NELP Announces New Board Leadership

NELP is excited to announce the election of noted economist, author, and policy commentator Jared Bernstein as chair of its board of directors. Widely recognized as one of today’s foremost economic thought-leaders, Jared served as Vice President Joe Biden’s chief economist and economic adviser from 2009 to 2011, following tenures at the Economic Policy Institute and the U.S. Department of Labor. Now a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where he leads the Full Employment Project, Jared contributes actively to the economic debates of the moment through frequent media appearances, high-level policy briefings, and prolific writing, including periodic columns in The New York Times and The Washington Post, his daily On the Economy blog, and numerous books and other publications.

For his book All Together Now: Common Sense for a Fair Economy, Jared coined “YOYO” and “WITT” to describe two competing visions of the economy: “You’re on your own” (in which, quoting Jared, “whatever challenges we face as a nation, the best way to solve them is for people to fend for themselves”) versus “We’re in this together” (where “[individual] freedom is best realized with a more collaborative approach“). Jared’s latest book, The Reconnection Agenda: Reuniting Growth and Prosperity (downloadable for free), provides a succinct diagnosis of why today’s economy is failing most Americans and offers a comprehensive policy prescription to restore economic balance and shared prosperity through full employment. NELP is pleased and honored that Jared has agreed to serve in this important role.

Joining Jared in leadership of NELP’s board are Amy Morris and Amy Sugimori. Amy Morris, our new vice chair, has a long history of supporting efforts to improve job quality and economic opportunity through her work at the Surdna Foundation and in her current position as program director with the Fund for Global Human Rights. Amy Sugimori, director of policy and legislation with SEIU 32BJ, and a former NELP staff attorney with deep expertise on issues affecting low-wage and immigrant workers, is the board’s new secretary. Many still remember Amy as the public face of NELP, thanks to her many years of working on immigrant workers’ campaigns here. We’re delighted that both Amys have assumed these positions of leadership.

NELP thanks Jim Sessions of the East Tennessee Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice for his service as NELP’s interim board chair. Jim guided NELP with wisdom, vision, patience, leadership, and love through a period of transition and growth; we will be forever grateful for his steadfast support.

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