We live in an era when millions of people are losing their jobs to AI and automation. At the same time, our country is facing a dire shortage of certified nursing assistants to care for a rapidly growing older population.
NextStep provides the solution to both problems — a streamlined, online CNA training and placement program with no upfront costs and guaranteed employment after certification.
Before founding NextStep, Hedrick served as CEO of Kepler, an innovative online/offline university program in Rwanda and CEO of Intrepid Learning, a venture capital-backed learning technology and outsourcing company. He previously served as Science and Technology Advisor to the Governor of Washington state. He was also the first employee of the Gates Library Foundation, the precursor organization of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and managed national philanthropic programs for Microsoft.
He has a deep background in public health, leading an Africa-wide malaria prevention program, working as country director for the largest Peace Corps program in the world, and serving on the board of PATH, the global health non-profit. A graduate of Stanford University, Hedrick was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.
Charissa is nationally recognized as a thought leader on creating a qualified and sustainable long-term care workforce and addressing the coming care crisis. She has more than 20 years of experience in health care policy, research, and practice. Prior to co-founding NextStep, Charissa was the founding Executive Director of an organization that delivered training and health care benefits to more than 50,000 long-term care workers annually. She holds a Master’s degree in Health Service Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.