This woman's job is to develop a diverse future workforce in Chambersburg

A Greencastle native has been hired to help the Borough of Chambersburg forge connections with young citizens and develop a diverse, next-generation workforce. 

Jade Dunhour is the borough's first diversity, outreach and employment resources programs manager, aptly shortened to DOER. Her work will encompass developing a strategy to improve communication with young people and implementing outreach and engagement programs, with the ultimate goal of creating a diverse pool of future local leaders and employees, according to a news release. 

Borough officials have discussed the DOER position for a number of years, according to the release. A search committee was developed to recruit for the job, and unanimously recommended Dunhour from among 39 applicants after several interviews and tests. 

"Jade was an outstanding candidate and the perfect mix of passion for the community and young people. Her knowledge and experience will aid us significantly in developing this new program area over the next few years," borough manager Jeffrey Stonehill said in the release. 

“Training that next generation to become the future workforce of the Borough is our goal," he added, and later noted, “it is not a strategy to merely hope that there will be skilled and ready workers to take over the reins of this Borough in the future; we need to be proactive as an organization.”

Dunhour most recently worked as a family advocate for First Start Partnerships for Children and Families (formerly Franklin County Head Start), and worked directly with Hispanic families. She also served as an interpreter with BOPIC. 

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Dunhour, a 2006 graduate of Greencastle-Antrim High School, has a master's degree in teaching English as a foreign language and a bachelor's degree in linguistics. She previously worked as the international director of community development and youth leadership in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, and her team designed programs for U.S. high school students to learn about sustainable development and refine their leadership soft skills that are transferable to all disciplines, according to the release. 

“Whether teaching, coaching, interpreting, or volunteering on local boards, I have always had a heart to help my community," Dunhour said, per the release. "I enjoy collaborating with diverse groups of people in an environment that encourages individuals to take intellectual and creative risks. My goal is to ignite a spark of passion for our community, especially within our youth, so that young leaders are nurtured and developed with the assistance of supportive and experienced role models from the Borough.”

Per the borough's non-negotiable pay schedule for full-time employees, she will make $28.04 an hour, Stonehill said. That comes to $58,323.20 for a year of 40-hour weeks, plus benefits. 

The position is part of the Personnel and Payroll Services Office of the Administrative Services Department. 

Full disclosure: The author of this story was in the same high school class as Dunhour.