Laura Heller

Vice President, Industry Coalitions

Laura Heller joined CAEL in 2022 and serves as Vice President, Industry Coalitions, where she leads national partnerships that align industry, postsecondary education, and workforce systems to advance economic mobility for adult learners. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for CAEL’s industry-driven initiatives, including the Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE) and National Alliance for Communications Technology Education and Learning (NACTEL), guiding governance, partnership growth, program strategy, and long-term sustainability across complex employer and higher education networks.

Heller brings deep expertise in workforce and economic development, with a focus on data-informed strategy, career pathway design, and cross-sector collaboration that drives measurable impact for learners, institutions, and employers. She oversees initiatives that integrate competency and career mapping, stakeholder engagement, and employer alignment to expand opportunity and strengthen talent pipelines within critical industries.

Her background includes significant leadership in federal grant management, apprenticeship strategy, and large-scale program implementation. Prior to joining CAEL, Heller served as Director of Administration at Midwest Urban Strategies, where she partnered with workforce development boards across the Midwest to advance regional economic transformation and innovative workforce solutions.

She previously held the role of Regional Director at WRTP/BIG STEP, a nationally recognized, industry-led workforce intermediary connecting employers, labor, training providers, and community partners to address workforce shortages and strengthen regional talent ecosystems. In this capacity, Heller led construction and manufacturing workforce initiatives that expanded access to family-sustaining careers and built diverse, highly qualified talent pipelines aligned to employer demand. She managed sector-based training programs, ensured regulatory and funding compliance, and advanced strategies that promoted equitable workforce participation, economic mobility, and long-term industry sustainability.

In 2024, Heller completed the Strada Education Foundation’s Extraordinary Leadership Program, strengthening her executive leadership capacity within education and workforce ecosystems. A relationship-centered leader, she is passionate about building partnerships that create scalable and sustainable pathways to economic advancement.

Heller holds a Bachelor of Arts in English (Professional and Technical Writing) from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Areas of Expertise:
Industry coalitions and employer partnerships, Workforce and economic development, Federal grant strategy and compliance, Career pathways and competency mapping, Apprenticeships and work-based learning,Industry and Employer talent pipeline development, Cross-sector collaboration, Strategic program leadership