Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce: Kris Noble on Entrepreneurial Pathways

Caitlyn Aversman
Associate Manager, Programs

Ava MacLaughlin
Education and Workforce Intern, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Published

December 11, 2025

Kris Noble, now a community engagement specialist at the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship in Illinois, recently transitioned from a decade at the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. In her new role, she focuses on connecting businesses and school districts to inspire the next generation of workers. Leveraging her strength as a convener, she champions the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program—a hands-on entrepreneurship experience for high school students—across the country.

The Need for Entrepreneurial Thinking

After the closure of a local mill displaced 3,000 workers, the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce identified an urgent need to prioritize workforce development. Motivated by a commitment to strengthening rural and manufacturing communities, Kris applied to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship Program to deepen her understanding of public-private partnerships and scalable workforce solutions.

Reflecting on the experience, she shared, “[Business Leads] is by far one of the best professional development experiences in my 35 years I’ve been in the community engagement field.” The six-month fellowship equips leaders with tools and resources to support their regional talent pipelines—and, beyond technical strategies, it helped Kris build a strong network of peers nationwide.

Convening the Right Partners

During the fellowship, Kris learned from workforce development professionals across the country. Through the program’s homeroom discussions—small groups organized by chamber size—she built meaningful relationships and exchanged solutions with practitioners facing similar challenges. Today, she continues to rely on these connections to support school-based experiential learning that helps students build employable skills and explore local career pathways.

She brings creative ideas and thoughtful questions to her community partners, drawing on both her fellowship experience and her decade in chamber leadership. Kris emphasizes that effective solutions emerge through relationships: “If we get educators and employers in the room, they’ll be able to tell you what their needs are. You don’t have to be the smartest person at the table, but you need to know who to bring to the table.”

Unlocking Students’ Entrepreneurial Potential

The CEO Program offers high school juniors and seniors a unique opportunity to step outside the classroom and engage directly with local businesses. For 90 minutes each day, students develop hands-on skills, learn entrepreneurial thinking, and explore business ownership as a legitimate career path—much like career and technical education. As a two-credit elective, the program often becomes a pivotal experience for students uncertain about their postsecondary plans.

Communities in multiple states are seeing the value of encouraging young people to explore entrepreneurship within a mentor-guided environment. Kris recalls one student who once planned to leave her small town in search of “bigger things.” Through CEO, she transformed her passion for sewing and thrifting into a thriving consignment business complete with employees and a supportive network in her community.

The CEO program bridges a vital gap between chambers, businesses, and schools by giving local employers a direct voice in shaping the class curriculum. Their insights into current skill needs and emerging trends ensure that students engage in relevant, future-focused learning. With strong emphases on teamwork, accountability, and career awareness, CEO provides real-time exposure to evolving opportunities. Local businesses invest directly in building the future workforce, and the program comes at no cost to school districts or students.

With 75 programs reaching 350 high schools across 10 states, CEO continues to expand entrepreneurial pathways in communities nationwide. Looking ahead, Kris is eager to mobilize the program’s 5,000 alumni to further energize and inspire new communities.

Kris credits her Business Leads Fellowship experience with providing the tools and relationships needed to propose innovative solutions that connect regions navigating similar education and workforce challenges.

Future Focused

Kris’s journey shows how powerful community-driven partnership can be in shaping the future of work. By bringing educators, employers, and students together around entrepreneurial learning, she is helping communities reimagine what local talent development can look like. As she continues expanding the CEO program and activating its growing network of alumni, Kris remains focused on what has guided her from the start: creating environments where young people can see possibility, pursue their passions, and build the future right where they are.

To learn more or get involved with the Business Leads Fellowship Program, complete the interest form for information about upcoming cohort launches and events.