Our Awards
The Joan Simon Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual whose career has profoundly advanced the field of workforce development and strengthened the connection between education, industry, and community opportunity. Named for Joan Simon, former Vice President for Community and Economic Development at Prairie State Community College, this award reflects her pioneering leadership in building training programs, employer partnerships, and economic pathways that transformed the lives of countless learners.
Recipient: Triss Henderson, Director of Community Education at Parkland College - 30 Years of Service
Nominated by Kayla Waters, Associate Director, Customized Training and Professional Development
Triss Henderson has provided sustained leadership in business training and continuing education at Parkland College since 2016. As Director of Business Training & Community Education and later head of Community Education, she has led growth, innovation, and workforce alignment of non-credit programs, positioning the department as a strategic partner to both the college and regional employers. By connecting education with employment needs, she has expanded customized training, short-term credentials, and flexible programs that address workforce demands and skills gaps.
Among her notable accomplishments is a statewide partnership with the Illinois Fire Service Institute that provides academic and vocational credit to more than 20,000 firefighters at no cost, creating a scalable model for recognizing prior learning. She also secured and managed federal grants delivering Lean Healthcare training to over 1,600 hospital employees and Six Sigma training to more than 450 manufacturing workers across 20+ companies. Additionally, she supports the long-running Leading EDGE leadership development program and contributes to regional workforce strategy through service with weTRaIN and the Executive Club of Champaign County, advancing workforce development and economic growth.
The weTRaIN Professional of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding weTRaIN member who has demonstrated exemplary achievement, leadership, and service within the community college sector of the business and industry profession. Presented annually, this award honors a professional whose dedication and accomplishments have significantly advanced workforce training, employer partnerships, and the mission of community colleges at either the state or local level.
Recipient: Susan Mulvey, Account Executive, 12 years at Harper; 4 years in current role
Nominated by Billie Diaz, Manager of Career and Customized Training.
Accepting on Sue’s behalf was Billie and Vivian Kyokunda
Susan Mulvey has been the driving force behind the growth of Harper Business Solutions, serving as its primary salesperson for more than four years and bringing over 12 years of departmental experience. Through a consultative, relationship-centered approach, she has doubled the client base and built trusted employer partnerships focused on measurable results and repeat business. By aligning organizational challenges with customized training solutions and expert instructors, she supports both large-scale initiatives—such as multi-shift bilingual manufacturing programs serving more than 120 participants—and small business trainings with equal care and professionalism.
Sue also strengthens program quality by carefully vetting and supporting subject-matter experts, ensuring fair compensation, professional development, and early integration of emerging topics such as AI. Beyond her organization, she contributes to the broader workforce community through work with the Illinois Manufacturing Association and presentations at the National Council for Continuing Education and Training conference in 2025. Her streamlined processes, commitment to innovation, and personalized client engagement have driven sustained growth, exceptional customer experiences, and strong recognition within the business and education communities.
