Saying Yes To Opportunity: Recent UW-Eau Claire Grad Lands Role At E.C. Chamber
new director of workforce may have a leg up on connecting with university students and emerging professionals
Eau Claire’s steady-growing population has been a point of conversation since state projections rolled out earlier this year, showing E.C. as a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster outlook. However, those estimates don’t necessarily align with workforce projections.
Each year, roughly 3,000 students graduate from the city's two colleges. According to a 2025 survey – a new collaboration between the Chamber, The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Chippewa Valley Technical College – about 65% of CVTC graduates from the 2022-2023 class decided to stick around the region. Less than 30% of UWEC graduates from the 2023-2024 class chose to stay in the area.
Retention of college students in the area is just one piece of the pie for the Chamber – an organization which has focused on supporting businesses across the Chippewa Valley for over 100 years – though its new director of workforce may have a leg up in that department.
Hope Turvaville, an Ellsworth native, was recently announced as the Chamber’s new director of workforce – making her the youngest person on the eight-person staff (she earned her degree in organizational communications from UW-Eau Claire in 2024).
When asked how she landed the gig, she smiled. “It’s actually the coolest story,” Turvaville said.
Turvaville graduated last winter, and by May of this year, most of her friends from college had graduated – and moved out of the area. She spent her first post-grad summer settling in, working as a project coordinator in Eau Claire – but felt something was missing.
“In September, you guys (Volume One) posted about Kaitlyn,” Turvaville said, recalling a friend sending a link of the feature to her, encouraging her to reach out to Kaitlyn Molis, the director of education at the Chamber.
At the time, Molis played a significant role in the Chamber’s Young Professionals of the Chippewa Valley program. The initiative connects Eau Claire area professionals in casual environments, aiming to bolster networking and development opportunities for locals ages 21-41.
Now I'm in week four at the Chamber and it's definitely filling my cup. –Hope Turvaville, director of workforce
After connecting with Molis, Turvaville joined Young Professionals and attended one of the program’s regular events, “Beer With A Boss.” At another Young Professionals event, she ended up meeting Chamber President and CEO Dave Minor. He offered to take a look at her resumé and keep her in mind for potential future opportunities.
As it turns out, Turvaville made an impression. After learning the director of workforce position at the Chamber was opening up, the process moved swiftly; Turvaville interviewed for and was offered the job within one week.
“It all felt very impulsive for me, just saying ‘yes’ to these opportunities,” Turvaville said. “Now I’m in week four at the Chamber and it’s definitely filling my cup.
“In my position as the director of workforce, I’m seeing just how many different job opportunities there are here. It makes me think a lot about being fresh out of college, and I wonder if my friends – who have all since left (Eau Claire) – had known about these opportunities, if they would have stayed.”
As Turvaville settles into her role with the Chamber, her focus is threefold: talent development, talent attraction and talent retention. Some of the projects which fall under her responsibilities includes support of the Youth Apprenticeship program (an initiative similar to one she participated in during high school in Ellsworth), the upcoming Human Resource Conference event in January and connecting the dots between employers and the workforce community.
Putting genuine post-college roots down in Eau Claire has instilled a new sense of confidence for her as she steps into a significant leadership role. Turvaville acknowledged often being the youngest person in the room, though working with many other women in leadership roles at the Chamber (six of the eight staffers are women) furthers a sense of ease.
As the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce ushers in a number of new initiatives – restructuring of its investor tiers and offering new pathways for small businesses and entrepreneurs; recent digitization of Chamber Bucks; launching its Leadership Lab Program, etc. – Turvaville's presence solidifies a new chapter for the organization's team.
Learn more about the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce online and keep up with the organization on social media (@eauclaireareachamber).
