At the heart of workforce development are leaders dedicated to expanding access, creating opportunities, and fostering economic mobility. Kristin Sine-Kinz, Chief of Staff to the Vice President for Economic & Workforce Development & Career Technical Education at Monroe Community College (MCC), is one of those leaders. With a background in business marketing and a passion for career and technical education (CTE), Kristin has spent over a decade working in higher education administration studying new ways of looking at and developing career pathways that help individuals and communities build a stronger future.
Her ability to bridge industry and education makes her work especially impactful, ensuring that training programs lead to tangible career success. But her work is not just about helping individuals—it’s about rethinking how workforce development functions at a systemic level and pushing for changes that will redefine the future of career training in New York State and beyond.
From Business to Workforce Development: A Purpose-Driven Journey
Kristin didn’t start in education. She began her career in business marketing and professional services before realizing she wanted her work to have a more direct impact on people’s lives. That realization led her to Monroe Community College, where she has spent nearly 14 years expanding workforce training opportunities and helping individuals gain skills that lead to high-wage, sustainable careers.
“The transition was exciting because I got to apply my business-to-business marketing expertise to an education setting that lifts people up.”
Her deep understanding of employer needs, labor market trends, and workforce systems allows her to design programs that connect people to real opportunities—not just credentials.
Creating Pathways to Opportunity: Micro-Credentials & Stackable Certificates
Kristin prefers to think about higher education as a more flexible process. Micro-credentialing programs and stackable certificates allow individuals to earn industry-recognized skills and get into the workforce more quickly, and continue their education at their own pace. A earn-as-you-learn approach is a great approach to advancing skills while maintaining financial self-sufficiency.
“The individuals we serve aren’t always traditional students,” she shared. “They may be unemployed, underemployed, or balancing family responsibilities. They don’t have the luxury of spending four years in college before earning a paycheck. We break education into meaningful chunks so they can start working sooner and then build on their skills over time.”
This model is especially critical in New York, where more than 2.7 million workers lack a postsecondary credential, despite 65% of jobs requiring some form of higher education or training. Non-traditional students, including working parents and career changers, need flexible pathways that allow them to earn while they learn—and that’s exactly what Kristin is working to build.
A Personal Connection to Women in Construction
Kristin’s passion for workforce development isn’t just professional—it’s personal. As the mother of a daughter, Emma, enrolled in a high school carpentry CTE program, she has a firsthand view of what it means to support women entering traditionally male-dominated fields.
“Women in Construction Week is a chance to celebrate the progress we’ve made while also recognizing the work still to be done,” Kristin said. “Watching my daughter navigate this space has reinforced the importance of mentorship, visibility, and access to opportunities for women in the trades.”
She’s proud to see Emma thrive and has had candid conversations about the challenges of being a woman in the skilled trades. Kristin’s perspective is clear: “There’s no reason why men and women can’t work side by side on a job site. We just need to continue fostering environments where everyone—regardless of gender—feels they belong.”
Leading Systemic Change in Workforce Development
As a NYSACTE Postsecondary CTE Leaders Fellow at Advance CTE sponsored by ECMC Foundation, Kristin is leveraging her expertise to reshape workforce training and economic mobility. Her real-world project rethinks how individuals navigate career education—not as a one-time choice, but as a structured, evolving pathway that connects workforce training, employment, and continued education.
“We have articulation agreements for credit programs,” she explained. “Why can’t we develop something similar that maps a workforce journey from entry-level training to employment and beyond? Education doesn’t have to be linear.”
Rather than a system that forces learners to choose between immediate employment and long-term education, Kristin envisions a bold new model—one where individuals can start with non-credit workforce training, transition seamlessly into employment, and have a clearly defined route to continue their education if they choose.
“This is about starting with the end in mind,” she explains. “If we build a model where workforce training directly aligns with degree pathways and employment opportunities, we create an ecosystem where success isn’t just possible—it’s expected.”
A Leadership Philosophy Rooted in People First
Kristin’s leadership is grounded in one simple but powerful belief: People first.
“It’s easy to get caught up in meetings, deadlines, and projects,” she said. “But at the end of the day, we’re all whole people. If my team member has a sick child, they know they have my trust to work from home. If a student is struggling with food insecurity, they need more than a training program—they need a support system. That’s what workforce development should be.”
Hear More from Kristin
| To learn more about Kristin Sine-Kinz’s journey, insights, and vision for the future of workforce development, listen to her full conversation on the NYSACTE Postsecondary Fellowship Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Stay tuned for more Fellows Spotlights as we continue to highlight the leaders shaping the future of career and technical education and workforce training! |
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