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