Our Organization is made up of a diverse group of individuals with backgrounds in business, social work, psychology, public administration and workplace productivity. We are driven by research and closely manage our budget and bottom line. CDI was created to provide support for the situations that government legislation does not account for. Our leadership, staff and board members are committed to completing each project on time and within budget.
Leadership
Erin Martinez, Executive Director
Executive Director, Erin Martinez has worked in a variety of capacities for more than 10 years assisting families in crisis. Erin has worked with a variety of populations in the employment & training field and as an advocate and manager for individuals leaving public assistance through employment. Erin has also worked in the domestic violence field as a therapist and court advocate and in the juvenile justice system as a family therapist and program coordinator working in residential and independent living settings.
Graduating from the University of Michigan School of Social Work with a concentration in social policy, Erin has consistently focused on service and outreach among under-privileged populations. Through her work in the social service field the importance of collaboration to simplify access of service for the clients in need has been a prominent theme. Erin founded CDI in 2006 with the mission of assisting families in crisis. Later graduating from the University of Detroit Mercy with a concentration in Early Childhood Development Erin has remained passionate about working with youth and assisting teen parents.
Staff
Irene Anderson Sparks, Community Resource Manager
Irene Anderson Sparks is the Community Resource Manager of the Suited for Work, PA WorkWear Program in Allegheny County. She obtained her B.S. in Psychology/Sociology from Carlow University in PA, ran several businesses and worked in human resources. Later on she obtained an MBA from the University of Phoenix and while working in social service, noticed that men who were entering the work force needed proper clothing. She began collecting clothing and was introduced to CDI director, Erin Martinez, who shared the vision of providing clothing to those in need. With 2 degrees and the years of business experience Irene provides Capacity Developers Inc with unlimited growth potential.
Nashanda McMillian, Community Resource Manager
Nashanda has been with CDI for over 2 years. Coming aboard as a Paid Work Intern her dedication to the program, strong communication skills, and enthusiasm for making a difference in client's lives was recognized. Nashanda uses her own experience to motivate and coach clients served by the program as well as those completing work internships in the program.
LeTonya Wilson, Clothing Consultant
LeTonya joined the CDI Team over a year ago. She recently took over the responsibility of coordinating the Centralized Training Site domain of the program. Her organizational skills and ability to work with others make her an asset to the team!
Gabrielle Johnson, Literacy Outreach Coordinator
Gabrielle began work with CDI through the Summer Youth Program. Her interest in helping others and working on literacy initiatives made her an ideal fit for our Family Literacy Program. We are grateful to have the enthusiasm and fresh ideas she offers to CDI as Literacy Coordinator. In addition to running the Book Ownership Program and Family Evening Seminars Gabrielle plays a lead role in volunteer and Community Service coordination.
Advisory Board
W. Robert Schnieders
Mr. Schnieders is the founder of Educational Data Systems Inc., a Dearborn, Michigan based Employment and Training Consulting firm. Prior to founding EDSI in 1979, was involved in vocational education as an instructor and administrator at the secondary, community college and graduate level. Over the past twenty-five years, EDSI has grown from a company of one to a workforce of approximately 400 housed in twenty-two offices throughout Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, New York and Washington DC.
His educational credentials include an undergraduate degree in Vocational Education from California University and advanced degrees from Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University.
Work experience has primarily been in the field of Workforce Development. It involves placing individuals into a company, from one company to another, or from one position within a company to another, within the same company. EDSI and Mr. Schnieders take pride in being on the cutting edge of labor exchange activities that have ranged from the original National Demonstration Project for Dislocated Workers to current efforts assisting Welfare-to-Work clients to successfully attain employment and unsubsidized home ownership.
Recently, Mr. Schnieders turned EDSI over to his son and founded ES Investments which is involved in property development. The current holdings of ES Investments include three commercial office buildings and six residential income properties.
Kevin Schnieders
Kevin Schnieders is the CEO and President of Educational Data Systems, Incorporated. Kevin started with EDSI as a Training Consultant in 1994. He gained additional responsibilities as the firm’s HR Manager and Director of Operations, before serving for 6 years as the Chief Operating Officer. During that time, Kevin was responsible for coordinating the company’s growth from one office and 18 employees in Dearborn, Michigan to more than 400 employees across 21 locations in 5 States. EDSI’s core business has them designing programs that help people transition from unemployment to a career. Kevin has a passion for assisting others.
Most importantly, he overachieved when he married his wife Wendy, and he is the annoyingly proud father of two beautiful girls, Lauren and Riley. Kevin is a life-long resident of Michigan, and graduate of Albion College.
Kathleen Allesandro
Ms. Alessandro serves as President of Energized Solutions LLC, a firm specializing in teaching organizations innovative ways to do more with less.
Kathleen has been a speaker at numerous national settings and served as a consultant on two documentaries focusing on the permanent workforce changes (“Layoff” and the NBC White Paper, “America Works When America Works”). She is currently President of the National Association of Women Business Owners Greater Detroit Chapter. She is Co-Author of Focus, Organization, Productivity, Ideas for Improving Success in the Workplace and Exploring Productivity – Ideas from Industry Professionals on Getting More Done in the Workplace and Insights on Productivity. She continues to be the subject matter expert for numerous national ezines and printed media regarding the challenges of productive and balanced living in the 21st century.
Kathleen has extensive experience assisting organizations to develop and maintain both creativity and competence. Clients value her straightforward and practical approach to problem solving. She utilizes humor and real life experiences to bring her message home. When all else fails she believes that all of life and work challenges can be explained through the lyrics of classic Motown music.
Dr. Libby Balter Blume, Ph.D., CFLE
Professor of Psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy since 1987, Dr. Blume directs the undergraduate programs in Developmental Psychology and Certified Family Life Education and co-directs the graduate program in Community Development. She teaches courses in child development and family relations, environmental psychology, architecture and community development, and women's and gender studies.
Dr. Blume is a past recipient of the Award of Excellence from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Meritorious Service Award from the National Council on Family Relations. She is the co-author of two textbooks on middle childhood and adolescence, book review editor for the Journal of Family Theory and Review, and founding editor of the Michigan Family Review. Dr. Blume’s current research uses feminist theory to examine adolescent co-constructions of identity, ethnicity, and gender in transnational families.
Dr. Blume has extensive experience as an art educator, preschool teacher, child development center director, and consultant to Head Start programs and to schools for gifted children from elementary to high school. She holds a B.A. degree in Studio Art from the University of California at Davis, an M.A. degree in Creative Arts Education from San Francisco State University, and a Ph.D. degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University.
Dr. Ralph Bangs
Dr. Bangs is Associate Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems in the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Bangs' current research is on improving African American high school education and transitions to post-secondary school and on increasing contracting with minority and women-owned businesses.
Dr. Bangs is co-editor of the book The State of Black Youth in Pittsburgh and has produced more than 40 reports on the Pittsburgh region. Many of these can be found at www.ucsur.pitt.edu (click on "Publications"). The reports include:
- Black-White Benchmarks Reports in 2004 and several other Black-White benchmarks reports in the 1990's.
- Three reports on diversity among board members and elected officials in the region.
- Three "Black Papers" on African American health in Allegheny County in 2002.
- A Basic Living Cost and Wage study in 1997 on local poverty conditions by race.
In 1997 the YWCA of Pittsburgh gave Dr. Bangs a Racial Justice Award for speaking out on the findings of his Benchmarks reports. Dr. Bangs was also recognized as "Best Researcher" by In Pittsburgh newspaper in March 2000.
Dr. Bangs received a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh in Public Policy Research and Analysis and a Masters of Public Administration from Ohio State University.
Bruce Ottenbrite
Full biography available soon.
