Leadership Team

HIRED is managed by a talented group of leaders. A brief summary of the background, experience and current responsibilities of each member of our leadership team follows.

Jane Samargia
…executive director since 1983. She is currently responsible for a staff of 135 and a budget of $10 million. Jane specializes in the design of service delivery systems, program management and governmental relations. She is responsible for the operation of workforce development programs in four counties in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area that annually assist more than 8,000 at-risk youth, refugees, single parents, school dropouts, ex-offenders, dislocated workers, and others lacking adequate education, training and work experience.

During Jane’s tenure, HIRED became a leader in the use of technology to link employers and job seekers at community based organizations. HIRED’s Job Link, a workforce development information management system, has been cited nationally as a model for more efficient gathering, organizing and communicating of job opening information. She has served on a number of local and state level committees to advise on workforce development issues.

She is a graduate of the University of the Philippines.

Carol Aharoni
…senior program director for youth, and special projects, manages more than 10 programs and over two dozen staff members in multiple locations in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties and in New Richmond, Wisconsin. She has over 25 years' experience in workforce development as well as four years' experience working abroad. She holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and rehabilitation.

Amy Barwick
…human resources director, manages the human resources functions including recruitment, benefits, compensation, supervisory training and employee relations for the HIRED staff. She has over 21 years of human resources management experience in public and private sectors. Amy graduated from the University Of Colorado Boulder School Of Business and received her Bachelor of Science degree with her area of emphasis in personnel.

Barb Dahl
…senior program director for HIRED’s Minnesota Family Investment Programs in Washington, Ramsey and Hennepin Counties. Each of these programs assists participants in transition from welfare. Barb began working with HIRED in 1998, and now supervises 55+ staff in eight of HIRED’s offices. Barb has over ten years of experience working in social service positions and is nearing completion of a master’s degree in counseling and psychological services.

Nancy James
…employer services and senior program director for HIRED programs serving suburban Hennepin and Dakota counties, manages services for low-income adults and dislocated workers and plant-specific programs under the state's expeditious response initiative for major business dislocations. In 2005, she was instrumental in creating a partnership with Hennepin Technical College that led to their successful bid for receiving funding from the National Association of Manufacturers Center for Workforce Success Manufacturing Institute. Together, HIRED and HTC created a model training program for the precision metalforming manufacturing industry. Currently Nancy manages over 20 dislocated worker special projects as well as state and federal dislocated worker programs for Hennepin County. She manages 20 or more staff members in multiple locations. Nancy has over 22 years' experience in workforce development and has completed management certification at the University of Minnesota.

Anne Sweet
…finance director since 2007. She is responsible for a department that provides services to all members of the organization and its outside constituents. Her areas of responsibility include budgeting, financial reporting, audit preparation, insurance, development and implementation of policies and procedures, payroll, accounts receivable and accounts payable. She has more than 12 years of experience in non-profits and received her MBA in Finance from DePaul University. In addition to her work at HIRED, Anne has served on the board at Dunwoody Academy High School since September 2007.