The next virtual convening of the New York City Workforce Funders Collaborative will focus on the future of the City’s Workforce Development Board. Workforce leaders and advocates have long recognized that an effective and cohesive workforce ecosystem must include an empowered Workforce Development Board. Following the release of Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery in Spring 2022, Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 22 to advance the blueprint’s workforce development pillar by expanding the scope of the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development and convening the Future of Workers Task Force. Executive Order 22 called on the Task Force to examine the purpose, composition, and responsibilities of the Workforce Development Board.
The session will begin with an overview of the role effective workforce boards play in securing and strategically allocating federal funds; fostering innovation and promoting best practices; partnering with industry, labor unions, and training providers; and evaluating workforce system investments and outcomes. Leaders from Chicago will then share lessons learned from the recent transformation of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership. A panel of respondents representing city government, the nonprofit sector, the business community and philanthropy will close the session with a discussion of their perspectives on what’s needed to empower and re-envision New York City’s workforce board
What will you learn?
- Why and how empowered workforce development boards are critical to effective workforce systems
- Examples of innovation and best practices from other regions
- Key recommendations from the Future of Workers Task Force
Who should attend?
All interested funders in grantmaking roles. What to expect: presentation followed by Q&A.
Speakers
- Kiersten Barnet, Executive Director, New York Jobs CEO Council
- Amanda Cage, Chief Executive Officer, National Fund for Workforce Solutions
- Tracey Carey, Executive Director, Midwest Urban Strategies
- Patrick Combs, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership
- David Fischer, Principal, Altior Policy Solutions
- Katy Gaul-Stigge, President and CEO, Goodwill NY/NJ
- Roderick Jenkins, Program Director, Promising Futures, The New York Community Trust
- Abby Jo Sigal, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development
- Cass Conrad (moderator), Executive Director, The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation
- Marci Hunn (moderator), Senior Program Director, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation