WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM 2025: Pine Hills Country Club

This dynamic, half-day event explores workforce development efforts at the local, regional and state levels. Attendees share best practices and concerns during facilitated conversations.

Whether you are a small, medium or large business owner, a company executive, human resource professional, K-12 administrator, educator or school counselor, post-secondary educator, technical education or community leader — you will benefit from attending this educational and wide-ranging event.

Wisconsin Economic Development (WEDC) Update by Mike Ward 

Local Success of Rocket Academy presented by Superintendent Liz Freeman and Director David Friend Rocket Academy is a tuition-free public charter school for 11th and 12th graders focusing on technical manufacturing and general employability skills, located in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District but are open to any student who wants to experience hands-on learning and prepare for a successful career in manufacturing.

Liz Freeman - Superintendent of Cedar Grove-Belgium School District

Dr. Elizabeth Freeman has been serving as Community Unit School District 300’s Chief Academic Officer in Algonquin, IL and has worked in District 300 since 2018 previously holding the Director of Professional Development and Programs Position also in District 300.  Dr. Freeman has also held the position of Assistant Superintendent of Innovative Learning, Teaching and Technology in Fremont School District 79 and Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Services in Rochelle Township High School 212. Dr. Freeman earned a Doctorate of Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Leadership from Loyola University, a Master of Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Psychology from National Louis University and a Bachelor of Arts: French from Northern Illinois University. A published author, Dr. Freeman has written about mindfulness, innovation, and professional learning communities, serves as a CODiE judge for innovative educational technology software, is a member of the state and national superintendents association, the state principal association Learning Forward, and ASCD.

David Friend - Director of Rocket Academy

I am honored to be Rocket Academy’s first director. After serving as an instructor of agriculture and also an Academic and Career Planning, ACP, Coordinator for several years, I developed a passion for getting high school students on a lean pathway toward their career of choice. Few things get me as excited as seeing students excited about the learning opportunities within their individualized pathways. There are so many awesome manufacturing career opportunities in our area that will provide a comfortable and fulfilling lifestyle. I hope to help as many students as possible graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain the right job for them. I was raised in West Virginia where I developed a love for farming and the outdoors. I enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, and just being in nature. Recently, I’ve developed a love for maple syrup production the Wisconsin way. I also enjoy traveling and exploring. We moved to eastern Wisconsin for my first teaching job and we fell in love with all of the outdoor, cultural, and educational opportunities. Our original intention was to live here for 2-3 years and then move back to WV, but we quickly realized this is where we wanted to raise our growing family. My wife and I have 3 awesome children. When they were young we hobby-farmed by raising chickens, pigs, goats, llamas, and a garden. As they grew and their interests drew them toward sports and theatre, we farmed less and coached, reffed, and sold concessions more. Though the schedules were exhausting, we loved juggling multiple events that kept us busy year-round. In recent years, mission work has become our passion. I organize an annual church mission trip back to my beloved Appalachian Mountains to volunteer making rural housing warmer, safer, and drier for families with little or no income. I’m proud that all of our kids have a sense of service to others and are becoming servant leaders themselves

Darin Holden - Executive Director of Camp Anokijig

Mark Sommerhauser - Communications Director/Policy Researcher for the Wisconsin Policy Forum

Mark Sommerhauser is Communications Director/Policy Researcher for the Wisconsin Policy Forum. He works in the Forum’s Madison office, where he both contributes to research and helps to disseminate it to the public. Before joining the Forum, Mark worked from 2015 to 2019 as a Capitol reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, where he covered the state budget, state agencies, transportation issues, and state and federal politics. Prior to that, he reported for three daily newspapers in Minnesota and Missouri. His work has received awards from professional journalism organizations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri. Mark has dual bachelor’s degrees in journalism and history from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He lives in Stoughton with his wife, Ava, and two children, Eloise and Nash.