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Sue Roberson hails from Virginia and she graduated from UVA with a BA in English. She received her MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. Sue was lured to New York after business school and she spent two decades in a variety of finance, operations and marketing leadership roles at Time Inc. (which published Time, Sports Illustrated and People). In her most recent role at Time Inc, she served as SVP and General Manager of Time Inc.’s Consumer Marketing and Revenue Division, overseeing the financials and operations of the company’s consumer magazine, books, products, and subscription services businesses. Sue left Time Inc. at the end of 2016. Determined to change gears and forge a more mission-oriented path, Sue accepted a role as Chief Financial Officer of Blue School, a not-for-profit, independent school in downtown Manhattan. Sue has served on the Board of Directors for Next Issue Media, the Alliance for Audited Media, and JobPath, and serves on the Advisory Board for the Clark Hulings Fund. She also taught as an Adjunct Professor at the NYU Center for Publishing. Sue lives in Manhattan with her husband, Dave and her two sons, Spencer and Angus.
The Markle Foundation’s Rework America Task Force, with Members Boeing, Microsoft and Walmart Launch the Rework America Business Network to Expand and Strengthen America’s Skilled Workforce
Nicole Isaac is the Head of North America Policy at LinkedIn and manages strategic engagement with local, state, provincial and federal governments across North America. Nicole has been with LI for almost 4 years and previously served as Director of U.S. Public Policy where she managed day to day policy and government affairs portfolio, taking on primary responsibility for engaging with the Administration, Congress, and policy-oriented NGOs on issues ranging from privacy and security to workforce policy issues. Nicole joined LinkedIn as the head of Economic Graph Policy Partnerships and worked with local, state, federal and international electeds on leveraging strategic information for investments in the 21st century workforce and to provide critical labor insights. Nicole taught international business and geopolitics at Georgetown, and also founded a social impact accelerator, Code the Streets, to increase resources to inner city communities. Nicole was previously a Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, where she guided President Obama's policy priorities before the Judiciary, Financial Services and Appropriations Committees of the U.S. House of Representatives. As a Special Assistant to the President, Nicole was chief liaison to nearly 100 Members of Congress. In this role, she was known for her effective oversight of tough legislative issues, ranging from telecommunications and intellectual property reform to immigration and housing finance. She was also selected as one of 25 individuals from across the Administration to participate in the President’s first leadership development workshop. Prior to serving as a legislative advisor to the President, Nicole was Deputy Legislative Director for the Office of the Vice President. Nicole spent almost five years on Capitol Hill, including in the U.S. House of Representatives, with the Office of Legislative Counsel and with House leadership, and also in the U.S. Senate, with the Assistant Minority Leader, Dick Durbin. She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Dikgang Moseneke, the Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa. Nicole completed her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and also a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, respectively, in 2004. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University. She also completed a Master of Studies (LLM equivalent) in International Human Rights Law at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. She is a 2016 Presidential Leadership Scholar, and also a 2018 Young Leader with the French- American Foundation. Nicole serves on the Board of the Biden Foundation. She is Afro-Latino (Jamaican and Costa-Rican) and lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband.
About the Markle Foundation: The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of technology to achieve breakthroughs in addressing some of the nation’s most pressing issues. Markle challenges itself and diverse partners to deploy their varied expertise to identify solutions and achieve systemic change. Today as advanced technology and automation change the very nature of work, Markle’s priority is advancing solutions towards a skills-based labor market that will enable Americans to transition to the opportunities of the digital economy. Markle’s workforce initiatives include Skillful and the Rework America Task Force. They follow Markle’s success in creating the policy and technology architecture that has enabled improvements in healthcare, national security, and access to the Internet. While Markle is organized as a private foundation it operates principally through direct charitable activities and is both a grant maker and a grant recipient. Skillful: Skillful, a non-profit initiative of the Markle Foundation with Microsoft, LinkedIn, the State of Colorado, and other partners, is working to achieve a skills-based labor market to help millions of Americans overcome barriers to obtaining better-paying jobs in today’s digital economy. Skillful helps employers achieve the workforce they need by providing data, tools, and resources that enable the adoption of skills-based hiring and training practices. Coaches and digital services enable job seekers to learn what skills are in demand and access training at any stage of their career. At the same time, Skillful aligns employers and educators so that their training programs teach the skills required to succeed in today’s economy. Rework America Task Force: The Rework America Task Force seeks to transform America’s outdated labor market so that all Americans – especially the nearly 70% without a college degree – have opportunities to thrive in the digital economy. This coalition of diverse leaders from technology, business, labor, education and the public sector is committed to developing bold, practical, non-partisan solutions to building a skills-based labor market that works for all Americans and supports the competitiveness of the American economy. The Task Force will define and advance policies and practices among employers, educators, policymakers, technologists and workers themselves so that all are better equipped to anticipate, adapt to and harness for good the rapid pace of technological change transforming our economy. By establishing clear, accessible paths to quality jobs and lifelong training in the digital economy, the Task Force is working to enable the dignity of work for all Americans. THE POSITION: The Director of Accounting and Finance will manage the accounting, budgeting, reporting, and tax work for the Foundation, reporting to and working closely with the Chief Financial Officer in this newly reconfigured position. S/he will have overall responsibility for directing the accounting activities of the organization including banking, cash management, accounts payable and receivable, accounting entity interrelationships, grants accounting, tax returns and annual audit. In addition, the Director will play a significant role in budgeting, financial system development, and internal and external reporting. This role also includes staff management responsibility. This multifaceted role is an ideal opportunity for a savvy finance professional to join an entrepreneurial and innovative organization that is committed to creating a skills-based labor market that works for all Americans. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Accounting Direct all accounting activities for the organization, including: cash management; manage positive pay process; maintain general ledger, prepare journal entries, oversee accounts payable and receivable, supervise invoicing, and produce periodic financial reports. Ensure that all bank reconciliations are conducted in a timely manner, that the books are closed monthly and that all accounts are routinely in good order Supervise accounting of payroll and benefits Record investment transactions into accounting records; capital calls and distributions Supervise signature authorities on investment transactions (is not a signatory) Prepare all foundation tax returns on time, including 990-PF, 990-T, 5500, State UBIT returns and payroll tax returns Monitor grant cash flows; prepare grant spending reports, prepare invoices between Skillful LLC and Markle to call down grant funds to reimburse Markle cash Develop and implement procedures for managing vendor relationships including program contractors and grantees, ensuring appropriate contracts are completed. Supervise purchasing process and monitor contract compliance Oversee processes for approving travel expenses using Concur software People and Financial Management Manage a team of accounting staff Draft the operating budget as a component of the Foundation’s full annual budget. Provide reports as needed to programs on budgets and expenditures Prepare draft quarterly Financial Statements for the Board of Directors including reconciliation of actual to budgets for the period In partnership with the CFO, prepare for the Annual Audit of the Foundation. Provide information to external auditors and prepare exhibits, schedules, and documentation as needed In collaboration with the CFO, implement changes in accounting procedures and reporting as the needs of the organization change Develop recommendations to improve the chart of accounts design and accounting system functionality CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS: The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: 8-10+ years of progressively responsible experience in accounting including robust experience with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Prior experience working in a private foundation or public charity required Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or other relevant discipline Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential preferred People management experience, with the ability to lead, inspire, and motivate individuals and teams to achieve ambitious outcomes, coaching staff while also holding team members accountable for meeting goals Robust knowledge of and experience with major accounting software packages - MIP Fund Accounting preferred - and Microsoft Office Suite products Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and influence others Detail orientation and superb organizational skills coupled to strong analytical and critical problem solving skills Ability to work independently with minimal upfront guidance and as part of a collaborative team, taking on new tasks with a high level of complexity Capacity to effectively handle multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment Job Details: Compensation and Benefits: Salary and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with experience. Location: New York City, NY Markle is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations and marital status.
Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the Markle Foundation, and Microsoft Announce Skillful Indiana: Bringing New Investment, Partners and Innovation to Indiana’s Next Level Workforce Agenda With support provided by Walmart, and in partnership with Lumina Foundation, Purdue University and Purdue Extension, Skillful Indiana will bring practical tools to connect Hoosiers to good jobs in a changing economy. Skillful Indiana will help people identify high-demand jobs and the skills they need to fill them, and help employers find and keep the talent they need to grow; strengthen the skills of career advisors across the state; and collaborate with local workforce development boards to support Hoosiers and Indiana businesses. INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Eric J. Holcomb, Indiana Governor; Zoë Baird, CEO and President of the Markle Foundation; Beth Cobert, CEO of Skillful (a Markle initiative); and Mary Snapp, Head of Microsoft Philanthropies announced that Skillful will begin operations in Indiana, bringing investment, training, tools and innovative methods to augment Governor Holcomb’s Next Level workforce development plan. The launch of Skillful Indiana brings together the Markle Foundation, Microsoft Philanthropies, LinkedIn, Walmart, Lumina Foundation, Purdue University and Purdue Extension with the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet and local workforce development boards to create better pathways to good jobs for Hoosiers. Skillful Indiana will work with Indiana businesses and the state’s innovative educational community to equip Hoosiers with marketable skills that are the new currency of the digital economy. First established in Colorado, Skillful is dedicated to enabling all Americans – particularly those without a four-year college degree – to secure good jobs in a changing economy. Skillful engages employers, educators, policymakers and workforce development organizations to create a labor market in which skills are valued, and people can more easily access the information and education they need to secure good jobs. Skillful, with its strategic partner Microsoft, selected Indiana for expansion after careful consideration as it possesses critical elements and needed infrastructure for success, including strong support from the Governor and Indiana’s workforce ecosystem. “Adding Skillful to the Hoosier state is a game-changer when it comes to skilling up our workforce,” Gov. Holcomb said. “Here in Indiana, we’ve built a strong pro-growth business climate and have a fully-funded infrastructure plan, but we also need to ensure every Hoosier is prepared for this ever-changing economy while attracting more people to fill the jobs of tomorrow. Skillful Indiana will serve as a force multiplier—strengthening and building upon workforce efforts already underway to connect people with the skills they need for high-wage, high-demand jobs.” “Markle is bringing Skillful’s unique model to Indiana to help create a labor market that provides equal dignity for people who have developed skills in many different ways: on the job, from neighbors, in a related job in another sector or from more formal post-secondary education,” said Zoë Baird, CEO and President, the Markle Foundation. “By helping employers show the skills they need, and everyone to see more clearly the great ways to train at every stage of a career, we will open up opportunity to thousands more Hoosiers. Employers will see the talent in their own communities and workers will be inspired to become lifelong learners who can keep pace with the evolving needs of a digital economy.” In the next decade, Indiana will need more than 1 million skilled workers to fill open jobs and support economic growth. Working with its national and local partners, Skillful is tailoring Skillful Indiana’s programs to the unique strengths and needs of the state: employer programs for Indiana’s distinctive mix of large and small, urban and rural employers; education initiatives tailored to Indiana’s innovative higher education system, and investment in career coaches as an important support for Hoosiers navigating educational and job opportunities. Skillful will bring to Indiana innovations developed in its first state, Colorado, as well as those shared within the Skillful State Network, a coalition of 20 governors, including Governor Holcomb, who have made innovation in workforce development a state priority. The Skillful State Network was born out of the tremendous interest Skillful received from other states based on its work in Colorado. The Skillful State Network provides a forum to share Skillful’s approach, tools and assets quickly. States like Indiana have always been laboratories for innovation and today are leading the transformation to the digital economy. “We are incredibly impressed with the extraordinary work going on in Indiana. With Skillful Indiana, we see a tremendous opportunity to bring additional resources, national partners and road-tested programming to contribute to the exciting things happening here,” said Beth Cobert, Skillful CEO. “Microsoft and LinkedIn partnered with Markle to develop the Skillful model in order to ensure more Americans can benefit from the digital economy.Working with our Indiana partners, Skillful Indiana will advance a new mindset of lifelong learning and increase opportunities for jobseekers to gain necessary skills and connections to employers,” said Mary Snapp, Head of Microsoft Philanthropies. Skillful Indiana will focus on accelerating a skills-based labor market through the following: Working with employers to expand opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds and deepen their talent pool of qualified candidates by helping them to recruit and hire with a focus on skills, as well as encouraging employers to invest in skill building for their employees on the job, at colleges or online. Working with Indiana’s innovative higher education community so that all are better able to anticipate economic shifts and be responsive to them, as well as supporting the advancement of skills-based credential and data platforms. Investing in the professional development of career coaches at organizations like WorkOne, Purdue Extensions and local non-profits so that they are better equipped to connect Hoosiers to effective training opportunities and quality jobs. Applying data-driven insights and technology tools to all of its efforts so that the very same technologies that are disrupting the economy are put to good use in adapting to it. For example, online tools to create skills-based job postings and to assess the skills of job applicants. “In collaborating with Hoosier employers, current workers, students, parents and teachers, we’re eliminating a one-size-fits-all mentality and embracing new ways of attacking the workforce challenge—like bringing Skillful’s expertise and resources to better prepare a robust, skilled workforce,” said Danny Lopez, Chairman, Governor’s Workforce Cabinet. Find more information on Skillful Indiana, Skillful, and the Skillful State Network. For media inquiries, please contact Collin Roberts, Edelman for The Markle Foundation, 206.227.3439, [email protected] or Courtney Arango, Communications Director, Office of Governor Holcomb, 317.914.3787, [email protected] About The Markle Foundation The Markle Foundation works to realize the potential of technology to achieve breakthroughs in addressing some of the nation’s most pressing issues. Markle challenges itself and diverse partners to deploy their varied expertise to identify solutions and achieve systemic change. Today as advanced technology and automation change the very nature of work, Markle’s priority is advancing solutions towards a skills-based labor market that will enable Americans to transition to the opportunities of the digital economy. Markle’s workforce initiatives include Skillfuland theRework America Task Force. They follow Markle’s success in creating the policy and technology architecture that has enabled improvements in healthcare, national security, and access to the Internet. For more information, visitmarkle.org, [email protected] @ReworkAmericaon Twitter, and read our book,America's Moment. About Skillful, Skillful Colorado, Skillful Indiana and the Skillful State Network Skillful, a non-profit initiative of the Markle Foundation, is dedicated to enabling all Americans – particularly those without a four-year college degree – to secure good jobs in a changing economy. In partnership with Microsoft and others, Skillful is developing skills-based training and employment practices in collaboration with state governments, local employers, educators and workforce development organizations. Skillful and its partners are working to create a labor market in which skills are valued, and people can more easily access the information and education they need to keep pace with technology’s impact on work. Skillful currently operates in two states, Skillful Colorado and Skillful Indiana, bringing investment, training, tools and innovative methods to augment local workforce development efforts. It formed and facilitates the Skillful State Network, a collaboration among 20 state governors to accelerate the development and deployment of effective skills-based practices to transform their labor markets. Skillful is grateful for support provided by Walmart, and its partnerships with the states of Colorado and Indiana, Microsoft, Lumina Foundation, Purdue University and Purdue Extensions and many great local organizations committed to strengthening their local workforce and creating better opportunities for all. About Microsoft Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. For more information, press only: Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, +1 (425) 638-7777, [email protected]
Laura Taylor-Kale researches, writes and speaks about the impact of technological and demographic change on organizations. From 2017-2018, she was an International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) where she was deputy director of CFR’s independent task force on the future of the U.S. workforce and co-author of the task force’s published report“The Work Ahead: Machines, Skills and U.S. Leadership in the Twenty-First Century.”Laura is also a 2018 Zhi-Xing Eisenhower Fellow and traveled to China to meet with business and policy leaders to study Chinese innovation in artificial intelligence. Laura served in the Obama Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing in the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce from 2016-2017. In this position, she managed a team of fifty international trade specialists and oversaw a broad portfolio of programs and trade policies aimed at increasing global opportunities and the international competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers. Prior to her role at the Commerce Department, Laura served as a senior advisor to the President and CEO of theOverseas Private Investment Corporation. Laura joined the Obama Administration from the World Bank where she held positions as an advisor to the U.S. executive director and special assistant to the vice president for sustainable development. From 2003-2012, Laura was a career Foreign Service officer in the U.S. Department of State where she was posted in Afghanistan, Cote d’Ivoire, India, and the Bureau of Economics and Business Affairs. She holds a BA in Economics and Anthropology from Smith College, an MPA with a concentration in demography and international economic development from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and an MBA in finance and management from the New York University Stern School of Business. She is currently a PhD student at Stanford University’s Department of Management Science and Engineering in the Center for Work, Technology and Organizations. Her research is focused on augmentation and the impact on organizational structure of human collaboration with artificial intelligence enabled machines.
Joseph Fuller is a Professor of Management Practice in General Management and co-leads the school’s initiative, Managing the Future of Work. He currently teaches the General Management Processes and Action course in the second year of the MBA program and formerly headed The Entrepreneurial Manager course in the program’s first year. A 1981 graduate of the school, Joe was a founder and first employee of the global consulting firm, Monitor Group, now Monitor-Deloitte. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of its commercial consulting operations until 2006 and remained a Senior Advisor to the firm until its acquisition by Deloitte in 2012. During his three decades in consulting, Fuller worked with senior executives and policymakers on a wide variety of issues related to corporate strategy and national competitiveness. He has particularly deep experience in industries with a heavy reliance on technology, such as life sciences, ICT and the defense and aerospace industries. He is currently researching the evolution of the role of the CEOs and the C-suite in public companies.
Leighanne Levensaler is senior vice president of corporate strategy at Workday, where she leads the organization responsible for developing integrated business strategies. In addition, Leighanne is managing director and co-head for Workday Ventures, where she oversees Workday’s investments in emerging enterprise technologies. Leighanne brings 20 years of experience and an exceptional level of expertise in technology and business to her current role. Leighanne previously led product management for Workday’s applications including Workday Financial Management and Workday Human Capital Management. Prior to joining Workday in 2009, Leighanne was principal analyst and director of talent management research at Bersin & Associates. Before that, she led the learning consulting practice at SystemLink Enterprise Solutions, and previously held positions at SmartForce, Edutrek International/AIU, and Deloitte Consulting. Leighanne has served on the board of directors for Landit since 2015, and has been on the employer advisory board for Jobcase since 2016. In addition, Leighanne currently sits on the advisory committee for BSA’s foundation, Software.org. Leighanne holds a master’s degree in human resource development from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in education from Clemson University. She was named one of the “Most Influential Women in the Bay Area” by the San Francisco Business Times in 2014 and 2015, and is a member of the 2012 Class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.
Air Date: 07/11/2018 In this special episode, recorded live at FORUM 2018, Ron Painter, President/CEO of the National Association of Workforce Board (NAWB) is joined by Beth Cobert, CEO of Skillful. Discover the importance of building a skills-based labor market and the efforts that Skillful has been taking to achieve that goal Courtesy of National Association of Workforce Board
Panelists: Zoë Baird, CEO and President, Markle Foundation John Hickenlooper, Governor, Colorado Thomas J. Wilson, Chairman and CEO, The Allstate Corporation Moderator: Gary Pinkus, Senior Partner, McKinsey and Company Closing the Skills Gap – Why the Jobs Crisis is Actually a Skills Crisis (And How to Fix It) For all the anxiety around the job-destroying potential of technology, the world is not facing a jobs crisis. The real threat is an unprecedented skills crisis. In this discussion, participants will explore the magnitude of the retraining efforts required, the economic impact at stake, and how both the private sector and the government can respond to support the workforce of the future.
Spencer Overton is the President of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, which was founded in 1970 as the Black think tank. Currently, the Joint Center is focused on developing solutions to diversify congressional staff and to equip workers with skills to succeed in the evolving economy. Spencer chaired Government Reform Policy on the 2008 Obama presidential campaign, and on the Obama transition, he served as a lawyer in the General Counsel's office and as a member of the Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform (TIGER) policy team. During the Administration, Spencer served as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Legal Policy, the “think tank” of the Department of Justice. After leaving the Department, Spencer held several roles on the 2012 Obama National Finance Committee, including teaching fundraising and chairing a fundraising program that raised $25 million. Spencer is also a tenured Professor of Law at George Washington University, where he teaches race and the law, property law, and election law. He is a co-author of 5G, Smart Cities, and Communities of Color (2017), and the author of the book Stealing Democracy: The New Politics of Voter Suppression and several academic and popular articles. Through his work on national election law commissions, Spencer helped shape the contours of the modern voter ID debate and he led an effort that resulted in Iowa restoring voting rights to 98,000 Iowans who had completed their sentences. Spencer is an honors graduate of both Hampton University and Harvard Law School, he clerked for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Damon J. Keith, and he represented large companies for four years practicing law at the firm Debevoise & Plimpton.
