Biltmore Event to Highlight Crucial Importance of Employing, Supporting People with a Conviction History

PHOENIX, ARIZONA—August 1, 2023—Labor shortages are impacting businesses in Arizona and across the US. But rather than panic, many employers are addressing these shortages by giving a “fair chance” to a largely untapped pool of talent: the millions of people with a conviction history who have been unjustly excluded from pursuing the American Dream for too long.

On Thursday, October 5, Arouet Foundation will honor five trailblazers of the fair chance hiring movement when the community-based nonprofit hosts its 2023 Fair Chance Employment Symposium, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., at the Arizona Biltmore.

• Alma Hernandez, State Representative, LD20-Tucson
• Elissa Johnson, VP, FWD.us Criminal Justice Campaigns
• Steve Kaiser, President & Founder, Arizona Prosperity Project
• Deanna Murphy, Vice President Corporate Responsibility, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Ken Oliver, Executive Director, Checkr Foundation

“No one wins on their own. That’s why it is so important to me and our entire organization that we honor these incredible leaders of the fair chance movement,” said Alison Rapping, CEO of Arouet Foundation, whose re-entry programming has helped an astounding 93% of the formerly incarcerated women it has served stay out of prison.

The Symposium will be held inside the Biltmore’s Grand Ballroom from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and include engaging and informative discussions on successfully implementing inclusive hiring policies that will create greater public safety and open doors to a dedicated, loyal, and profitable workforce. The event will also serve as a launchpad for the release of Arouet’s much-anticipated Fair Chance Employment Guidebook. And, of course, attendees will enjoy a first-rate Biltmore breakfast.

The keynote and other guest speakers for the 2023 Fair Chance Employment Symposium will be announced in the coming weeks. All reporters who wish to attend the Symposium or schedule interviews should email press@heyjoemedia.com.

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