Technology, automation, and the expanding number of independent workers are changing the nature of work and our economy. To meet these challenges, private and public sector leaders will need to develop new and innovative ideas. In an effort to help identify and implement these types of ideas, I am excited to announce the creation of the National Advisory Council for the Future of Work Initiative. By bringing together this group of prominent national leaders, we are able to incorporate diverse perspectives from business, labor, academia, and government to address the changing nature of work. I look forward to working with our Advisory Council, chaired by former Delaware Governor Jack Markell, as we continue to develop policy solutions to help American workers and businesses succeed. The full announcement, including the complete list of National Advisory Council members, is below.
The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative Announces Creation of National Advisory Council
Former Governor Jack Markell named Chairman of National Advisory Council
Contact: Erin McAlister
Communications Manager
Future of Work Initiative | The Aspen Institute
202-721-2324 │ Erin.McAlister@aspeninstitute.org
Washington, DC, December 21, 2017 –– The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative today announced the creation of its National Advisory Council, comprised of leaders from business, labor, academia and public policy. The Advisory Council will bring together leaders with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives to help better understand the challenges and opportunities presented by the changing nature of the economy and the impact that it is having on work.
The National Advisory Council will be led by Jack Markell, former Governor of Delaware, and include the following co-chairs: Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School and former Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush; and Penny Pritzker, founder and Chairman of PSP Capital and Pritzker Realty Group, and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce under President Barack Obama.
The Advisory Council will guide the Future of Work Initiative’s strategy and help identify solutions for workers and businesses to succeed in a changing economy. Leaders across the country recognize the profound changes affecting the nature of work. Trends like the rise of the independent workforce and the increase in automation are already impacting workers and businesses today, and could bring dramatic changes in the years ahead. Technology and innovation will create new opportunities but also transform jobs and industries, creating uncertainty and instability for many American workers.
“Workers face extraordinary uncertainty across our country,” said former Governor Jack Markell. “What will be the impact of artificial intelligence on my job? If my employer is so focused on the next quarter’s results, can I be fired because the executives need to show they are taking action? What happens to my benefits if I want to strike out on my own? I look forward to working with my colleagues to address these critical issues.”
Established in 2015, the Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative is a nonpartisan effort to identify concrete ways to address the challenges American workers and businesses face due to the changing nature of work in the 21st century. Honorary Co-Chairs Senator Mark Warner and Purdue University President Mitch Daniels lead the Initiative, along with Co-Chairs John Bridgeland and Bruce Reed. The Initiative focuses on policy solutions at the federal, state and local level to:
- Improve economic security for traditional and independent workers
- Increase investment in effective worker training and education programs
- Reduce pressure on businesses to prioritize short-term profits and encourage investment in long-term value creation
“Technology and innovation are rapidly changing the nature of work,” said Senator Mark Warner. “The disruptions posed by the changing nature of our economy and work are the central challenge of our time. I am thrilled that Governor Markell has agreed to chair the Advisory Council and that such a distinguished group of the nation’s leading thinkers in business, labor, academia, and policy is willing to help develop solutions to support workers, businesses and communities across the country.”
“There is dignity in work and everyone should have the opportunity to compete for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” said former Governor Mitch Daniels. “This Advisory Council will help provide valuable ideas and insights on the challenges and opportunities we face in preparing for the future of work. By addressing these issues, America can build a stronger, more inclusive economy where Americans can earn more, and gain the skills and benefits they need to get ahead.”
As a society, it is critical to understand and address the challenges of the future of work today, rather than wait to react to future disruptions. The solutions to these challenges will require the engagement of business, government, labor, education and the nonprofit sector. The perspectives that the Advisory Council members bring will help the Future of Work Initiative accelerate the important conversation around the challenges American workers face, and advance actionable solutions that help to develop an economy that works better for all Americans.
Future of Work Initiative National Advisory Council Members:
Jack Markell, former Governor of Delaware
Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School, and former Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush
Penny Pritzker, founder and Chairman of PSP Capital and Pritzker Realty Group, and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce under President Barack Obama
Wally Adeyemo, Senior Adviser at BlackRock and the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics and Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council under President Barack Obama
John Bailey, Visiting Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Mayor Luke Bronin, Hartford, Connecticut
Sylvia M. Burwell, President of American University, and former Secretary of Health and Human Services
Pablo Chavez, General Manager of U.S. Public Policy at Microsoft and General Manager of Global Public Policy at LinkedIn
Gary Edson, Principal, Civic Enterprises, and former Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council and National Security Council under President George W. Bush
Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, and Co-Director, Center on Children and Families at the Brookings Institution
Alan Krueger, Bendheim Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, and former Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama
James Manyika, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Chairman and Director of the McKinsey Global Institute
Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Founder, Chairwoman and CEO, Care.com
Mario Morino, Chairman of the Morino Institute and Co-founder and Director, Venture Philanthropy Partners
Nigel Morris, Co-founder and Managing Partner at QED Investors; previously Co-founder and President of Capital One Financial Services
Janet Napolitano, President of the University of California, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, and former Governor of Arizona
Scott Nathan, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, and former Associate Director for General Government Programs at the Office of Management and Budget in the Obama Administration
Dr. Eduardo Padrón, President of Miami Dade College
Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Co-director of Caring Across Generations
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester
David Rolf, President of SEIU 775
Brian Sheth, Co-founder and President, Vista Equity Partners
Kristen Silverberg, Managing Director at the Institute of International Finance, and former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs under President George W. Bush
Marco Zappacosta, Co-founder & CEO, Thumbtack, Inc.
Jeff Zients, CEO, The Cranemere Group, and former Director of the White House National Economic Council under President Barack Obama
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The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative is a nonpartisan effort to identify concrete ways to address the challenges American workers and businesses face due to the changing nature of work in the 21st century. The Initiative focuses on policy solutions at the federal, state and local level to improve economic security for traditional and independent workers, encourage increased investment in worker training and education, and give workers the tools they need to succeed in the new economy. Established in late 2015, the Initiative is driven by the leadership of honorary co-chairs Senator Mark R. Warner and Mitch Daniels, President of Purdue University and former Governor of Indiana, and co-chairs Bruce Reed and John Bridgeland, former Directors of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and is based in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org/futureofwork or follow @AspenFutureWork on Twitter.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
