Crickett Thomas-O’Dell joined WDI in 2019 as Regional Director for the Capital Region. As of January 2022 Crickett has moved into the Statewide Pre-Apprentice Program Director position to help fulfill WDI's commitment to providing opportunities for entry-level workers from underrepresented populations to gain the foundational and technical skills that will lead towards successful apprenticeships. Prior to joining WDI Crickett oversaw daily operations of a transportation services company based in Washington, DC where she provided expertise in business development, organization administration, and structure development, along with policy and procedure creation and implementation. Crickett has spent the majority of her professional career working in education settings providing consultative services in the areas of collegiate enrollment management, the transition from print to digital learning environments, international educational travel, and STEM curriculum implementation at the high school and middle school levels nationally.
Working within a wide range of industries through meetings with unions, community-based organizations, businesses, and educational institutions, she has developed strong relationships and collaborates with a network of professionals who are dedicated to workforce development solutions with a focus on preparing youth, women and underserved communities for the workforce of today and tomorrow.
Crickett works closely with several Workforce Development Boards, Central Labor Councils, and High School Career & Technical Education Committees. She has been featured by the Capital Region Women@Work, Capital Region Chamber of Commerce Women's Business Council, is a member of the Capital Region Professional Women of Color, Capital Region Chamber of Commerce Leadership Tech Valley Class of 2021 and is often asked to be a panelist for programs focused on workforce development.
Crickett received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Russell Sage College and Sage Graduate School.
Contact Crickett at cthomas-odell@wdiny.org.