University Park, Pa. — The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), a unit of Outreach, has hired two assistant directors to support its efforts across Pennsylvania. Maria Kirby has been named assistant director and coordinator of state strategic initiatives. Eleanor Schiff has been named assistant director and coordinator, federal strategic initiatives.
Kirby will coordinate standing Penn State groups; cultivate external relationships and serve as a liaison between Penn State and state/regional partners; and manage projects, develop proposals and generate resources that assist OEWD.
Kirby, a Clarion County native, was an economic development specialist for both Clarion and Forest counties, managing the Business Retention and Expansion Program and coordinating efforts through the local workforce investment board and other partners. Through the course of her tenure, she assisted in business and product development as well as market expansion, often in cooperation with PennTAP.
Schiff will cultivate relationships with federal program partners; build awareness and cooperation within Penn State assets and functions; and manage projects, develop proposals and generate resources by coordinating federal-level initiatives.
Schiff has worked at both the White House and the U.S. Department of Education, including as assistant to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. She also served as deputy director for Research and External Affairs on the Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education.
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development serves as a leader, catalyst, facilitator and partner in using the resources, expertise and intellectual assets of Penn State to advance economic prosperity in Pennsylvania through sustainable economic and workforce development. For more information, visit http://oewd.psu.edu/ online. OEWD is part of Penn State Outreach, the largest unified outreach organization in American higher education. Penn State Outreach serves more than 5 million people each year, delivering more than 2,000 programs to people in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, all 50 states and 80 countries worldwide.