Celeste Tiller, vice president of talent and workforce development for the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina, transitioned from a 20-year career in corporate banking to focus on teaching and student development, including work-based learning experiences. Now, she is addressing the challenges faced by businesses and educational institutions in her community, responding to calls for new workforce development solutions.
Driven by her eagerness to find a structured approach to talent and workforce issues, Celeste applied to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship Program. "I wanted to better understand how to best support employers, the workforce, and our schools, and that's where Business Leads came in," she explained. The six-month Business Leads Fellowship Program provides leaders with the tools and resources needed to support the education and workforce pipeline in their communities by connecting education to professional opportunities.
As a Business Leads Fellow, Celeste has the unique opportunity to learn from workforce development professionals across the country. The program’s structure, which organizes participants into homerooms, helped her build strong connections with peers in similar roles and types of communities. Business Leads homerooms are small, peer-led groups that foster meaningful conversation, idea-sharing, and ongoing support. Celeste serves as a homeroom facilitator for metro and regional chambers of commerce. Homeroom facilitators—past program participants and ambassadors—guide discussions and remain a resource even after the program ends.
The engagement Celeste had with community leaders and experts broadened her understanding of various workforce development approaches, offering insights that continue to have a positive impact on her career. "The workforce development professional that I was before Business Leads is not who I am now," she said, reflecting on how the benefits of the program have strengthened her efforts to support the York County community.
Connecting Solutions Beyond Business Leads
Celeste's participation in the Business Leads Fellowship Program is one of many initiatives she has engaged with through the U.S. Chamber Foundation. Before joining the program, Celeste had already been utilizing the award-winning Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) framework to support the businesses in her region. TPM® equips employers and their education and workforce development partners with practical resources to develop talent supply chains that meet business needs. Celeste, a TPM practitioner herself, used the framework to build a local talent supply chain for the high-demand hospitality industry in 2024. “TPM has become our framework for everything we do,” Celeste said. “Whether I'm working with a business one-on-one or implementing TPM strategies on a larger scale, it provides the flexibility to meet the unique needs of employers in York County.”
Celeste is also involved in the U.S. Chamber Foundation's EPIC program, which enables students to work on real-world projects sponsored by businesses. She partnered with Comporium, a local telecommunications provider, to challenge Clinton College students to improve the customer experience at one of the company's stores. Currently, Celeste is facilitating a project for Winthrop University students focused on researching substance abuse for a nonprofit organization.
As part of Celeste's efforts to expand professional and educational experiences, she is developing a playbook for employers on how to create impactful internship programs. By partnering with educational institutions, she is helping companies better understand the financial and logistical requirements for implementing successful internships, strengthening career awareness and preparedness for students.
As a homeroom leader for the eleventh cohort, Celeste is excited to see the value the program will continue to have for education and workforce champions like herself. "The work I did in Business Leads has added significant credibility in my marketplace," she said, reflecting on the positive outcomes she’s experienced since her graduation.
