Mike Curran has been the Director of the NOVA (or North Valley Job Training Consortium) Workforce Board since 1986. NOVA has been formally recognized for its entrepreneurial services and quality performance by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, the League of California Cities, the National Association of Private Industry Councils, the National Association of Workforce Boards, and the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor. NOVA was the recipient of the 1992 Presidential Award for Outstanding Training Program in the nation for its innovative efforts serving dislocated workers, and was selected for the 1998 National Enterprise Quality Award as the one organization that best demonstrates both superior results and rigorous application of the Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence criteria.
Prior to joining NOVA, Mike owned and operated a planning management firm that focused on human services delivery and social policy development. Mike also has worked as a community organizer in various communities throughout Santa Clara County. He helped establish and operate a wide variety of youth programs and services; partnered in the development of an innovative, community-based residential home for youth that served as an alternative to the juvenile justice system; and directed a community school program that served a broad spectrum of economic development needs.
Mike is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and was honored in 1995 as the “Job Training Professional of the Year” by the National Alliance of Business.
Each year the NOVA Workforce Board re-defines its strategic action plan in January. Mike will be sharing some of the potential issues that the Board is considering focusing on for 2006, and asking input from the BioDevice Group as to refinements and additions.
