Kristen M. Patterson’s

Kristen M. Patterson, MBA, GCDF is a graduate from University of North Carolina-Greensboro, where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and the University of Maryland University College with a Master’s in Business Administration. The majority of her professional career has been centered around workforce development and positive youth development. Kristen has worked alongside a diverse population of individuals with barriers to employment to obtain their GED’s, enroll in Post-Secondary education, and obtain employment. She truly believes that assisting individuals to improve their essential skills, technical skills, occupational skills, or basic skills is an opportunity to make a generational impact. These beliefs have been cultivated throughout her career whether assisting individuals experiencing homeless in Washington DC to move into housing and obtain employment, during her time as a WIA/WIOA Title 1 Youth Provider and have carried on to current position at the Maryland Department of Labor where she is the State Coordinator for Disability and Youth Services. This position allows Kristen to provide oversight, training, and technical assistance to the Local Areas as they implement WIOA Youth Services and ensures that individuals with disabilities have access to the services provided. She serves as a Member of the State Rehabilitation Council, the Advisory Council for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the MDTAP Advisory Council.