About the Authors
Dani Houchin
Tami Hillberry
Ellen Johnson
Dani Houchin is the Executive Director and Trustee at Origami Works Foundation. Under her leadership, Origami Works launched Chicagoland CareerPathways and Talent Solutions Connector, and led initiatives related to two-generation career development and career paths for entry level employees. Prior to founding Origami Works, Dani spent most of her career in performance consulting, helping organizations produce hundreds of innovative workplace learning programs. A first generation college graduate, Dani holds a bachelor’s degree in Public & International Affairs from Princeton University and a master’s in Educational Technology from Columbia University. She also studied Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. While at Princeton, Dani wrote a senior thesis about workforce development in Baltimore.
Tami Hillberry is a Program Officer at Origami Works Foundation. She has directed a variety of projects, including the launch of Talent Solutions Connector and a summer internship program for first generation college students. Tami also leads the Foundation’s grantmaking. She has spent her career in a diverse set of roles and sectors, including office management and human resources, and was the proprietor of an online retail business for several years. Tami’s unique career path has given her the ability to adapt and innovate, and she now uses those skills to help Origami Works Foundation succeed in its partnerships with Chicago and suburban Cook County workforce organizations.
Ellen Johnson is a senior consultant in workforce development. She advises local and state workforce and economic development ecosystems to support system alignment and integration, equitable workforce policy and program design, and improved workforce development service delivery. Prior to launching her consulting career, Ellen spent 12 years at the Chicago Jobs Council, where she established and launched the Frontline Focus Training Institute, a nationally recognized professional development training entity for workforce development professionals. Among other accomplishments, Ellen has co-authored a curriculum on career readiness for job seekers, facilitated numerous employer cohorts focused on inclusive hiring, and run statewide commissions and task forces designed to improve equity and access within the public workforce ecosystem.
