COMMON
GROUND WORKS
Real Support.
Real Opportunities.
A Brighter Future.
Common Ground Works (CGW) is a workforce development and training organization that helps people who have faced barriers to employment — especially people of color and individuals with records — gain meaningful, sustainable employment and move out of poverty.
Transformative Training
Practical skills, career readiness workshops, and real-world learning opportunities.
1-1 Coaching
Personalized support to build confidence, remove barriers, and stay on track toward meaningful employment.
Real Opportunities
Connections to employers and career pathways that lead to sustainable jobs and long-term success.
Stronger Communities
When people thrive, families stabilize, and our community becomes stronger for everyone.
OUR APPROACH
More Than Employment.
A Pathway to Possibility.
We recognize that finding and keeping meaningful employment is about more than developing job skills. It is about overcoming obstacles, discovering personal strengths, building confidence, and having access to opportunities.
At Common Ground Works, we meet our Members where they are, support them as they grow, and work alongside them as they take meaningful steps toward their future.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Building Opportunity Together
Lasting change requires a community working together. Common Ground Works partners with employers, nonprofit organizations, and community supporters to expand access to employment opportunities and resources.
Together, we are creating pathways toward economic stability, greater opportunity, and stronger communities.
"The goal isn't just employment;
it's empowerment, equity, and economic justice."
BE PART OF THE CHANGE
There's a Role for Everyone.
Whether you're looking for a new career opportunity, seeking qualified and motivated employees, or interested in supporting our mission, Common Ground Works invites you to be part of building brighter futures.
For Members
Get the training, coaching, and support you need to reach your goals.
For Employers
Access motivated talent and build a stronger workforce.
For Supporters
Help create opportunities and stronger communities through your support.
Who We Are
At Common Ground Works, we are dedicated to empowering individuals to overcome challenges and achieve sustainable employment through comprehensive coaching and training programs.
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Common Ground Works is an organization which will
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Focus on helping people who have struggled with incarceration, drug addiction, trauma and poverty as their major barriers to meaningful employment
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Build relationships with people coming from our member congregations and a wide range of social service organizations
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Create a community of members who support and inspire each other on the journey to transforming their lives
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Provide 1-1 Coaching with all members from the time of application through the first full year of employment
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Conduct a four week intensive training program to help members develop skills in professionalism, conflict resolution, time management, team work and communications
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Place members in health care, construction, manufacturing, janitorial, banking and energy efficiency employment
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Organize members to address broader community issues that impact successful employment
Who We Serve
Common Ground Works serves adults in Milwaukee County who are seeking stability, opportunity, and meaningful pathways to employment.
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We serve individuals 18 years and older who may be navigating barriers to employment, including—but not limited to:
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· Individuals who are justice-impacted
· Individuals participating in or transitioning from addiction recovery programs
· Individuals who are underemployed or unemployed
· Individuals who are under-served or facing systemic barriers to opportunity
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Our members come from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, but they share a common goal: the desire to build a more stable future through work, skill development, and community support.
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At Common Ground Works, we meet people where they are—honoring their lived experiences, recognizing their potential, and walking alongside them as they move forward.
Services
RESOURCE NAVIGATION & BARRIER REDUCTION
​Assistance navigating barriers such as transportation, housing, food security, financial wellness, documentation recovery, education and childcare resources.
PROFESSIONAL READINESS
A focus on soft skills such as professionalism, communication, conflict resolution, teamwork, time management and workplace success in addition to resume writing, mock interview practice, and Dress for Success.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
A supportive network that fosters encouragement, accountability, peer connection, and continued engagement beyond job placement and successful program completion.
COHORT WORKSHOPS
Through structured and differentiated learning opportunities, members engage in whole group instruction covering topics such as their personal and professional brand, translating values to vision, employability strengths and skills, interview storytelling, and employment readiness.
1:1 COACHING SUPPORT
Ongoing individualized coaching from enrollment through successful employment and beyond. We stay with our members for life; ensuring stability, growth, long-term success and opportunities for advancement or change in careers.
Through the creation of partnerships with local employers, we assist members in a hands-on approach to job searching. We thoughtfully and intentionally match our members to job opportunities and careers that best fit their skills, strengths, and interests.
EMPLOYMENT ACTIVATION
GUEST SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS
​We recruit community partners, employers, and program alumni to share their insights with our current members. Through connection and education we enrich the experience of our members by giving them the opportunity to ask questions and actively engage with stakeholders.
ALUMNI NETWORK & SUPPORT
​Upon successful completion of the program, we continue to provide services for our graduates. Providing them with continued 1:1 coaching, resource navigation support, and employer matching services because finishing our program is only the next step in your employment journey!
Why This Work is Important
CGW exists because traditional workforce systems were not designed for everyone — especially those navigating trauma, generational barriers, or cycles of instability.
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In many programs, people are treated like cases, not individuals. Success is often measured by job placement alone, not by the ability to thrive, lead, or sustain long-term stability.
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We exist to bridge the gap between workforce development and personal transformation.
We exist to coach the whole person, not just train the worker.
We exist because emotional readiness, resilience, and confidence are just as critical as resumes and skills.
We exist to help members move from surviving to thriving.
Our model doesn’t just focus on job acquisition — it focuses on retention, advancement, and identity restoration.
Milwaukee deserves a model that is traumatically informed, community-rooted, and equity-driven — one that treats coaching as both a professional practice and a human ministry.
Get to Know Us
Common Ground, an alliance of congregations, non-profits, schools, small businesses, unions and neighborhood groups, has a 20-year history of addressing a wide range of social issues related to housing, health insurance, water quality, safety, education and neighborhood improvements.
After 6 years of research and preparation, Common Ground launched Common Ground Works (CGW) in June of 2026. Common Ground Works helps our members and friends, who have struggled to find meaningful employment enter the workforce in a new way. Borrowing from the best practices of the Cara Collective (Chicago) and Cincinnati Works, CGW provides one-to-one coaching and transformative training that will position our members to succeed in the world of work.
Common Ground Works has an experienced Board of Directors and Executive Director who will be guiding the formation of the organization. We are now in process of hiring our coaching and training staff and firming our relationships with our referral and placement partners.
Our Staff
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Meet our staff
Erin Miller
Erin serves as the Executive Director for Common Ground Works. She is a mission-driven leader with extensive experience advancing workforce development initiatives that uplift underserved and marginalized communities. She brings a strong passion for partnering with Common Ground Works to expand equitable career pathways, strengthen community collaboration, and remove barriers to employment. As CEO of New Creations Men’s Center, Erin has led program innovation, built strategic employer and agency partnerships, and secured critical funding to support comprehensive, skills-based services. She is committed to organizational excellence and creating sustainable opportunities that empower individuals to achieve economic mobility and long-term success.
Paula Forbes
Paula serves as the Director of Employer Relations at Common Ground Works, where she leads employer engagement strategies that create meaningful pathways to employment and economic mobility. With over two decades of experience in leadership, human resources, and workforce development, she is known for building strategic partnerships that connect employers, community resources, and workforce training programs to strengthen opportunities for individuals and communities alike. Paula holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, and is a certified Financial Literacy Coach who is deeply committed to helping individuals move from potential to purpose while expanding access to sustainable career opportunities.
Jenna Finley
Jenna N. Finley, M.Ed., serves as the Manager of Career Training and Curriculum at Common Ground Works. She brings extensive experience in adult education, curriculum design, and culturally responsive training across community and statewide systems.
Jenna designs and facilitates learning experiences that support members in building self-awareness, strengthening workplace skills, and applying what they learn to real-world career opportunities. Through reflective activities and real-life scenarios, she helps members grow in confidence, gain clarity, and take meaningful steps toward their goals.
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Credentials:
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M.Ed.
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Cultural Humility Trainer
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Curriculum Designer
Tiodolo Dela Garza
Tiodolo A. Dela Garza, MBA, MS, serves as a one of the Common Ground Works Employment Success Coaches. He brings a strong background in business leadership, mental health counseling, trauma-informed care, addiction recovery support, and financial wellness coaching. Tiodolo is committed to helping individuals build confidence, strengthen job-readiness skills, and overcome employment barriers. His work centers on clear guidance, accessible tools, and supportive coaching that encourage steady progress toward meaningful and sustainable career goals.
Specializations:
Evidence-Based Coaching
RISE - Integrative Trauma-Informed Coaching
Christian-Based Coaching
LGBTQIA-Based Coaching
Britney Morgan
Britney serves as the Member Experience Coordinator for Common Ground Works, with a strong nonprofit background supporting mission-driven organizations. Britney is a community and youth advocacy professional with over 20 years of experience in youth development, leadership, and community engagement. Her background includes nonprofit administration, educational policy, workshop facilitation, and public health outreach, with a strong focus on equity, safety, and positive youth outcomes. She is a Public Allies Alum (’15 & ’16), serves on the Board of Directors with the Wisconsin Association for Child and Youth Care Professionals and Milwaukee Opera Theater and serves with Heal the Hood. Through her professional practice, facilitation, and advocacy, Britney remains deeply committed to equity, leadership development, and empowering youth and communities to thrive, build, and sustain.
Sophia Carpenter
Sophia serves as the Administrative Assistant for Common Ground Works. Her background includes customer service and hospitality, with years of experience in communication, organization, and client relations.
Sophia chose Common Ground Works because of its commitment to creating opportunities, connecting people with valuable resources and making a meaningful impact in the community, which are all things she is extremely passionate about.
Alex Williams
Alex serves as the Director of Community Engagement for Common Ground Works. With a background in education, community organizing, and program development, Alex is passionately committed to providing the tools and resources necessary to help individuals liberate themselves from adverse circumstances and break down systemic barriers. He believes that by preparing people for success and providing them with opportunities, they will be able to achieve the highest possible quality of life for themselves and their families, raising the overall quality of our communities.
Kevin A Barnes Sr.
Kevin serves as the Employment Success Coach and brings over 20 years of experience in social services, education and workforce development in the city of Milwaukee. Kevin chose Common Ground Works because of their reputable organization whose initiatives are much needed in our city. Kevin appreciates the opportunity to work alongside Common Ground in helping people obtain employment and remove barriers in their lives that would otherwise prevent them from being productive members of our community.
Certified Professional Life Coach
Board Members
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Meet our board members, each leaders in their own community united in creating large-scale change
Bob Connolly
Pastor Will Davis
Bob Masson
Brenda McMurtry
Frank Finch III
Jim Wesp
Sharon Rose
Kirk LaDu
Albert Washko
