(Dallas, TX – July 11, 2022) NAF, a national non-profit organization, is proud to announce that Representative Thomas Albert, Michigan House Appropriations Committee Chair, has been named their 2022 Citizen of Excellence. This award recognizes a leader who has supported NAF with a variety of resources to enhance our work with states, districts, industry partners, and policy makers. This award was presented at NAF Next 2022, NAF’s dynamic annual professional development conference with 1,100 network members – including educators and business partners — in attendance, held in Dallas, TX this year.
“NAF is pleased to recognize Rep. Thomas Albert, Michigan’s House Appropriations Committee Chair, as the 2022 Citizen of Excellence,” said Tiffany Barfield, Senior Director, Policy and Advocacy. “We applaud Michigan’s civic leaders for their continued investment in providing high-quality work-based learning opportunities at the high school level, that will result in a strong and diverse pipeline of future healthcare workers.”
NAF is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that high school students are college, career, and future ready. NAF works to transform
the high school experience that includes industry-specific curricula, work-based learning experiences, and relationships with business professionals, culminating in a paid internship.
“Thank you to NAF for recognizing me as the ‘2022 Citizen of Excellence.’ The strain COVID-19 put on Michigan’s healthcare workers was immense and extremely demanding. I’m proud to partner with NAF to ensure that we can build sustainable workforce talent pipelines, guaranteeing our citizens are getting the highest quality care they deserve when they need it the most” said Chairman Albert.
NAF is proud to support more than 3,500 students in over 40 academies in Michigan and understands the vital need to build a dedicated and diverse pipeline to meet the increasing demands, especially in these trying times. These funds will help boost programs — such as work-based learning — committed to equipping today’s students with the necessary skills for their careers.
Representative Thomas Albert is a champion of workforce and education and is a strong proponent of helping to shape the next generation of diverse and skilled leaders.
He adds, “With investments now totaling over half a million dollars from budget negotiations, I’m proud to ensure our future talent pipelines will be prepared to meet the growing needs of our great state. I look forward to a continued partnership with NAF as we empower and educate the future doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers of Michigan.”
Past award winners have included: 2021, Justin Yancy, President, Texas Business Leadership Council and 2020, Bob Ward, CEO, Florida Council of 100.
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About NAF:
NAF is a national non-profit organization that transforms the high school experience to prepare students for college, career, and future success. NAF’s educational design is uniquely comprehensive in its approach to skill development, enabling students of all backgrounds to participate in a meaningful education and gives businesses the opportunity to partner with schools to shape America’s future workforce through career-relevant curricula and work-based learning experiences, including internships.
Since 1980, NAF has been collaborating with communities to improve outcomes for students, especially where institutional and social barriers are the most prevalent, by implementing NAF academies – small learning communities within existing high schools. NAF has grown from one NAF Academy of Finance in New York City to hundreds of academies across the country focusing on growing industries including finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences; and support programs of study that are aligned with the National Career Clusters Framework.
During the 2021-22 school year, over 120,000 students attended 619 NAF academies across 38 states and territories. In 2021, NAF academies reported 99% of seniors graduated with 87% of graduates planning to go to college.