Ann Marie Stieritz served as the Founding Director of Apprenticeship Carolina™ which catalyzed South Carolina’s jump to the leading state in the country in expanding registered apprenticeship programs and youth apprenticeship. Through innovative design and employer- based outreach, Apprenticeship Carolina™ has helped position apprenticeship as a 21st century workforce solution across traditional and emerging employment sectors. It has informed apprenticeship expansion in states beyond South Carolina as well as federal policy. Ms. Stieritz led the establishment of South Carolina’s 12 Regional Education Centers (created by the SC Education and Economic Development Act) that convene stakeholders to align regional career pathways initiatives across organizations and sectors. She currently serves as President & CEO of Liberty Fellowship, the only state-focused leadership initiative within the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), a worldwide community of high-integrity entrepreneurial leaders from more than 50 countries.