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NOVA vice president Steven Partridge brings workforce expertise as newest member of FCEDA Commission

Fairfax County, Virginia  –Steven Partridge, vice president of strategic partnerships and workforce innovation at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), has been appointed to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) Commission.

Partridge, who manages the college’s corporate engagement, government relations, marketing, communication and workforce programming events, replaces Dana Kauffman.

The Commission is a seven-member board that oversees the work of the FCEDA. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appoints commissioners.

“We are so excited to have someone with Steven’s background and expertise in workforce-related issues as we ramp up our new talent attraction and retention effort later this year,” said Catherine W. Riley, interim president and CEO of the FCEDA.

Since joining NOVA in 2016, Partridge has led collaboration between the college and community – including business, government, education and nonprofit organizations — to enhance NOVA’s position as a critical partner. Under Partridge’s leadership, NOVA’s workforce division has implemented labor market intelligence capabilities, led the Tech Talent Pipeline Initiative, launched a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program with employers including Amazon Web Services, and built employer relationships to address regional talent demands.

Partridge has testified before Congress and the U.S. Senate regarding the national skills gap and regularly consults with Congressional and administration staff on workforce issues.

Prior to joining NOVA, Partridge served as president and CEO of Charlotte Works, the workforce development board for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, N.C. He also held executive positions at the Charlotte (N.C.) Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Department of Commerce.

Partridge holds a master’s degree in public administration from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Arizona.

The award-winning Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains marketing offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Twitter,LinkedIn and Instagram.