A native San Diegan, Althea attended San Diego State University where she obtained a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources Management. She spent some time in retail and then with Sheraton properties where she began her career in the hospitality industry. Althea now serves as VP of Human Resources, overseeing the human resources function with the San Diego Tourism Authority, a non-profit organization that works to promote and market the San Diego region as a preferred vacation and meeting destination.
Althea is a Senior Professional in Human Resources, SPHR, and a SHRM-SCP, Senior Certified Practitioner. She has also served on the board of the San Diego Society for Human Resources Managers and is the current President for the chapter. She spent 5 years on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Travelers Aid which assists travelers in crisis. Serving and supporting others is a core belief Althea holds and she appreciates seeing positive change. Here she tells us a little bit about her.
Why are you passionate about workforce development?
Everyone should have an opportunity to earn a living. There are many elements involved, from writing a resume, interviewing, having skills and experience to secure a good job and subsequently perform well to grow a career. Workforce development is necessary to help people make a path in the workforce and not everyone has the same opportunities. With some guidance and direction, they can find employment that can be fulfilling and rewarding.
If you had $1M to donate to a workforce development program, what would you want done with it?
I would put the dollars back in the many valuable programs, including opportunity youth, that get youngsters skilled and trained for jobs. I would also donate to the Income Share Agreement program to help people acquire technical skills and credentials to get ahead in their career. This program will continue to give back for years to come while elevating many today who are unemployed or underemployed.
What do you like best about being on the Workforce Development Board?
I love the great work the San Diego Workforce Partnership team is doing with so many different groups including opportunity youth, justice-involved, post-secondary education and more. I find it incredibly rewarding to see the success stories of real people getting jobs and careers through the Partnership’s efforts. The Workforce Partnership is an incredibly passionate and committed team. They provide people with tools, resources, training and guidance to get them started or growing in their careers. The staff is connected to the issues of those they serve and help them acquire skills to secure good jobs which lead to careers. This is an award-winning organization and it’s great to see all the programs and, even more importantly, the results getting people trained and fully employed.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
In San Diego we have so many great things to do. We also have the luxury of great weather and the Pacific Ocean. On any given weekend, I can enjoy a tasty meal outside while watching people play in the Pacific or work on my sailing skills during a sunny San Diego day.