NATION BRAND CONFERENCE

Crystal Bridgeman

Senior Director of Workforce Development Programs

Siemens Foundation

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Crystal Bridgeman is Senior Director of Workforce Development Programs for the Siemens Foundations, a role she began in October 2014. Crystal has more than 10 years of professional experience in workforce development and postsecondary education.

 

Immediately prior to joining the Siemens Foundation, she was the Senior Education Policy Advisor on workforce development issues for former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) in his role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). During her tenure with the Chairman, Crystal was the majority committee staff lead for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, signed into law by President Obama on July 22, 2014, re-authorizing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Crystal also managed career and technical

education and policy issues related to community colleges for the Chairman.

 

From 2007 to 2013, Crystal managed similar policy and funding issues for U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) in her role as Chairwoman of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety. She joined Murray’s team as Presidential Management Fellow.

 

Prior to her legislative experience, Crystal managed a professional development program for graduate students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She spent two years in higher education administration in coastal Georgia managing a campus serving non-traditional undergraduate students.

 

Crystal earned her graduate degree in public administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her undergraduate degree at Mercer University.