We’re excited to announce that Dr. Cynthia Finley, Ph.D. has joined CCWA as the new Director of Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Intermediary—a pivotal regional role created through the $3.9 million dollar Good Jobs Challenge grant awarded to Reynolds Community College. The new grant positions CCWA as the lead for the 60-member strong Workforce Partners Team dedicated to building robust and sustainable talent pipelines and strategies in support of the region’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries.
With over two decades of leadership in workforce and economic development, Dr. Finley brings expertise in aligning education systems with employer needs and driving equitable access to high-quality careers. Her previous roles include Vice President of Workforce & Strategic Innovation at the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), and leadership in workforce, adult education, and credentialing programs within Virginia’s Community College System (VCCS) and Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
In her new position, Dr. Finley will facilitate and support a consortium of education and workforce services partners—including K-12, community colleges, and universities engaged in the design and deployment of industry-aligned training, credentialing, apprenticeships, and partnerships that connect students, employers, and communities to Central Virginia’s rapidly growing life sciences industry sector. Dr. Finley’s work also aims to serve low-income job seekers with a wide range of wraparound support services including tuition assistance, childcare, housing, and transportation so as to ensure their access and success in new biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing programming. Rural communities and urban neighborhoods whose residents are less likely to access higher education will be served through community ambassadors, a mobile lab, and other initiatives.
We look forward to the impact Dr. Finley’s work will bring to the region’s students, biotech and pharmaceutical industries, and economic development partners.