Executive director Karen Marben will be stepping down from her position after five years of leadership for Genesys Works Twin Cities.

In June 2015, Karen Marben joined the team as the organization’s second executive director. Under her leadership, nearly 1,300 high school students earned a year-long business technology internship, and programming expanded significantly to incorporate opportunities for post-secondary students.

Since joining the team, opportunity has also expanded to yield higher wages for students. In 2015, high school students were able to earn up to $10,000 during their senior year. Now, that income has increased to $14,000. As for college and career programming, students now are eligible to apply for the Talent Development Pipeline for additional professional development and mentorship opportunities as well as post-secondary internships.

“Over the past five years, I have been incredibly grateful for the chance to increase opportunities for Twin Cities youth. These students are tenacious, hard-working, and driven. And, our staff, corporate partners, high schools, donors, and countless others have made this work possible. I am confident that Genesys Works will continue to advance the Twin Cities toward a more equitable future for youth.”

Genesys Works is currently in the midst of virtual summer training for its 13^th class of students. Karen will officially transition out of Genesys Works in late July and relocate to southern Nevada where she will assume a new role with a nonprofit organization. Joel Crandall, the current senior director of operations who recently celebrated 10 years with the organization, has been named acting executive director by the Twin Cities board of directors until a permanent successor is named.