Highlights
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Description
Efforts to improve work and working conditions in the US have been underway since our nation’s inception. While labor unions have historically led this work, the growing prevalence of low-wage, precarious jobs has inspired a broader movement. Today, a diverse array of leaders across sectors are advancing bold solutions to “fix work” — to ensure every job in our economy is a good job. The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program has released a report, Fixing Work: Lessons from Job Quality Practitioners, based on in-depth interviews with more than 20 leaders across the country about the work they are doing to create good jobs that provide economic security, the opportunity to advance and grow, and a safe, dignified, and equitable workplace.
In this webinar, which took place on July 22, 2025, we hear from leaders who are at the forefront of building a fairer and more just economy, where workers, communities, and businesses can succeed together. Learn how these leaders think about good jobs, what strategies they use to build them, and the experiences and lessons they have learned in creating change. Whether you’re a workforce leader, policymaker, business advisor, or advocate, this conversation will offer fresh insights, practical lessons, and inspiration to advance job quality in your own work. Our speakers include Evan Edwards (Project Equity), Adam Kader (ARISE Chicago), Renise Walker (Colorado Workforce Development Council), and moderator Matt Helmer (The Aspen Institute).
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Resources
Articles and Publications
- Conway, Maureen, et al.“Fixing Work: Lessons From Job Quality Practitioners.” The Apen Institute. June 18, 2025.
- “Direct Care Workers in the United States: Key Facts 2024.”PHI. September 2, 2024.
- Edwards, Evan. “Employee Ownership: A Golden Opportunity For The Economy.” Forbes. March 10, 2025.
Websites and Additional Resources
- About – Arise Chicago New
- Home – PHI
- Job Quality in Colorado | Colorado Workforce Development Council
- Job Quality in Practice – Aspen Institute
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act | U.S. Department of Labor
- What we do | Project Equity
Speakers
Opening Remarks/Moderator
- Matt Helmer, Director of Job Quality and Worker Well-Being, Economic Opportunities Program, The Aspen Institute
Matt Helmer is director of job quality and worker well-being at the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and joined the program in April 2022. Matt’s work focuses on developing conversations, tools, and research that advance job quality, equity, and economic security for workers with low and moderate incomes. He worked for the Institute’s Workforce Strategies Initiative (WSI) from 2009 to 2014. With WSI, Matt researched community college and nonprofit partnerships and construction pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, facilitated the Sector Skills Academy, and supported the Reinventing Low-Wage Work and Working in America discussion series.
Matt has a background in workforce development, affordable housing, and adult education. Before rejoining the Institute in 2022, Matt worked for the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA), where he led a team of analysts and project managers charged with advancing the agency’s strategic priorities. Matt helped lead the development and implementation of workforce development and asset building programs, eviction prevention strategies, and trauma-informed customer service. Before joining SHA, Matt was a senior policy analyst at the Seattle Jobs Initiative, where he evaluated workforce development programs and conducted research on job quality and economic development issues in the Seattle region. Prior to coming to the Institute in 2009, Matt worked for a local nonprofit in Seattle supporting immigrants and refugees, served in Damascus as a senior English language fellow for the US State Department, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tonga. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Washington. Matt lives outside Seattle with his wife and two sons and enjoys spending time with them exploring the beaches, mountains, and forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Panelists
- Evan Edwards, CEO, Project Equity
Evan began his career as the international business manager at an early leading technology start-up, Quarterdeck Corporation. Bitten by the start-up bug, he spent following years in leadership and consulting roles at a variety of early stage enterprises including Bid.com (Northcore Technologies), Mediaseek Technology and Planesia Corp. Guided by a shift in personal and professional priorities Evan moved into the non-profit sector as executive director at YMCA Corporation of Los Angeles, leading the turnaround of an under-performing business unit. Driven by the value of social enterprises and the vision of a generative economy, Evan’s work with Project Equity creates strong collaborative partnerships across sectors. Evan is a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (a proud supporter of Wildcat football!), and has certification from Stelter in Professional Fundraising Management. When not working, he’s playing sports, walking his dogs, or cooking a great meal from scratch.
- Adam Kader, Public Policy Director, ARISE Chicago
Adam Kader served as Arise Chicago’s Worker Center director for 14 years before becoming Public Policy Director in 2021. He is proud of his Palestinian roots and his union-member parents, who instilled an enduring commitment to social and economic justice that he has carried throughout his work. Before joining Arise Chicago, he worked as an adult English language learner instructor for a variety of immigrant community organizations in Chicago and taught a Labor and Social Movements course at the University of Illinois. Adam received a master’s degree in urban planning and public policy with a concentration in Community Development from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He received undergraduate degrees in anthropology and Spanish, with a minor in gender studies, from Lawrence University. Besides raising his daughter with his wife, Adam enjoys old-fashioned hobbies including reading books, listening to vinyl records, and taking urban hikes. Adam speaks English and Spanish.
- Jodi Sturgeon, CEO and President, PHI
Jodi M. Sturgeon is president and CEO of PHI, a nonprofit committed to improving quality care for older adults and people with disabilities by creating quality jobs for direct care workers. Under her leadership, PHI has worked with hundreds of employers and achieved state and national policy victories elevating compensation for millions of home care workers.
Jodi has worked in nonprofit management for more than 25 years. She previously held vice president and chief operating and financial officer roles at PHI, introducing innovations that strengthened the organization’s infrastructure and programs. Prior to PHI, Jodi was vice president of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, where she directed investment in housing, jobs, and services for low-income individuals and families. She is on the board of directors and serves as board treasurer for both Cooperative Home Care Associates in New York City, the largest worker-owned company in the country, and Home Care Associates of Philadelphia.
Jodi received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Franklin Pierce University. She received an advanced certificate in governmental finance administration from Southern New Hampshire University and completed the Senior Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals at Columbia Business School.
- Renise Walker, Assistant Director of Systems Innovation, Colorado Workforce Development Council
Renise serves as the assistant director of systems innovation for the CWDC Office. Serving as an active leader for the CWDC Office, Renise represents the CWDC Office at state and national conferences and continues to innovate and be a thought leader in the talent development landscape in Colorado and nationally. She is responsible for critical relationship development with external partners and provides management and alignment of CWDC’s efforts to lead and support industry-led networks, develop and strengthen career pathway systems, and implement stimulus-funded initiatives in support of Colorado’s economic recovery. Prior to joining the CWDC in 2015, Renise led the backbone efforts of a collective impact initiative working to advance affordable housing, workforce development, and economic mobility for underserved populations in Washington, DC. Walker believes strongly that enacting large-scale social challenges requires a willingness to innovate, break down silos, and collaborate across traditional boundaries. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College and a master’s in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. As a proud third-generation Coloradan, Renise cares deeply about the future of Colorado and creating and sustaining opportunities for Colorado residents.
About Job Quality in Practice
Job Quality in Practice, a webinar series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program, presents actionable tools and guidance to help leaders improve jobs and connect to a growing national conversation.
About the Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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