Wheelhouse and the Village Community Foundation achieved lift-off for LaunchPad, an initiative designed to open more pathways to careers in entertainment, sports and investing for students and young adults from underserved communities.
LaunchPad delivers mentoring and career development, real-world work experience and access to high-profile companies and executives, along with placement programs encompassing experiential learning sessions, interview training and internships. Partner companies include WME, Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment, ITV America, A&E Global Media, Zillow, Versant, MillerKnoll and more.
Established as part of the Village Community Foundation in 2023, LaunchPad has seen more than 1,000 young adults participate thus far but the news now is that the initiative is expanding to serve the greater New York metropolitan area, with its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. Per the org, LaunchPad is in talks with more Los Angeles-based companies to join the effort.
LaunchPad is steered by president Jon Winkel, TeamSheed Productions’ Rasheed J. Daniel and Paramount executive Makeda Mays Green serve as co-chairs, while Zillow’s head of executive talent Corey Twitty serves as vice chair.
