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February 5-6, 2026 | Washington, D.C.
The Founder’s Circle Award was established by National Skills Coalition’s board of directors in 2023 in honor of founding CEO Andy Van Kleunen. The award is given annually to leaders in the public, private, and philanthropic sectors who have leveraged their influence to further NSC’s mission and impact.  
 
Over his 23 years leading National Skills Coalition, Andy partnered with public, private, and philanthropic leaders to grow the organization’s influence and impact. During his time as CEO, the organization changed hundreds of state and federal skills policies that have changed thousands of lives. His efforts were rooted in the belief that a greater diversity of workers will have access to a better life, and a greater diversity of businesses will see growth, if inclusive, high-quality skills training is a central part of our nation’s education, economic growth and anti-poverty policies. Andy was named the first recipient of the Founder’s Circle award upon his departure from NSC in 2023 in celebration of his multi-decade commitment to building an organization and a national movement. 
Abby Snay
Deputy Secretary for Workforce Strategy, California Labor & Workforce Development Agency
2026 Founders Circle award winner:
Abby Snay serves as the Deputy Secretary for Workforce Strategy at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, a role she has held since 2020. In this capacity, Abby has led transformative policies and investments aimed at expanding apprenticeship programs, aligning workforce development with the needs of fast-growing sectors like healthcare, and increasing economic mobility for immigrants and refugees. Abby’s decades of leadership reflect a deep and sustained commitment to skills training, equity, and workforce innovation, both in California and nationally.  
 
Prior to her role with the state, Abby was the CEO of Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) in San Francisco, where she served for over 35 years. Under her visionary leadership, JVS became a national model for workforce development. She spearheaded programs that equipped individuals facing employment barriers with in-demand skills and helped them secure family-sustaining jobs. Signature initiatives in healthcare, utilities, and youth employment earned national recognition, and Abby was honored as one of the Bay Area’s Most Admired CEOs and among the 100 Most Influential Women in the Bay Area. 
 
Abby’s leadership has also been instrumental in advancing National Skills Coalition’s mission. She served on NSC’s Board of Directors for 11 years, including four years as Board Chair, where she provided strategic guidance and unwavering commitment to building a more inclusive skills policy agenda. She played a pivotal role in launching NSC’s California Worker Equity Initiative, a groundbreaking partnership between NSC, labor organizations, and the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) to reimagine California’s publicly funded workforce system and promote high-road training partnerships and quality career pathways for marginalized workers. 
 
Abby’s ongoing collaboration with NSC reflects her deep commitment to building a more equitable workforce system. Through her leadership on NSC’s Essential Worker and Immigrant Economic Mobility Project, she has worked to remove barriers for low-income and immigrant workers by to ensure more students can access high-quality training and high-road careers. Most recently, she brought together senior leaders from the state’s labor agency, Employment Development Department, workforce board, and California Community Colleges to ensure equitable and effective implementation of Workforce Pell.