Leaders and Experts in Employment & Workforce Training Form “NY Workforce Recovery Strategy Group”

Press Release

Contact: Jose Ortiz, Jr., Executive Director of the NYC Employment & Training Coalition, jortiz@nycetc.org, 646.203.4636


Leaders and Experts in Employment & Workforce Training Form “NY Workforce Recovery Strategy Group”

Focus on Policy Solutions Necessary for NYC’s Economy to Survive and Rebound from COVID-19

New York, NY, April 22, 2020 — In direct response to the growing crisis of unemployment and small business collapse in New York City as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis, leaders from the public and private sector have partnered to form the “NY Workforce Recovery Strategy Group” and create space for a solutions-oriented discussion to the current economic challenges. The NYC Employment and Training Coalition organized the formation of this group.

The group of 51 organizations includes Association for a Better New York, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Navy Yard Corporation, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, Center for an Urban Future, Children’s Aid, Chinese-American Planning Council, City University of New York, Civic Hall @ Union Square, Cognizant, Company, Consortium for Worker Educational, DC37, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Google, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Henry Street Settlement, HERE to HERE, Hispanic Federation, HR&A Advisors, Human Services Council of New York, JobsFirstNYC, L&M Development Partners, Long Island City Partnership, Lutheran Social Services of New York, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals, New York City Employment & Training Coalition, New York City Hospitality Alliance, New York Immigration Coalition, Nonprofit New York, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, Partnership for New York City, Per Scholas, PHI, Phipps Houses and Neighborhoods, Queens Chamber of Commerce, Regional Plan Association, School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, STRIVE NY, Tech:NYC, The Bronx Private Industry Council, The Fortune Society, The HOPE Program and Sustainable South Bronx, and Workforce Professionals Training Institute.

New York’s elected leadership is understandably focused on the current public health crisis gripping New York. However, as our communities struggle through these unprecedented health challenges, the outlines of the biggest economic challenge of our lifetime is coming into full view. As our government partners begin to think about the days to come, the development of recovery plans must be done in partnership with leaders from the city’s human services and educational institutions, private sector, small business, labor, industry experts, and regional and citywide policy leaders. 

Together, this new group of leaders and experts will recommend strategies for recovery in the following areas:

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Identify ways to support small businesses and entrepreneurs via grants and loans that will allow them to stabilize, keep their doors open, and maintain their workforce; and position them to grow employment opportunities with establishments that are deeply rooted in our communities in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Public Works Projects

Identify and examine opportunities for large-scale, public works projects, including infrastructure and resiliency, with the potential for reintroducing large numbers of New Yorkers back into the workforce. 

Educational and Training Ecosystem

Work with industry and technology experts to keep workers (including youth and adult learners) connected to education and job training programs for career tracks in a post-COVID-19 economy.

Worker Equity and Individual Relief

Propose and promote mechanisms of support and protection for marginalized workers (people of color, immigrants, disabled New Yorkers, etc.) to ensure that the city’s economic recovery is inclusive and equitable.

NY Workforce Recovery Strategy Group, including the following signatories: 

Plinio Ayala, President & CEO, Per Scholas 

Linda M. Baran, President & CEO, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce

Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director, Center for an Urban Future

Phoebe Boyer, President & CEO, Children’s Aid

Diana Caba, Senior Director of Economic Empowerment, Hispanic Federation

Tracey Capers, Executive Vice President & Chief Program Officer, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation

Barbara Chang, Executive Vice President, HERE to HERE

Steve Choi, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition

Laura Colacurcio, Acting Executive Director, Association for a Better New York

David Ehrenberg, President & CEO, Brooklyn Navy Yard Corporation

Lakythia Ferby, Executive Director, New York, STRIVE NY

David Garza, CEO & President, Henry Street Settlement

Katy Gaul-Stigge, President & CEO, Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey

Thomas Grech, President & CEO, Queens Chamber of Commerce

Matthew Harrigan, CEO, Company

Wayne Ho, President & CEO, Chinese-American Planning Council

Sarah Holloway, Senior Fellow for Entrepreneurship, Columbia University; Lecturer in Discipline, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Michelle Jackson, Acting Executive Director, Human Services Council of New York

Chai Jindasurat, Policy Director, Nonprofit New York

Angie Kamath, University Dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, City University of New York

Damyn Kelly, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services of New York

Debbie Kenyon, Vice Chairman & Senior Partner, L&M Development Partners

Hope Knight, President & CEO, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

Maria Lizardo, Executive Director, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation

Elizabeth Lusskin, President, Long Island City Partnership

Melinda Mack, Executive Director, New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals

Joe McDermott, Executive Director, Consortium for Worker Education

Jennifer Mitchell, Executive Director, The HOPE Program and Sustainable South Bronx

Gregory Morris, President & Executive Director, Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center

Regina Myer, President, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

Jose Ortiz, Jr., Executive Director, New York City Employment & Training Coalition

JoAnne Page, President & CEO, The Fortune Society

Marjorie Parker, President & CEO, JobsFirstNYC

Randy Peers, President & CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

Angela Pinsky, Senior Government Affairs Manager, New York and New Jersey, Google

Liliana Polo-McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow

Andrew Rasiej, Founder & CEO, Civic Hall @ Union Square

Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, New York City Hospitality Alliance

Julie Samuels, Executive Director, Tech:NYC

Sharon Sewell-Fairman, Executive Director, Workforce Professionals Training Institute

Aaron Shiffman, Executive Director, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations

Abby Jo Sigal, Founding CEO, HERE to HERE

Kate Slevin, Senior Vice President, State Programs & Advocacy, Regional Plan Association

Lisa Sorin, President, Bronx Chamber of Commerce

Jodi M. Sturgeon, President, PHI

Edward Summers, Executive Director, The Bronx Private Industry Council

Jessica Walker, President & CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce

Adam Weinstein, President & CEO, Phipps Houses; Chairman, Phipps Neighborhoods

Eric Westphal, Senior Director of Global Corporate Affairs, Cognizant

Kate Wittels, Partner, HR&A Advisors

Stacy Woodruff, Managing Director, Workforce Field Building Hub at the Workforce Professionals Training Institute