Genesys Works Invites Houston Business Community to Open Doors of Opportunity and Have a Seat at the Table with Intern Ambassadors

Inaugural Ambassadors Luncheon set for Thursday, Sept. 26

Houston (August 1, 2019) — Genesys Works, a high-touch, high-impact program, teaching in-demand technical and professional skills to high school students, is pleased to announce its inaugural Ambassadors Luncheon to raise funds, inspire action and change lives. Local business leaders are invited to River Oaks Country Club on Sept 26 to engage in table talk discussions about diversity, access and opportunity with Genesys Works intern ambassadors from more than 30 high schools in five Houston-area districts. Co-chaired by Myrtle Jones of Halliburton and Elisabeth Nash of SCI, the afternoon will highlight the importance of early and equal access to work-based learning opportunities for up-and-coming talent.

As women executives and community leaders, Myrtle and Elisabeth understand the value of diverse perspectives in the workplace and hold a strong belief in the untapped potential of young people from underserved communities. In fact, they share more than just a personal commitment to those ideals. Both women have successfully championed the Genesys Works program at their respective companies, offering paid, yearlong internships to over 100 high school interns each and cementing their investment in Houston’s future workforce.

“Internships are where careers are launched. Unfortunately, many are unpaid and therefore accessible to only those who can afford to work for free for months at a time,” Myrtle said. “When this happens, companies miss out on talent, and young people with the will and work ethic to succeed are shut out from opportunities.”

Talent is distributed equally, but opportunity is not. Co-chair Elisabeth Nash recognizes the important role companies can play in addressing the opportunity gap.

“Giving these young people a chance to experience a professional work environment allows them to see new opportunities for their futures,” Elisabeth said.  “By partnering with Genesys Works to train the next generation of talent, SCI is helping to build a stronger, more diverse pool of candidates for our community.”

The event will also feature special guest and keynote speaker Lisa Fitzpatrick. As President of Bloomberg Tax, Lisa has been active in programs focused on building a diverse workforce for the future and an advocate for initiatives to foster diversity and inclusion both at Bloomberg and across the tax and accounting industry.

Now is the time to rally behind the workforce of the future. Tickets to the inaugural Ambassadors Luncheon are $250 per person, with tables starting at $5,000. Tickets are available online here. For more information, please contact Peggy Rhoads at prhoads@genesysworks.org or 713.337.0510.

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