Grateful4Her
A few years ago, I started a project with colleagues and friends called #Grateful4Her. It is an initiative focused on recognizing the women in your world you are grateful for their impact, influence, and work. People who'd shown up and supported you, stood by you, and who also identify as women.
Innovators in Open Recognition and Digital Credentialing
Over the last 15 years, I've had the fortune to learn with and work alongside some pretty amazing women. People who have inspired and challenged me, engaged in thoughtful debate, and whom I've watched push the boundaries to build with intentionality and heart systems, teams, and technologies. People who care about the impact of the recognition systems we are building and the way we are implementing them.
I am grateful to these remarkable women for their contributions to the open recognition and digital credentialing space and for showing me there are multiple ways to build, fund, and manage equitable and inclusive systems of recognition, with one thing always remaining constant: It will take all of us working and learning together.
To these leaders and innovators, I say thank you!
Dr. Sheryl Grant: Thank you for empowering individuals to achieve their goals at any age by elevating intentional ways to build micro-credentials into systems and schools of higher and further education across the US and internationally.
Dr. Kerri Lemoie: Thank you for advancing the development and adoption of digital credentials and enhancing the recognition of verifiable achievements and claims in post-secondary education and beyond.
Dr. Krystal Rawls: Thank you for your dedication to workforce advancements, integration, and skill recognition, particularly for community-based and centered recognition and first-generation students exploring and supporting them in the ways they thrive.
Dr. Julie Keane: Thank you for fostering global learning communities and promoting digital credentialing to support lifelong learning and professional development. Congratulations on Participate being the FIRST platform to issue verifiable credentials using OB 3.0.
Gillian Walsh: Thank you for contributing to implementing digital credentialing and trust registry initiatives that bridge the gap between post-secondary education and employment.
Meena Naik: Thank you for advocating for equitable credentialing practices and data governance that may empower all learners and workers and jobs for the future starting today.
Amanda Winters: Thank you for shaping policies integrating digital credentials into state data, governance, and education systems, enhancing pathways for all learners and workers.
Jeannie Kitchens: Thank you for your work in developing interoperable credentialing systems that facilitate seamless recognition of learning across various platforms.
Dr. Deb Everhart: Thank you for your leadership in creating frameworks that ensure the quality and trustworthiness of digital credentials.
Katherine Giovacchini: Thank you for your role in leading TLN and Pocket at ASU and advancing digital credentialing technologies that support learner mobility and recognition throughout their life.
Brooke Lipsitz: Thank you for your work in integrating digital credentials into trusted learner networks through TLN and development programs, enhancing and advocating for relevance and visibility for all learners/earners.
Sharon Leu: Thank you for leading #JFFPlugfest multiple years in a row and promoting the adoption of interoperable digital credentials across various sectors and systems.
Dr. Amber Garrison Duncan: Thank you for your leadership in initiatives that leverage LERs, digital credentials to support lifelong interoperable systems of learning and recognition.
Haley Glover: Thank you for your work in aligning digital credentialing systems with industry needs, facilitating smoother transitions for implementation, and supporting employers and workers.
Dr. Sarah DeMark: Thank you for your leadership at WGU diving strategic and digital change in learning and record system and the role of making achievement visible and meaningful to/for so many learners.
Kim Hamilton Duffy: Thank you for your dedication to digital identity solutions that empower individuals and broaden access to opportunities; and leadership with the decentralized identity foundation.
Dr. Tara Laughlin: Thank you for contributing to designing and implementing skills validation and micro-credentialing systems and programs that recognize diverse learning experiences.
Dr. Melanie Booth: Thank you for your efforts in integrating digital credentials into higher education curricula, enhancing student engagement and recognition in work and learning systems.
Margo Griffith: Thank you for your work in promoting the evidence-based use of digital credentials to support workforce readiness and career advancement nationally across Australia and internationally with all you meet, engage and have the joy to work with you.
Rita Detrick: Thank you for your contributions to the development of standards that ensure the quality and interoperability of digital credentials for military workforce and civilian transitions.
Val Thomas: Thank you for your leadership and dedication to employment equity and digital transformation through the lens of reducing barriers to apprenticeship for peoples from Indigenous communities.
Kymberly Lavigne-Hinkley: Thank you for your efforts in implementing digital credentialing systems that support learner progression and recognition across WGU community.
Odelia Younge: Thank you for your advocacy for inclusive micro-credentialing practices that recognize diverse skills and competencies that set the foundation for recognizing skills throughout educator and teacher professions.
Kristen Franklin: Thank you for years of leadership building a micro-credential service that truly recognizes and honors teachers for their work, contributions, and skills developed in the world.
Sangyeon Lee: Thank you for your operations leadership bringing together ways to connect, honor, and remunerate partners, participants, and products to serve the digital credentialing workforce.
Dr. Marilys Galindo: Thank you for creating space for learners and earners from Spanish-first speaking communities and workplaces to participate in the micro-credentialing conversations and development work.
Kimberly Smith: Thank you for leading the inclusive innovation work in our education and workforce system, and its role in developing inclusive recognition systems in learning and career pathways.
Dr. Kristi Wold-McCormick: Thank you for your leadership in integrating digital credentials into academic records, enhancing the transparency of learner achievements.
Dr. Gloria Niles: Thank you for your work in promoting the adoption of digital credentials to support lifelong learning and professional development.
Dr. Sherri Braxton Castanzo: Thank you for your efforts in advancing the use of digital credentials to support learner mobility and recognition.
Dr. Holly Zanville: Thank you for your leadership in work and learning spaces promoting the deeper learning about LERs, digital and micro-credentials across various work and learning contexts.
Rachel Scherer: Thank you for leading and supporting data innovation and interoperability across silos in our education and workforce systems and inspiring collaborations grounded in 'how might we ...'
Cory Dixon: Thank you for your coordination and expertise guiding states in their exploration and implementation of skills-based activities with learning and employment record innovations.
Naomi Szekeres: Thank you for your leadership coordinating a diverse education ecosystem so that individuals can own, store, curate, and present their education and employment credentials.
Mary Hayes: Thank you for your contributions to the development of digital credentialing systems that support workforce readiness and recognition of skills among folx transitioning from the justice system.
Jessica Maiorca: Thank you for leading the work to bring credential issuers, and workforce boards across Colorado to the innovation table, and advocating accessible funding systems.
Dr. Annelies Goger: Thank you for your efforts in promoting equitable access to LERs, digital credentials to support work-based learning programs empowering diverse learners.
Laura Hilliger: Thank you for your work in advancing open recognition practices through digital credentials, fostering inclusive learning and work environments.
Dr. Patti Constantakis: Thank you for leading strategic funding support for the evidence-based racial equity and skills-based initiatives across workforce and career pathways systems.
Renise Walker: Thank you for leading and advocating for workers, employers, and workforce boards across Colorado to have a voice in the design of skills-based systems, and integrated recognition systems.
Elizabeth Miller: Thank you for your leadership and critical conversations driving forward the roles of skills in pathways from learn to earn, and showing up for the ecosystem as a systems thinker focused on learning life long.
...
Dr. Sheryl Grant: Thank you for empowering individuals to achieve their goals at any age by elevating intentional ways to build micro-credentials into systems and schools of higher and further education across the US and internationally.
Dr. Kerri Lemoie: Thank you for advancing the development and adoption of digital credentials and enhancing the recognition of verifiable achievements and claims in post-secondary education and beyond.
Dr. Krystal Rawls: Thank you for your dedication to workforce advancements, integration, and skill recognition, particularly for community-based and centered recognition and first-generation students exploring and supporting them in the ways they thrive.
Dr. Julie Keane: Thank you for fostering global learning communities and promoting digital credentialing to support lifelong learning and professional development. Congratulations on Participate being the FIRST platform to issue verifiable credentials using OB 3.0.
Gillian Walsh: Thank you for contributing to implementing digital credentialing and trust registry initiatives that bridge the gap between post-secondary education and employment.
Meena Naik: Thank you for advocating for equitable credentialing practices and data governance that may empower all learners and workers and jobs for the future starting today.
Amanda Winters: Thank you for shaping policies integrating digital credentials into state data, governance, and education systems, enhancing pathways for all learners and workers.
Jeannie Kitchens: Thank you for your work in developing interoperable credentialing systems that facilitate seamless recognition of learning across various platforms.
Dr. Deb Everhart: Thank you for your leadership in creating frameworks that ensure the quality and trustworthiness of digital credentials.
Katherine Giovacchini: Thank you for your role in leading TLN and Pocket at ASU and advancing digital credentialing technologies that support learner mobility and recognition throughout their life.
Brooke Lipsitz: Thank you for your work in integrating digital credentials into trusted learner networks through TLN and development programs, enhancing and advocating for relevance and visibility for all learners/earners.
Sharon Leu: Thank you for leading #JFFPlugfest multiple years in a row and promoting the adoption of interoperable digital credentials across various sectors and systems.
Dr. Amber Garrison Duncan: Thank you for your leadership in initiatives that leverage LERs, digital credentials to support lifelong interoperable systems of learning and recognition.
Haley Glover: Thank you for your work in aligning digital credentialing systems with industry needs, facilitating smoother transitions for implementation, and supporting employers and workers.
Dr. Sarah DeMark: Thank you for your leadership at WGU diving strategic and digital change in learning and record system and the role of making achievement visible and meaningful to/for so many learners.
Kim Hamilton Duffy: Thank you for your dedication to digital identity solutions that empower individuals and broaden access to opportunities; and leadership with the decentralized identity foundation.
Dr. Tara Laughlin: Thank you for contributing to designing and implementing skills validation and micro-credentialing systems and programs that recognize diverse learning experiences.
Dr. Melanie Booth: Thank you for your efforts in integrating digital credentials into higher education curricula, enhancing student engagement and recognition in work and learning systems.
Margo Griffith: Thank you for your work in promoting the evidence-based use of digital credentials to support workforce readiness and career advancement nationally across Australia and internationally with all you meet, engage and have the joy to work with you.
Rita Detrick: Thank you for your contributions to the development of standards that ensure the quality and interoperability of digital credentials for military workforce and civilian transitions.
Val Thomas: Thank you for your leadership and dedication to employment equity and digital transformation through the lens of reducing barriers to apprenticeship for peoples from Indigenous communities.
Kymberly Lavigne-Hinkley: Thank you for your efforts in implementing digital credentialing systems that support learner progression and recognition across WGU community.
Odelia Younge: Thank you for your advocacy for inclusive micro-credentialing practices that recognize diverse skills and competencies that set the foundation for recognizing skills throughout educator and teacher professions.
Kristen Franklin: Thank you for years of leadership building a micro-credential service that truly recognizes and honors teachers for their work, contributions, and skills developed in the world.
Sangyeon Lee: Thank you for your operations leadership bringing together ways to connect, honor, and remunerate partners, participants, and products to serve the digital credentialing workforce.
Dr. Marilys Galindo: Thank you for creating space for learners and earners from Spanish-first speaking communities and workplaces to participate in the micro-credentialing conversations and development work.
Kimberly Smith: Thank you for leading the inclusive innovation work in our education and workforce system, and its role in developing inclusive recognition systems in learning and career pathways.
Dr. Kristi Wold-McCormick: Thank you for your leadership in integrating digital credentials into academic records, enhancing the transparency of learner achievements.
Dr. Gloria Niles: Thank you for your work in promoting the adoption of digital credentials to support lifelong learning and professional development.
Dr. Sherri Braxton Castanzo: Thank you for your efforts in advancing the use of digital credentials to support learner mobility and recognition.
Dr. Holly Zanville: Thank you for your leadership in work and learning spaces promoting the deeper learning about LERs, digital and micro-credentials across various work and learning contexts.
Rachel Scherer: Thank you for leading and supporting data innovation and interoperability across silos in our education and workforce systems and inspiring collaborations grounded in 'how might we ...'
Cory Dixon: Thank you for your coordination and expertise guiding states in their exploration and implementation of skills-based activities with learning and employment record innovations.
Naomi Szekeres: Thank you for your leadership coordinating a diverse education ecosystem so that individuals can own, store, curate, and present their education and employment credentials.
Mary Hayes: Thank you for your contributions to the development of digital credentialing systems that support workforce readiness and recognition of skills among folx transitioning from the justice system.
Jessica Maiorca: Thank you for leading the work to bring credential issuers, and workforce boards across Colorado to the innovation table, and advocating accessible funding systems.
Dr. Annelies Goger: Thank you for your efforts in promoting equitable access to LERs, digital credentials to support work-based learning programs empowering diverse learners.
Laura Hilliger: Thank you for your work in advancing open recognition practices through digital credentials, fostering inclusive learning and work environments.
Dr. Patti Constantakis: Thank you for leading strategic funding support for the evidence-based racial equity and skills-based initiatives across workforce and career pathways systems.
Renise Walker: Thank you for leading and advocating for workers, employers, and workforce boards across Colorado to have a voice in the design of skills-based systems, and integrated recognition systems.
Elizabeth Miller: Thank you for your leadership and critical conversations driving forward the roles of skills in pathways from learn to earn, and showing up for the ecosystem as a systems thinker focused on learning life long.
...
These women have significantly influenced, impacted, and worked/learned alongside me in various capacities. I've seen first hand how their work and contributions have advanced the digital credentialing landscape, enhancing the open recognition of skills and learning achievements across various sectors and contexts and for the benefit of multiple groups of learners, earners and systems.
Each, in their own way, have also reminded me ...
Each, in their own way, have also reminded me ...
Who Are You Grateful For?
My list is by no means complete, and if you have read this far, I am sure you could add a few more names to the list. If so, please comment. I think of more people to recognize every day.
Who are you grateful for and why? Share a story about a woman who has impacted, influenced, or supported you and share it with the hashtag #Grateful4her. Together, we can recognize women everywhere for their work, learning, and contributions by being Grateful4Her.
Who are you grateful for and why? Share a story about a woman who has impacted, influenced, or supported you and share it with the hashtag #Grateful4her. Together, we can recognize women everywhere for their work, learning, and contributions by being Grateful4Her.