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Lights. Camera. Impact! 🎥
Check Out DWD’s New Annual Video
| Drumroll, please... DWD's annual video premiere is here with a compelling story to tell! | From Dwyer Scholars reflecting on their life-changing journeys and sharing future career goals to trainers and partners highlighting our impact in communities across the nation, we are proud to showcase how our mission is helping solve the healthcare workforce shortage while shaping the lives of so many. | DWD CEO Barb Clapp Recognized on The Daily Record’s 2026 Healthcare Power List | DWD CEO Barb Clapp was named among 34 of Maryland’s top leaders in the healthcare field by The Daily Record, a digital-first daily news publication. This list represents significant industry movers and shakers who are dedicated to improving lives and making an impact toward a healthier Maryland. Congrats to Barb for this distinguished honor! |
DWD Featured on Florida’s Spectrum Bay News 9 | |
Spectrum Bay News 9 in Sarasota spoke with CEO Barb Clapp about DWD's mission and impact, as well as Dwyer Scholar Joana Galindo, who shared how the program and support services helped her earn a CNA license and afford nursing school as a single mother formerly juggling two jobs to get by.
Joana is now a CNA at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and currently enrolled in a nursing program to become an RN.
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MIC CHECK!🎙️
On Air with An Educated Guest National Podcast
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Todd Zipper recently welcomed CEO Barb Clapp to discuss DWD’s mission and unique model on his national podcast, An Educated Guest.
The episode explores how DWD supports workforce entry and advancement, connects Scholars with trainers and employers, and addresses healthcare staffing challenges.
| | DWD Featured in 817 Biz Newsletter in Texas |
| | | DWD recently received a shoutout in 817 Biz, a business newsletter reaching Tarrant County, Texas. The feature highlights DWD’s significant impact across the state, including our role in reducing the certified nursing assistant (CNA) staffing shortage in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. | | | Wellsential Dwyer Scholar of the Year | | |
With nominations from patients, residents, administrators, fellow staff members, and colleagues, Ashley’s determination, resilience, and work ethic earned her the esteemed Wellsential DWD Scholar of the Year award.
Ashley graduated as a Dwyer Scholar and earned her CNA certification in 2024 and has prospered as a passionate caregiver ever since. She began her journey as a CNA at Silver Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Bastrop, Texas, and quickly worked her way up to Certified Medication Aide, and then to her current role in the facility’s Medical Records and Central Supply.
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“She’s always friendly and has a smile on her face and she’s very good at what she does. She not only handles all the supplies, but the medicine too. She is always working so hard!”
- Resident at Silver Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
| | Dwyer Scholars Celebrate Career Milestones at Second Annual Careforce Collective Fundraising Breakfast | | |
Changemakers, industry leaders, partners, donors, and community members joined DWD for an impactful morning of connection at this year’s Careforce Collective fundraiser. The keynote speakers featured four Dwyer Scholars from Maryland who are now thriving in various healthcare careers.
A huge thank you goes to the team at CFG Bank (pictured above with DWD CEO Barb Clapp) for their contributions that helped make this event possible and for their ongoing commitment to our mission.
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This year's fundraiser was a tremendous success, doubling attendance and raising twice as much as last year's inaugural event. Many thanks to our generous sponsors who help DWD’s mission to solve the national workforce shortage and create life-changing career opportunities in healthcare.
Couldn’t join this year? You can still contribute to the impact. Thank you for your support!
| | Dedicated to the Wellness of Texans: Wellsential Health Annual Leadership Conference | | CEO Barb Clapp, CFO Jim Seba, and Chief Engagement Officer Maria Darby recently presented at Wellsential’s Annual Leadership Conference in Sugar Land, Texas, just outside of Houston, to spread the word on DWD’s mission and the positive impact in communities across the state. | | In addition to collaborating and connecting with 300+ leaders across Texas, the conference celebrated this year's honorees of excellence and achievement across the region by presenting awards including regional DWD Scholars of the Year, Caregivers of the Year, Nurses of the Year, and more. | | Volunteer Day: DWD Fall Harvesting at First Fruits Farm in Maryland | | |
More than 40 DWD staff members recently volunteered at First Fruits Farm, a nonprofit Christian ministry in Freeland, Maryland, that donates 100% of its produce to feed families who struggle with hunger and access to healthy food.
Together with volunteer teams including Southwest Baltimore Community School and Grace Christian Homeschool, we harvested 32,000 pounds of fresh potatoes, equivalent to approximately 70,000 servings. That’s a ton of mouths to feed this holiday season!
| | DWD Team Steps into The Walk to End Alzheimer's in Maryland | | DWD joined forces with CFG Bank to participate in the annual Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraiser at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. This long-standing event is held across 600+ communities nationwide to raise funds and awareness for care, support, and research in the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other forms of dementia. | | As the local presenting sponsor, the CFG Bank team raised more than $30,000. Now that’s a step in the right direction! | | Delivering Solutions: DWD at ACHA’s Annual Conference | | |
The American Health Care Association (ACHA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) welcomed more than 4,000 attendees to its annual convention and expo dedicated to the long term and post-acute care profession.
Held in Boston, this year’s marquee event, Delivering Solutions 26, featured more than 60 education sessions and 380 exhibitors. CEO Barb Clapp presented to the state affiliates and DWD team members connected with partners and professionals across the assisted living and long-term care industries.
| | Pictured above, Lisa Chamness, DWD Director of Partner Engagement with Dana Ritchie, AHCA’s Associate VP of Workforce & Constituency Services. | | DWD Connects with Community at the Career Training Expo Hosted by CareFirst | | |
DWD connected with Scholars and community members at CareFirst’s Career Training Expo at The Village at Mondawmin in Baltimore. Attendees had the chance to explore career opportunities, participate in mock interviews, receive resume support, and build meaningful workforce connections.
Representing DWD, Success Collective team members Deja, Monica, and Kenika, engaged with new Scholars searching for career training and employment opportunities, as well as former Dwyer Scholars interested in career advancement. Partner Success Account Manager Zsa-Shane also played a key role in fostering connections with community and employer partners.
| | Milestone Moments in Texas | | Christian Community Service Center Graduation | | In Houston, we celebrated 14 graduates of the Home Caregiver Training Program who are now prepared to become non-medical caregivers with CPR certifications. Along with employment opportunities in home health, these Scholars can also go on to advance to the next steps in their career journeys and pursue roles ranging from medical assistants to certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and much more. | | La Frontera Nursing & Rehabilitation | | |
In Laredo, DWD and valued partner Touchstone Communities celebrate another class of Nurse Aide in Training (NAIT) graduates.
La Frontera Nursing & Rehabilitation offers short-term and long-term care, rehab therapy, dementia and memory support, respite care, transportation services to doctor appointments, and discharge planning. La Frontera is one of many skilled nursing facilities in the Touchstone Communities network making an impact across Texas.
| | Shining Bright in Florida | | Sharron Nursing Academy in Jacksonville | | October welcomed two graduation celebrations at Sharron Nursing Academy in Jacksonville. This valued DWD training partner continues to celebrate Dwyer Scholars who are on their way to landing impactful healthcare careers in communities that need it the most. | | Suncoast Technical College in Sarasota | | Thanks to DWD’s partnerships with Suncoast Technical College, CareerEdge, and the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, five new Dwyer Scholar graduates are now on their way to launching meaningful healthcare careers. Way to go, grads! | | New Training Partner in Kansas | | Allied Health Career Training (AHCT) | | | Celebrating Connections in Chicago | | Mizpah Center for Allied Health Education (MCAHE) | | Tukiendorf Training Institute (TTI) | | | | Love, Unity & Values (LUV) Institute | | | New Employer Partners in Florida | | Westminster Communities of Florida | | Assisting Hands Home Care of Tampa Bay | | Making Big Moves in Maryland | | | | Dominion Community Development Corporation | | Help us spread the word about the impact and positive changes we are making in healthcare. Like, share, and follow our stories on social media to create awareness and inspire others to join our cause. | If you have a success story to share, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact communications@dwyerworkforcedev.org | | | | |
