Does the name Danielle Furey Britton sound familiar? For many in the community, it just might! For the past decade, Danielle Britton has held key positions in the region, which she has used to help bridge the connection between our K-12 schools, SUNY Broome and Binghamton University, and our local businesses. SUNY Broome is delighted to have her join our campus as the new Director of Workforce Development and Continuing Education.

Britton came to the Southern Tier as a college student, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Binghamton University. When teaching positions were scarce, she expanded her definition of “working in education” and accepted a position at the Roberson Museum and Science Center, where she eventually became the Director of Education and Visitor Services. 

She next lent her talents to her alma mater, Binghamton University, where she assisted in the coordination of the “Harpur Edge” program. The “Harpur Edge” program equips Binghamton University’s Harpur College students with professional experiences and academic opportunities. 

Her work in higher education led Britton to her most recent role as the Talent and Education Director for the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce. You may be familiar with her work with the Chamber’s Greater Binghamton Educational Outreach Program (GBEOP), which focuses on fostering a local “talent pipeline” by introducing the Southern Tier’s K-12 students to local colleges and employers. In addition to GBEOP, Danielle co-lead the SPARK career exploration event for almost 2,000 8th grader’s last winter on SUNY Broome’s campus.  

Each professional experience on Britton’s resume aligns with the work tasked of SUNY Broome’s Office of Workforce Development and Continuing Education. Danielle and her team provide several key resources for the region. The office collaborates with area employers to tailor individualized training for each industry’s specific needs, hosts micro-courses for local professionals looking to retool, and offers non-credit enrichment opportunities for children and adults alike. 

When Danielle is not tackling a big list of new “to do’s,” she is constantly researching how other cities and states creatively yoke students and employers. “I’m working to categorize what existing programs we have that fit the needs of our players and what we need to develop,” she explained. 

One of Britton’s first exciting projects is to develop employee-sponsored apprenticeship opportunities. “We are starting with our Manufacturing Technology program, but are looking forward to adding programs from other divisions over time,” she said. 

Britton has one request of her new colleagues. “Please don’t hesitate to connect with me, even if it is the first time that you or your department has collaborated with our office. I love out of the box partnerships,” she said.  Danielle Britton is best reachable via email at brittondf@sunybroome.edu.

Learn about Workforce Development and Continuing Education at SUNY Broome.