Jeff Whitehead

Special Honor

Jeff Whitehead served as Executive Director of the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) for over two decades and recently retired in March 2023, capping off a 31-year career in workforce development.

During his tenure with EKCEP, Whitehead oversaw the creation of innovative workforce programs that have succeeded with the help of pivotal partnerships with local, state, and federal government agencies along with Eastern Kentucky employers, trainers, and economic developers that effectively pooled resources and expertise to advance and expand the regional workforce.

Some of those programs include Teleworks USA, which since 2015 has connected more than 4,300 people with legitimate remote-work jobs; the Strategic Initiative for Transformational Employment (SITE), which provides support for individuals in recovery as they re-enter the workforce; and the EKY FLOOD program.