Issues & Solutions
-
Make An Impact
Malia joined ReadyCT in the fall of 2022 for the opportunity to help make a positive impact in her community of eastern Connecticut. After a decade of working remotely at the policy level at national consulting firms helping state leaders across the country improve postsecondary education, Malia yearned to return to work on the ground in Connecticut. As the career pathways site director in eastern Connecticut, Malia works closely with the Eastern Workforce Investment Board to expand and enhance the region’s youth manufacturing pipeline initiative, as well as establish a parallel healthcare pipeline.
Prior to joining ReadyCT, Malia provided consulting services to various states, helping key leaders — across K12, higher education, business, foundation, and nonprofit organizations — build common vision and develop goals to increase educational attainment levels. Before that, she managed Connecticut’s P-20 Council for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Malia also worked at the United Way of Connecticut, helping communities across the state assess challenges and build collaboratives to address them.
Malia earned her bachelor’s degree in human development and family relations, together with her master’s degree in social work (policy and planning), from the University of Connecticut. A lifelong resident of Connecticut (not including the first year of her life spent in Hawaii), Malia and her partner live in Waterford with their numerous pets, both land and aquatic, and have twins: daughter Taylor, and son Dylan. Malia also serves on the Connecticut State Board of Education.
“Now more than ever in my lifetime, community members need to work together to meet educational and workforce needs. Through relationship building, finding common ground, and developing shared vision and plans, we can define and attain important goals. Along the way we must meet any challenges — for the futures of our students, our employers, and our communities.”