About MUS

Casandra has joined and brings expertise of entrepreneurship, marketing and communications, branding, and partnership strategy. An accomplished education and non-profit executive with more than 25 years of experience advancing adult learning, accreditation quality, and mission-driven organizational leadership, Casandra serves as Principal for an accreditation council. She has led and supported a wide range of institutions—including community colleges, HBCUs, public and private universities, career and technical schools, and national standard-setting organizations—holding leadership roles such as coordinator, director, vice president, chief academic officer, and president/CEO.

A recognized expert in accreditation, credentialling, and adult and continuing education, Casandra has designed high-impact programs, strengthened accreditation frameworks, expanded credentialing pathways, and championed innovative learning models that meet the needs of today’s workforce. Her work in nonprofit and charitable organizations reflects a deep commitment to community uplift, learner access, and strengthening the educational pipeline for underserved populations. She has also contributed significantly to the accreditation and standards development community, helping organizations meet rigorous quality benchmarks and adapt to evolving educational and workplace demands.

Casandra’s leadership extends beyond the institutions she has served. She has held and holds membership on boards, local, state, and national organizations that include Clayton Chamber Collective (Chamber of Commerce Vice Chair), St. Louis Adult Basic Education Foundation, CHIEF, Loudoun County Economic Development Advisory Commission, American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Presidential Transition Committee, Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, National Society of Collegiate Scholars Community College Advisory Board, Community Women Against Hardship, The Children’s Guild—DC Charter School. She regularly speaks at conferences and engages with the international education communities across the globe.

A graduate of Talladega College with a B.A. in Computer Science. She earned her M.Ed. in Adult and Higher Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and is currently a doctoral student at Rockhurst University.

One of Casandra’s favorite quotes by Eric Hoffer reads, “In times of change, learners will inherit the earth while the learned will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” She believes that the only constant is change. Leading through change you come to understand that you never really arrive. Continued learning is critical to sound, strategic leadership.

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Tracey Carey leads Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), a consortium of 13 of the largest urban workforce boards in the Midwest. With more than $20 million in federal and philanthropic investment and a growing portfolio of business and service partners, MUS delivers high value resource to its members. The consortium’s mission is to grow business investment and expand and diversify talent in the Midwest.

Prior to her tenure with MUS, Ms. Carey enjoyed nearly two decades of service developing and supporting workforce development programs and strategies. As the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Tracey facilitated the summer youth employment program that provided first jobs for more than 500 young people annually. She also developed and facilitated training programs for opportunity youth that reengaged them in school and/or work.

In 2014 she joined Employ Milwaukee, the workforce development board for Milwaukee County (WI) as the Director of Fund Development & Strategic Initiatives. While serving in that capacity, Ms. Carey raised an additional $13 million dollars and supported the startup of MUS. Then, in 2018, she left Milwaukee to join the staff at Partner4Work, the workforce development board for the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, PA.

As the Chief Strategy Officer. At P4W, Tracey led a team of innovators working to improve workforce development practice, including the restart of the area’s workforce funding collaborative. Through her leadership, P4W brought more than $10 million dollars to the region in her first year.

Tracey holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the Center for Non-Profit Management, and Business and Economic Development Finance Professional Certification from the National Development Council.

William Clay brings over 40 years of expertise in workforce development, nonprofit capacity building, economic development, and youth programs, with a strong focus on community impact and family-strengthening initiatives. As Board Liaison and Corporate Advisor for Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), William provides strategic guidance and technical assistance, serving as a project liaison to the Board of Directors in the development and ongoing maintenance of its strategic plan and board committees.

Throughout his career, William has played a pivotal role in advancing workforce solutions and economic mobility. He has worked extensively in Milwaukee and beyond, collaborating with nonprofit leadership to design services that address holistic family needs. His leadership experience includes serving as:

• Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer at the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Greater Milwaukee (OIC-GM), where he led the largest welfare reform program in Wisconsin.
• Director of Economic Development & Community Programs at Milwaukee Area Technical College, where he advised the president on community affairs, employment strategies, and minority workforce development in specialized careers.
• Chief of Staff to the Chancellor at North Carolina A&T State University, where he managed strategic initiatives, budget oversight, and sustainability programs, including energy conservation and green technology.
• Project Liaison for AMTC, where he supported the launch and implementation of nine Department of Labor workforce and reentry projects.

Now retired from full-time executive roles, William focuses on executive coaching, project evaluation, and strategic planning for workforce and nonprofit organizations. His expertise spans welfare reform, workforce development, green jobs, weatherization, youth programming, and capacity building.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and remains dedicated to advancing workforce equity, strengthening community partnerships, and mentoring future leaders.

Marjorie Cohen is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Midwest Urban Strategies and a Senior Subject Matter Expert and the Project Manager for the Early Childhood Workforce Connector. She has over 20 years of experience in education and workforce development policy and research, technical assistance (TA), program management, and project leadership. She has served as a project and task leader, subject matter expert, and TA provider for a variety of U.S. Departments of Labor and Education-funded projects on a range of topics, including workforce development, RA, higher education, adult education, and career and technical education.

In her current role, Marjorie supports MUS member workforce development boards and affiliate members and leads strategic projects on topics such as the early care and education workforce, skills-first hiring, and reentry. Prior to MUS, she was a Project Manager at LPE Associates where she led TA for workforce development and Registered Apprenticeship projects like the Early Childhood Workforce Connector, a Program Associate at Manhattan Strategy Group, the Senior College and Career Readiness Specialist at the American Institutes for Research, a Senior Policy Analyst for Education and Workforce Development at the National Governors Association, and the Principal Associate for Education with the National League of Cities.

Marjorie holds an MPP from Georgetown University and a BA from the University of California, Davis.

Mia Fabishak is a Membership Coordinator passionate about building connections and creating meaningful experiences for members. With a background in talent acquisition, workforce development, and community engagement, she brings a people-centered approach to relationship building and program coordination. Mia enjoys connecting people, developing partnerships, and creating opportunities that help members feel supported, engaged, and connected to their community.

Kellie Landaker is the Membership Director for Midwest Urban Strategies.  She comes to M.U.S. after retiring from a 42-year career in human services.  She retired as the Director of the juvenile detention center in St Louis County, Missouri.  She is the founder and owner of Fortified Wellbeing LLC, a coaching and consulting firm.  Kellie holds a B.A. in Sociology, an Academic Certificate in counseling with juvenile offenders, and an M.S. in Management and Leadership.  

She is certified to provide training in Mental Health for Juvenile Justice Workers, Law of Attraction, crisis prevention, Girls’ Circle (One Circle) and is a Life Coach certified through American Union of Neurolinguistics.  She has done extensive collaboration and has presented workshops on trauma, group work, leadership, law of attraction, manifesting, case planning, community engagement, among many other topics.  

Kellie joined MUS and built her business by doing what she loves to do the most, teaching, program development, conducting workshops, coaching, and consulting.  Kellie lives in St Louis and has two grown sons, a tiny canine companion, and a beautiful chosen family.

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Originally from Chicago, Illinois with a career spanning over 30 plus years in government, accounting, advertising, manufacturing, communications, and insurance in various administrative roles, Ms. McMahon brings her broad experience in various industries to the fore in her new role at Midwest Urban Strategies.  She has also called Monterey, CA and Cleveland, OH home before relocating to Milwaukee in 2001 for a role with General Electric Medical Systems. She most recently assisted executives at Employ Milwaukee.

Her daughter Erin resides in Chicago and is a writer and business owner.  Her son Kevin is a commercial painter and musician and lives in Milwaukee. She loves hiking and history.

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Dr. Erica Roberts, EdD is the Senior Project Manager, REO Grants at Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS) where she provides project management, technical assistance, and strategic support for REO initiatives across the MUS network. With more than 13 years of experience spanning workforce development, adult education, higher education, nonprofit leadership, and social impact innovation, Erica brings expertise in grant management, program development, partnership building, compliance, and continuous improvement.

She holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) from Trevecca Nazarene University, where her doctoral research focused on improving outcomes for young adults ages 18-24 participating in Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) programs through leadership development, mentoring, and social-emotional learning.

Throughout her career, she has managed federally funded workforce and reentry programs, developed cross-sector partnerships with employers, workforce boards, and community organizations, and implemented evidence-based strategies that improve participant outcomes.

She is passionate about building strong partnerships, advancing equitable workforce solutions, and creating sustainable pathways that help individuals achieve long-term career success and economic stability.

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An Experienced Outsourced Nonprofit bookkeeper with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting industry. Skilled in Administration, Clerical Skills, Executive Administrative Assistance, Office Administration, and Payroll. Strong administrative professional certified as a QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor.

Caecelia holds credentials in Small Business, Accounting & Business Management, Payroll Accounting, Tax Preparation, and Fashion Merchandising from Gateway Technical College and Patricia Stevens Career College respectively.

Meghan Tracey is the Manager of Planning, Research, and Development at Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), where she leads organizational planning, labor market analysis, and strategic fund development efforts across the MUS network. She has six years of experience supporting federally funded workforce and education initiatives, with a background spanning project management, human-centered design, and data-driven strategy. Early in her career, Meghan supported research projects at George Washington University, contributing to large-scale public health studies that strengthened her analytical and reporting skills.

Meghan holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Learning and is passionate about helping organizations navigate change through thoughtful planning, collaborative problem-solving, and informed decision-making. She is committed to advancing workforce solutions, supporting user-centered programs, and building the research and planning infrastructure that helps MUS and its partners drive long-term impact.

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Jeremy Walton is a Project Manager at Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), where he supports workforce development initiatives with a focus on early childhood education and reentry programming. With over two decades of experience, Jeremy brings a unique blend of expertise in both early childhood education and information technology.

He holds degrees in Information Technology and Early Childhood Education and has served in a range of roles including classroom teacher, instructional coach, and desktop support technician. This diverse background allows him to bridge the gap between education, data systems, and workforce strategy.

In his current role, Jeremy plays a key part in advancing Milwaukee-based registered apprenticeship programs for early childhood educators. He supports the development of a group sponsorship model aimed at creating sustainable career pathways and strengthening the early childhood workforce. Additionally, he provides data analysis and technical assistance to support reentry initiatives, ensuring accurate reporting and continuous program improvement.

Jeremy is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Instructional Design, further strengthening his ability to design effective training and learning systems. He is deeply passionate about building equitable opportunities, supporting educators, and creating systems that lead to long term workforce success.