Pikes Peak Workforce Center Leadership

Traci Marques Executive Director/CEO

Traci Marques is the Executive Director/CEO of the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, the American Job Center serving El Paso and Teller counties. In this capacity, she leads the Workforce Center in its mission to connect vital businesses with work-ready job seekers and employer-driven services.

She provides leadership, direction and oversight and is responsible for long-range planning, development, direction, implementation and evaluation of programs supporting regional workforce development. She previously served as Deputy Director and prior to that served as Customer Service and Community Outreach Director, and as the Business Relations Group Team Lead. She serves as co-chair of the Military, Veterans and Spouses Coalition representing more than 40 community organizations with resources focused on helping transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.

For these efforts, Traci has been recognized for excellence by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment for contributions to improvement and modernization of veteran’s services.

Traci has completed The Grantsmanship Center’s Basic Grantsmanship and Social Enterprise Courses, the Center for Creative Leadership’s Community Leadership Program, and the Leadership Pikes Peak Signature Program. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications Management from Indiana University, Bloomington, College of Arts and Sciences.

Toya Graham
Workforce Programs Manager

Toya Graham, Ed. D, CWDP, serves as the Workforce Programs Manager at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, where she provides guidance of regulations, practice, theories, policies, standards, and protocols for applicable programs. Toya cultivates relationships with community employers and partners, solicits employment opportunities, encourages use of the organization’s services and programs, and reinforces the organization’s position as a premier workforce training and development operation.  

She also works with Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center as a liaison for the Veteran’s Service-to-Career Program (VSCP) to assist veteran participants in finding meaningful, sustainable wages, work-based learning and/or employment opportunities, while addressing barriers they may have to sustainment of employment and quality of life.  

In addition, Toya has presented best practices of being a Job Coach at national conferences during the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) Youth Symposium in 2017, and the Rocky Mountain Workforce Development Association RMWDA Conference in 2018.

Toya holds a Doctorate in Education from University of Phoenix. Her Master’s degree is in Child and Family Development, and she has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Texas Southern University. Toya has more than 16 years of experience in education and 15 years as a social worker, bringing passion and dedication while leading her department and providing oversight of our Workforce Programs.

Laurie Padilla
Finance Manager

For 25 years, Laurie Padilla has served the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, currently as Finance Manager, and prior to that as Budget and Financial Analyst.

As Finance Manager, she manages and oversees a $7-million budget, ensuring federal and state dollars are spent appropriately according to the parameters of 20 grants per year, including the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Wagner-Peyser grant.

In addition, Laurie prepares the annual budget projections; presents the current financial status to the Executive Board of Directors; supervises and trains employees regarding fiscal policies, procedures, compliance, and acceptable accounting principles; and she monitors and maintains adequate levels of cash balances and forecasts cash requirements, according to state guidelines. She has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Regis University. Laurie is a 2021 graduate of the Leadership Pikes Peak Signature Program.

Erica Romero
Business Relations Manager

Erica Romero is the Business Relations Manager at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, providing leadership, direction and oversight for her staff and our employer-driven services.  She brings over 15 years of management and customer service experience with national retailers to our Business Relations Group, and she has her Colorado Business Service Certification through the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment.  

Erica has helped hundreds of employees in our region with her Rapid Response services for businesses that have to conduct layoffs and furloughs; she has educated them about healthcare options, unemployment insurance options, retirement and life insurance, and workforce services, to help them as they transition from one job to another.

She has been a speaker at dozens of roundtables during the pandemic to help hundreds of business owners and managers understand the nuances of furloughs vs. layoffs and many other business resources they could access during this unprecedented time.

In addition, she has been one of the most instrumental people in this region to work on developing several Sector Partnerships (which connect local industry with education to solve common workforce issues), including Pikes Peak Regional Healthcare Sector Partnership; Southern Colorado Manufacturing Sector Partnership; Pikes Peak Regional Retail & Hospitality Sector Partnership; and these emerging entities: Automotive Sector Partnership, and Department of Defense Sector Partnership.  

A Colorado Springs local, Erica is passionate about helping businesses connect with local workforce talent to create growth and development through connecting services and resources to train, hire, and retain a qualified workforce.  In June 2022, she graduated from the Leadership Pikes Peak Signature Program, and in September 2022 she was named a finalist for the Mayor’s Young Leader Award.

 

Becca

Becca Tonn Communications Manager

Becca Tonn has been the Communications Manager at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, since 2017. She has more than 17 years of experience in the communications and public relations industries.

At the Workforce Center, she manages a cross-functional team, and directs and oversees production of content for the Workforce Center’s website, social media platforms, newsletters, radio commercials, TV and print-media interviews, public information materials, video production, as well as internal, external and executive communications.

An enthusiastic communicator and editor, she has produced many projects over the years, including editing several full-length manuscripts. Also, Becca has trained Elected Officials, County Commissioners, political candidates, Department Chiefs, CEOs, and Executive Directors for media interviews, and has served as agency spokesperson and public information officer for dozens of municipalities, government agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, and multi-billion-dollar businesses.

Becca has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She has served on the Business Department Advisory Board of Pikes Peak State College since 2010, and Chair of the Board since 2020.  Becca is also a graduate of the 2021 Leadership Pikes Peak Signature Program. In addition, she has served as an Advisory Board Member for the UCCS Karen Possehl Women’s Endowment scholarship program since August 2023.