Leaders at EDSI

Kevin Schnieders is the CEO and President of EDSI (Educational Data Systems, Inc.). EDSI helps great companies and communities retain great people. The company focuses on providing innovative solutions to close workforce skills gaps around the country.

Kevin started with EDSI as a Training Consultant in 1994. He gained additional responsibilities as the firm’s HR Manager and Director of Operations, before serving six years as the Chief Operating Officer. In 2007, he assumed the role of CEO, or as he refers to it, the “Chief Servant Leader,” and the company has tripled in revenue and number of locations, added 400 new employees and increased profitability since Kevin made this transition. This success can be attributed to putting others first, listening closely to their insights and needs, and helping them understand their unique strengths. Kevin says, “I had the humility to understand that I had purchased a great company, a tremendous respect for the legacy left by our Founder, and an unwavering desire to help people.”

Outside of EDSI, Kevin mentors a high school student for Building Bridges, a charity that inspires children to believe in themselves by connecting them with caring adults. He has also been a partner to a grade-school student at Cornerstone Schools since 2007, and he serves as a board member for the Rainbow Connection, an organization that helps dreams come true for Michigan children with life-threatening illnesses and provides support to their families.

He over-achieved when he married his wife, Wendy, and is the annoyingly proud father of two exceptional girls, Lauren and Riley. Kevin is a lifelong resident of Michigan. He completed his undergraduate degree at Albion College, and graduated with a Masters of Science in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University.

Jim Bitterle, Managing Partner of EDSI Consulting, brings 20 years of corporate leadership experience and more than fifteen years of management consulting experience to EDSI. Jim’s experience in a variety of operational and organizational improvement and strategy consulting engagements, as well as interim executive services, corporate turnarounds and merger integrations, gives him great perspective in understanding the needs of EDSI’s clients.

With more than 10 years as an executive with full P&L responsibility for both domestic and international business units for multi-national corporations, Jim has a track record of successfully building organizations that have grown and prospered under his leadership.

Jim has a MBA in Finance and Marketing, with honors, from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. He also holds a BA degree in Operations Management from The Broad School of Management at Michigan State University.

Robert Dancer joined EDSI’s team as the Chief Financial Officer in 2009. He brings a wealth of knowledge to EDSI as a Certified Public Accountant with experience in a wide range of industries including public accounting, automotive and plastics. Having owned and operated his own business, Robert brings an entrepreneurial spirit to EDSI and is happiest helping to grow the company in order to assist more individuals and companies in transition. Robert is a graduate of Albion College.

Christina has been with EDSI since 2009, and currently serves as the Director of Change Leadership.

Prior to her current role, Christina served as the strategic leader for Workforce1 Career Centers in Manhattan, Staten Island, and Queens, as well as multiple initiatives across NYC and Long Island which specialize in serving Veterans. In that role, she managed a leadership team to promote a business-driven model of job placement for more than 40,000 jobseekers annually. This team works with jobseekers, employers and community partners to develop large-scale employment and training initiatives, enabling effective implementation of programs and policies across the Centers.

Christina believes strongly in EDSI's culture, and feels it fits perfectly into all aspects of her life. Her other activities involve volunteerism for children’s and animal rescue related causes. She also was the youngest member to sit on the “Listening to the City” Panel in 2002, an initiative that helped reshape New York City’s skyline with the Freedom Tower.

With a background in pharmaceuticals and finance sales management, Christina holds a B. A. in Business Administration from Berkeley College, New York, NY.

Danielle Ellis has worked for EDSI since 2012 and is currently serving as Regional Director of Operations. In this role, Danielle is responsible for leading staff to deliver quality business services, while overseeing attainment of performance measures and monitoring state and city compliance guidelines.

Previously, Danielle was the Site Director for the Career Compass Center in New York City, where she was responsible for overseeing Center operations and working closely with the Human Resources Administration (HRA) to ensure achievement of performance goals and program outcomes. She has also provided support to a variety of EDSI projects, including contract start-up and training, and proposal writing. In addition, she is a Certified ISO Auditor for EDSI’s ISO team to ensure her programs comply with ISO 9001 standards.

Danielle studied Communications at Purdue University Global and is a Certified Leadership Coach, Trainer, Speaker and Scrum Master. She also specializes in relationship management ad has developed several key partnerships and special initiatives for our programs in New York City and Tennessee.

Roe has been with EDSI since 1998 and has held a variety of positions that have given her broad experience for her current position as Regional Director of Operations. Roe is responsible for achieving program goals and managing staff and budgets for programs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C. and New York City. These programs serve the welfare population, Adult and Dislocated Workers, refugees, youth, noncustodial parents and ex-offenders. Roe has distinguished herself by bringing innovative ideas to program operation and in hiring and the development of employee training for the start-up of new programs.

Roe also has an extensive training background. She was instrumental in the development of our customer service curriculum, called Workforce STRATEGIES. Roe also delivers training to EDSI staff on leadership, communication and team building. Roe is a graduate of Dickinson College.

Roe was recently honored as the inaugural Phoenix award winner by the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association in 2022.

Kim started her career with EDSI in 2002 as a Job Developer in Philadelphia, where she discovered her passion for helping people and organizations solve problems, grow, and realize their full potential. In 2004 Kim joined EDSI’s consulting division and initially focused her efforts on job task analysis, skill gap analysis, and training design and delivery. Kim is now EDSI’s Director of Innovative Learning Solutions where she leads organizational efforts in curriculum and instructional design. Kim supports a team of experienced instructional designers, e-learning experts, instructional specialists, and consultants in providing innovative solutions to organization’s learning needs.

Nationally, Kim has provided learning solutions to a number of industries including k-12, higher education, workforce development, transit, construction, utilities, manufacturing, government, and non-profit organizations. Her team is known for dynamic and interactive learning solutions that are rooted in evidence-based theories and models. Kim lives EDSI’s mission statement and employs servant leadership and agile project management strategies in her day-to-day work.

Kim graduated Dickinson College in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology where she graduated cum laude with departmental honors. Kim has taken master’s level coursework and certification programs in instructional design, leadership, project management, organizational development, and DEI.

Andre joined EDSI in 2012, holding a variety of positions in three local workforce areas that gave him broad experience for his current position as Regional Director of Operations, including Program Manager, TANF Instructor, Business Services Recruiter, ISY Program Coordinator, and Rapid Response Coordinator.

The combination of these roles and experience is essential as Andre serves as a consultant on regional operations projects to help provide services for underserved populations of people. As Regional Director, Andre is responsible for achieving program goals and managing staff and budgets for workforce development programs in Pennsylvania, while providing special assistance to programs around the country.

Andre also works as trainer/consultant for start-up programs, new initiatives, and continuous improvement projects, while partnering with organizational leadership to mentor other managers and team members around the country.

Andre holds a BA from Washington Adventist University in Maryland and MA in Secondary Education from Cabrini University in Pennsylvania.

Colleen Henning has been with EDSI since 2001 and has held a number of positions which have given her a solid foundation for her current position. Colleen currently serves EDSI's Director of Leadership Development.

Colleen has a deep passion for helping others and, in addition to her great work at EDSI, she is the founding board member of The Open Door Inc., a non-profit supportive housing program for adults living with HIV. Colleen is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.

Arlene has been an integral member of the EDSI family since 1997. Prior to selection as Chief Talent Officer, she served the EDSI community in a variety of key roles in operations, project management, training and human resources. These opportunities helped her to see EDSI through the eyes of customers and team members, ultimately helping to shape the vision for EDSI's current talent strategy.

Arlene has a passion for helping the EDSI team be the best they can be and working according to their strengths. She believes that having a skilled, committed and engaged workforce is essential to carrying out EDSI’s mission of helping people and companies in transition. Her primary functions include developing strategy around EDSI’s business needs and execution of the overall talent plan and integrating recruitment, performance and engagement approaches throughout the company.

Arlene has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Spring Arbor University. She is a licensed therapist and enjoys volunteering her time to help others in the community.

Reina Kimso serves as EDSI’s Talent Director, leading our team to provide exceptional support to current, past and future EDSI representatives. Reina joined the company in 2004 as an Employment Consultant and has held a number of positions, including program management, which have given her a solid foundation for her current role.

Reina holds an Undergraduate Degree in International Business and Management from Dickinson College and is also certified as a human resources professional by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

James Lanier joined EDSI in June of 2022. He is the Regional Director of Operations in North Carolina, overseeing workforce development programs in Wake, Cape Fear, and Kerr-Tar. James is a Veteran of the US Armed Forces, serving in the Army. Before joining EDSI, James worked for a hospital system in Maryland where he held positions as the Director of Urgent Care Operations and the Director of Business Development. He is a native of Tampa, Florida and enjoys many sports programs and simply being outdoors.

James hold a BA in Human Resource Management, an MBA, and an MS in Organizational Change and Leadership. He is happy to be a member of the EDSI team and looks forward to doing great work for the company and serving the community.

Faith Lex has worked for EDSI since 2008 and currently serves as Regional Director of Operations.

Previously, Faith was an EARN Program Manager for the South Central PA region, where she provided leadership and support to colleagues, customers and the community in relation to job readiness services, placement, case management and program compliance.

Faith has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Liberty University.

Ken has more than 20 years of leadership experience working with top-tier companies, labor organizations and government agencies identifying the skill needs of their workforces, and developing and implementing solutions to meet those needs. His vision and expertise in workforce development has helped organizations with notable growth in the technical skills of their skilled workers.

Nationally, Ken has been working with the public transit industry on certification and maintenance training standards projects, as well as many joint labor/management training projects throughout the country. Ken holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a MS in Corporate Finance and Economics from Walsh College.

Meredith McCarthy has worked for EDSI since 2006 and is currently Regional Director of Operations. Previously, Meredith was the System-Wide Services Manager for the PA CareerLink® in Philadelphia, where she coordinated the delivery of business services, jobseeker workshops, virtual tools, community outreach and engagement, re-entry services, and rapid response events with partners in the Philadelphia region.

She also served as Program Director for the West Philadelphia EARN Center, focusing on job readiness services for customers and program compliance with TANF regulations, and provided support to a variety of EDSI projects, including contract start-up and training, proposal writing and Career Sculpting. She also is a member of the ISO team within EDSI to ensure her programs comply with ISO 9001.

Meredith has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Dickinson College and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She also serves as a field placement supervisor for the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania and is an executive member of Philadelphia’s Workforce Professionals Alliance.

Larry Melf currently serves as EDSI's Director of Strategic Initiatives and has been a member of the EDSI team since 2012.

Prior to his current role, Larry served as a Regional Director of Operations as well as the Director of Continuous Improvement for EDSI where he evaluated program performance and developed and implemented measures; analyzed and reported performance trends; and maintained industry knowledge on quality and performance excellence and innovation.

Larry holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Mass Communications and a Minor in Business Administration from King’s College, PA. He graduated summa cum laude.

Larry particularly enjoys focusing on helping grow and improve programs; connecting with jobseekers, employers, employees and clients; and fostering strong relationships and teamwork throughout the regions.

Thomas Munday has been with EDSI for 10 years and currently serves as Regional Director of Operations where he is responsible for providing strategic support and guidance to EDSI workforce development programs across New York City. He is responsible for helping guide the company’s business strategy for growth and innovation, while overseeing performance measures and reporting to funding sources as well as monitoring programs for compliance with state and city guidelines.

His previous role as Business Services Director of EDSI’s New York-based programs gave him extensive experience managing large teams in various locations. He is skilled in project planning, managing customer relationships, business development, strategic planning and continuous improvement implementations. The EDSI team under Tom’s leadership increased the delivery of education offerings to Staten Islanders by 500%.

Thomas holds a BA and MBA in Business Administration Management from Wager College in Staten Island, NY.

Benjamin Santlofer has been with EDSI for 10 years and is currently the Regional Director of Operations for Connecticut and New York, providing support and guidance for the North Central Region of Connecticut. He is responsible for guiding the strategic growth and innovation in Connecticut while overseeing the performance of the American Job Centers in that region, as well as providing support for the New York programs.

He first joined EDSI as a Business Services Representative before growing into a Business Services Manager where his efforts helped directly place over 4,000 NYC residents into employment over three years. His business services experience prepared him for his next role as the Program Manager of EDSI’s first economic development program that resulted in over 3 million dollars financing for over 60 small businesses in the Staten Island area in addition to providing business education workshops to 1,200 entrepreneurs. His success led him to later take on the role of Program Director for the Staten Island Workforce1 Career Center which served over 40,000 customers during his three years of service.

He is a skilled project manager with extensive experience in business development, relationship management, strategic planning, and continuous improvement implementations.

Blaise Vanden-Heuvel joined EDSI in 2010 as an IT Specialist in the New York office. He now leads the IT Team as the Director of Information Technology.

As the Director of IT, Blaise oversees all IT operations, including networking, voice, data storage security and communications. He ensures his team completes their daily tasks with a focus on customer support and technology innovation.

Kevin Watson joined the EDSI team in 2010. Kevin was drawn to EDSI because of his shared passion for helping to make a difference in people’s lives and helping clients overcome their most challenging obstacles.

As Director of Customer Experience, his approach is simple: “I use my four year old son as inspiration. My son Alex has such an innate sense of curiosity. If he doesn’t understand something, he asks a TON of thoughtful questions, and he keeps asking great questions until his thirst for knowledge has been quenched. Additionally, once he gets locked in on something, he is relentless in its pursuit.”

“My commitment to our customers is that we will ask great questions, so that we can truly see through their eyes and understand their needs. From there, we will relentlessly strive to enhance their experience as an EDSI customer and deliver more than they expect.”

Kevin is happiest when he is able to help EDSI’s clients create a more desirable workplace for their employees, because the ripple effect can be profound. These employees ultimately leave work and go back into the community as happier and better spouses, parents, sons/daughters, siblings, neighbors, patrons, etc.

Outside of EDSI, Kevin mentors a high school student for Building Bridges, a charity that inspires children to believe in themselves by connecting them with caring adults.

Kevin also sits on the Board of Directors for Gilda’s Club of Metro Detroit, and maintains a leadership role in a local charity event that he helped create. Since its inception, his third party fundraiser (Bras for a Cause Michigan) has raised over one million dollars, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to benefit Gilda’s Club of Metro Detroit.

Kevin loves spending every spare minute outside of work with his wife, Kim and his two boys, Alexander and Grayson.

Kevin is a graduate of Michigan State University.

Casey joined EDSI in 2011 and leads our marketing efforts. Casey’s responsibilities include developing and implementing marketing strategies, as well as managing branding and communication initiatives to support and grow EDSI’s business. Additionally, Casey serves as an advisor with our consulting teams on relevant client engagements.

Casey formerly worked in product marketing at Steelcase, Inc., where he managed existing product lines within the company’s portfolio and worked closely with multiple disciplines to develop new product offerings. He is a graduate of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business of the University of Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing and economics.

Laura has been with EDSI since 2004 and is currently Regional Director of Operations for Delaware and Chester counties in Pennsylvania, and Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Previously, Laura was the Program Manager in Delaware County, PA where she focused on job readiness services for customers and program compliance with WIOA and TANF regulations. She also provided support to a variety of EDSI projects, including contract start-up, training and proposal writing, drafting the company’s mindfulness curriculum for both boot camps and professional development training.

She also is a member of the ISO team within EDSI to ensure her programs comply with ISO 9001. Laura has a background in case management and social work. She has a BA in Social Work from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. Laura also is a trained yoga and meditation instructor.