Registration now open!
February 5-6, 2026 | Washington, D.C.
The Dr. Alma Salazar Bridge Builder Award was established by the National Skills Coalition’s board of directors in 2021 in memory of their beloved fellow board member and one of the most important leaders in the organization’s history. The award is given annually to a member of NSC’s network who exemplifies Alma’s commitment to bringing together uncommon allies in support of inclusive skills policy.  
 
Alma spent her career fighting for high-quality education and training for students and workers. In that fight, she was a bridge builder: A steady and resolute connector of people with different perspectives who didn’t know they could find common cause. As Senior Vice President of Education & Workforce Development for UNITE-LA, she demonstrated the sustaining power of finding common cause between advocates for working people and the business community in support of inclusive education and skills policy. This extended to her early role in developing state affiliates of NSC’s Business Leaders United network, and her role in helping to create the Skills for California coalition in her home state. Alma was resolute in addressing the impact of structural racism and anti-immigrant policy on economic opportunity and outcomes, with a faith in the power of bringing new allies and new perspectives to that work. Alma served on NSC’s board from 2015 to 2020, holding the office of vice chair.   
2026 award winner:
Jamal Jesse
Senior Program Manager, Workforce Development, Google Data Centers
Jamal Jesse serves as the Senior Program Manager for Workforce Development at Google Data Centers. In this role, he leads workforce development initiatives in the Southeast region, fostering industry partnerships with local community stakeholders to diversify and strengthen the talent pipeline for technology sector careers.
Before joining Google, Jamal was the Workforce Development Manager at Georgia Power, where he led strategies to advance the state’s energy sector workforce. His work included developing training programs aligned with local labor market needs in collaboration with community-based organizations.
Jamal is an active member of the National Skills Coalition (NSC) community, serving on the Business Leaders United Executive Committee and previously contributing to NSC’s Infrastructure Industry Recovery Panel. His commitment to expanding equitable and effective workforce development through collaboration between industry and community partners is further demonstrated by his leadership roles on the Atlanta Regional Commission Workforce Development Board and the Georgia Energy & Industrial Consortium.
Jamal’s leadership in building allyship and advancing inclusive workforce strategies has been recognized at NSC events, including the Skills in the States Forum, and highlighted as a model for both federal and state policymakers. His dedication to cultivating authentic partnerships has strengthened NSC’s advocacy efforts by uniting diverse stakeholders around shared policy solutions.