason Van Nus

Jason Van Nus, a nationally recognized leader in Career and Technical Education—as both a thought leader and practitioner—currently serves as the Director of Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship Programs for Lowndes County Schools in Georgia, where over the past 7 years he has grown the program by over 435%, generating a $37.4 million economic impact. With 21 years of experience across multiple CTE disciplines, a robust list of state and national honors, and a nearly completed Ph.D. in CTE, Jason combines academic depth with practical innovation to expand student opportunity, employer engagement, and workforce development.

Chris Brida

Chris Brida is the Director of Career and Technical Education & Pathways at Portland Public Schools, where he leads system-wide efforts to align CTE, advanced coursework, and college and career readiness with workforce and postsecondary opportunities. He has served on national panels including the Employability Skills Framework 2.0 and CollegeBoard AP National CTE Advisory, co-chairs the Oregon Clean Energy Workforce Coalition’s CTE workgroup, and speaks nationally on partnership design in CTE. Currently an EdD candidate at the University of Kentucky, his research examines how CTE leaders in large urban districts create the conditions to position CTE as a systems-level partner

Marsha Armstrong

Marsha Armstrong of STRIVE located in East Harlem, NY brings with her over 10 years of experience in youth development. She lives daily to serve, empower, and lift young people up. Throughout her career, she has been focused on system-building, development, and implementation. Marsha firmly believes that the daily work is HEART-work rather than hard work and standing on the front line for all gives her great joy. Her desire is not only to advocate for those she serves but also for those who do the serving.

Juliet Bedard

Juliet Bedard is the Workforce Manager for the Tech and Innovation Department at Miami Dade College. She is committed to helping students build the skills and connections needed to launch successful careers in tech. With a background in business, education, and workforce development, Juliet actively collaborates with industry partners to create hands-on learning opportunities, including internships, micro-internships, and mentorship programs. She is a doctoral candidate currently in the dissertation stage: From Experience to Employability: An Improvement Science Approach to Integrating Experiential Learning in Career Preparation.

LaKeisha Franklin

LaKeisha N. Franklin is an accomplished workforce development leader with extensive experience creating equitable career pathways for youth and adults. She has led statewide programs, influenced policy, and built strong partnerships to advance education and employment opportunities. As a member of the JFF Career Navigators Advisory Council, she is committed to innovation, collaboration, and expanding access to meaningful careers.

Jamesia Jackson

Jamesía Jackson is a Birmingham, Alabama native. She graduated from Ramsay High School and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from a local college. Her passion is supporting and guiding students in high school, higher education, or in the workforce.

Martin Ramirez

Martin Ramirez is the Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Colorado Mountain College –Leadville, where he leads initiatives that promote student success, equity, and community engagement. He is pursuing his doctorate with research focused on Early College High School programs and their impact on Latino/a students’ pathways to graduate-level education. Martin is passionate about creating equitable, culturally responsive pathways ensuring that learners are empowered to navigate education and career opportunities successfully.

Marshall Behringer

Marshall Behringer, M.S. Ed, serves as the Youth Programs Manager for Allied Health Education and Career Pathways at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Health system in Madison, Wisconsin. Initially trained as a classroom educator, Marshall’s career has spanned education technology, career and technical education, civil service, and now youth-focused workforce development. In his current role, Marshall designs and implements programs that help young people explore and prepare for careers in healthcare, including one of the largest healthcare youth apprenticeship programs in the United States.

Elizabeth Zamudio

Elizabeth Zamudio is the Vice President of Education at UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. Elizabeth leads all education programmatic work for the organization including womb to career programming, family and community engagement, and strategic impact with UnidosUS’ Affiliate Network. A first-generation college graduate herself, Elizabeth holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and Chicana/o studies and a master’s degree in school counseling from Loyola Marymount University, is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Non-Profit Resilient Leaders program, and is a doctoral candidate in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University.

Tawny Townsend

Dr. Tawny Townsend is the Director for Academic Advising and Career Services at Whatcom Community College. Tawny has worked in higher education for over 25 years as a faculty member and administrator, specializing in community college access, retention, and completion. Her experience includes supporting students ranging in age from 15 to 70 with identifying and aligning career, academic, and personal goals.

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