For over 16 years, Kathy has helped over 14,000 unemployed people re-enter the workforce through Launch Pad Job Club – without being paid a dime herself.

In 2001, Kathy Lansford-Powell founded Launch Pad Job Club through her job at Workforce Solutions with the goal of helping the unemployed navigate the ever-difficult job market. Since then, the job club has become a standalone nonprofit helping Austin-area job seekers secure gainful employment through coaching and training. Though Kathy is technically no longer the organization’s leader, she is still the club’s biggest monthly donor and continues to volunteer each week without fail. Kathy leads weekly networking and information meeting and runs satellite classes on LinkedIn and Jobscan, where she teaches interviewing skills, video interviewing, salary negotiation, and tips for filling out state employment applications.

She also spends countless hours meeting individually with club members and Austin Community College (ACC) students to review their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, often connecting them directly with area employers. More often than not, those area employers are Launch Pad Job Club alumni who “pay it forward” by helping a current member gain entry to their companies. Kathy, who spent a career at Texas Workforce Solutions as a job coach trainer, is now giving her gift of knowledge and her talent for teaching others through both the club and ACC. Shannon Mantrom, current executive director at Launch Pad, says, “It’s Kathy who bolsters their spirits, keeps them moving forward, and is their biggest cheerleader.”

With her guidance, Launch Pad Job Club has become the largest networking and support group for job seekers in Central Texas, providing all classes free of charge with the goal to educate, motivate and build confidence in those who need it most. In 2013, a signature program called Leap to Success was formed – this program offers the talents of Launch Pad members to area nonprofit organizations for pro bono, short-term projects. These projects help job seekers keep their skills sharp while seeking employment. The program also provides deserving area nonprofits with the vital assistance they need to move them forward. Many members have been hired by area companies due to their direct involvement with Leap to Success.

“Kathy IS Launch Pad Job Club, and we are so very fortunate she has spent the last 20 years assisting job seekers, most of whom are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s and who often feel the sting of ageism in hiring,” said Shannon. “The day Kathy steps down as leader means it will take at least three people to replace her. She is irreplaceable.”