Our Mission

Our goals

Workforce Sustainability

To strengthen the long-term physical, mental, and financial sustainability of tradespeople and firefighters — beyond the shift and beyond the jobsite.

Structural Support Systems

To build practical infrastructure — housing alignment, education, leadership development, peer connection, and resource access — that supports workforce stability.

Industry Partnership & Accountability

Be clear, be confident, and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. The latter will take care of itself. It always does.

To build a stronger, safer, and longer-lasting trades workforce

by solving the real-world challenges that affect performance and well-being

How it all started

TradeSTRONG began with a simple truth: the people who build and protect our communities are expected to be strong — without always being supported.

Years inside the trades, alongside union leaders, contractors, and traveling crews, revealed a gap that wasn’t about skill — it was about sustainability.

Through TradeStay, we saw firsthand that housing was only part of the equation. What was missing was structure beyond the jobsite.

TradeSTRONG was created to build that structure.

Meet Your Advocates

Amanda Bedian

Executive Director, TradeStrong

Amanda Bedian serves as Executive Director of TradeSTRONG, leading strategy, partnerships, and organizational growth. With over twelve years of experience inside the commercial construction ecosystem, she has worked closely with contractors, manufacturers, workforce leaders, and industry associations to strengthen market presence and long-term sustainability.

She also spent nearly nine years helping build and grow a nonprofit in the masonry industry — experience that shaped her practical, mission-first approach to leadership.

At TradeSTRONG Amanda focuses on building real infrastructure that supports the trades beyond the jobsite — with structure, accountability, and long-term industry alignment.

Melissa McKinney

Director of Community Support & Programs

Melissa McKinney serves as Director of Community Support & Programs for TradeSTRONG, where she leads community outreach, wellness initiatives, and workforce-centered support programming. Her work focuses on creating accessible, stigma-free spaces where tradespeople can connect, reset, and access practical resources while navigating the demands of travel and project-based work.

Melissa is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Administration and the author of Lessons Learned and Real Talk and Recovery, drawing from lived experience and research to support resilience, accountability, and personal growth.

At TradeSTRONG, she helps ensure support is human-centered, grounded, and built to meet workers where they are — not where systems expect them to be.

Director of Community Partnerships - Vacant

This position serves as Director of Community Partnerships for TradeSTRONG. , where relationships are built with contractors, suppliers, and local workforce partners to strengthen the organization’s community footprint. This position requires unique perspective shaped by years of travel, safety leadership, and high-pressure service environments within the industry. The work requires calm decision-making, cultural awareness, and the ability to connect with people from all walks of life — skills that translate directly into community advocacy and partnership development.

TradeSTRONG understands what it means to work away from home, navigate demanding schedules, and operate in environments where teamwork and trust matter. At TradeStrong, we leverage that experience to build meaningful, mission-aligned relationships that support tradespeople beyond the jobsite.

If this sounds like you - contact us today!