Mehki faced multiple, intersecting barriers that made seeking and maintaining assistance particularly challenging. As a young single parent, he was solely responsible for child care, which limited his availability to attend in-person appointments, complete lengthy applications, or respond promptly to requests for documentation.
The award recognized the work Man-Tra-Con Training & Reintegration Career Specialist Robert Angle has done in collaboration with Freddie Buckingham from the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) for their work on the Southern Region Re-Entry Virtual Job Fair project.
“Cordaro has been with Man-Tra-Con for nearly a year as a Youth Career Specialist, and throughout that time, he has consistently demonstrated compassion and a strong commitment to serving others,” CEO Stephanie Robinson says.
“Nolen consistently shows up with a positive attitude and a willingness to help, no matter the situation. Nolen works through challenges as they arise and steps in when needed, even outside regular hours, to ensure things are taken care of,” Stephanie says.
“Tammy is the glue that holds our office together. While much of her work happens out of the spotlight, the reality is simple: without her, our office wouldn’t function the way it does, and our board meetings wouldn’t happen as seamlessly as they do,” says CEO Stephanie Robinson.
Man-Tra-Con CEJA Program Director Greg Bouhl and Training & Outreach Manager Marcella Woodson partnered with CEJA Program Director Kevin Clark from NAACP to present information on the new Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) clean energy program at the Third Annual Southern Illinois Conference on Justice — “Reformation, Restoration, and Re-entry.”
Since childhood, Shana had always been interested in science, engineering, singing, and crafting. As the daughter of a single mom with 3 children, Shana often had to put her interests aside to help care for her siblings.
“I enrolled in classes full-time starting in January of 2025, and worked while going to school. Through this amazing program, I will graduate with my Industrial Management and Applied Engineering degree,” Derek says.
The AISIN Engineering Education Program is designed to upskill AISIN’s current workforce as part of its 2026 recruitment and team enhancement strategy.
“Robert is a tremendous asset to our organization. His willingness to learn, lead, and support others reflects exactly what this award is meant to recognize. We are proud to have him on our team and look forward to continuing to see his growth and impact,” CEO Stephanie Robinson says.