President and CEO of Jobs for the Future; Forbes 50 Over 50
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
26K followers
500+ connections
26K followers
500+ connections
About
I’ve spent 30+ years striving to build education and workforce systems that prepare people of all backgrounds to develop meaningful careers that enable them to support themselves and their families. As president and CEO of Jobs for the Future (JFF), I lead a national nonprofit that is driving the transformation of these systems—and encouraging disruptive new approaches—to help millions of people secure quality jobs. Before joining JFF in 2007, I was a senior official in the U.S. Department of Labor, working in the Clinton and Bush administrations. I approach every issue from the perspective of what is working today and a curiosity about what’s possible to improve in the future. I speak at national events, including those sponsored by the Milken Institute, Fortune, Aspen, and the Atlantic, focusing on leadership and the future of work, the role of technology in the labor market, employer engagement, workforce policy, and career pathways for individuals underserved by existing systems.
Articles by Maria
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26K followers
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Maria Flynn shared thisAs the July 1 implementation date for #WorkforcePell approaches, states, postsecondary institutions, and other stakeholders are under pressure to build the procedures and systems needed to qualify programs for eligibility. On March 9, the U.S. Department of Education published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that kicks off what is likely the final 30-day comment period for Workforce Pell regulations. This is a critical opportunity for stakeholders to weigh in on how the final rule will take shape. Jobs for the Future (JFF)’s latest analysis from Jennifer Stiddard, Senior Director on our Policy & Advocacy team, takes a deep dive into the proposed rule. It underscores that the road ahead may not be linear: States designing accountability frameworks and institutions considering programmatic options will face real implementation hurdles. At the same time, meeting Workforce Pell requirements presents a powerful opportunity to build greater clarity, alignment, and accountability in nondegree programs across states. The analysis covers: ➡️ The proposed rule and where it stands ➡️ Where stakeholder input can shape the rule – and where it may not ➡️ Implementation challenges states, systems, and institutions should anticipate ➡️ Opportunities to strengthen quality, outcomes, and coordination across nondegree programs Read the full analysis here: https://hubs.la/Q048rCms0Workforce Pell – Opportunities and Challenges as Implementation NearsWorkforce Pell – Opportunities and Challenges as Implementation Nears
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Maria Flynn reposted thisMaria Flynn reposted thisFive sessions. Five conversations that matter. Swipe to see where Jobs for the Future (JFF) will lead at ASU+GSV Summit Summit. Big ideas need real solutions. JFF is bringing both to ASU+GSV Summit with five sessions covering AI, frontline work, non-degree pathways, and the future of learning and quality jobs. Join our thought leaders for honest conversations and tangible takeaways you can implement. Build these sessions into your schedule and come ready to engage. Link to all JFF sessions: https://hubs.ly/Q048756d0
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Maria Flynn shared thisCompanies are spending $37 billion on #AI in 2025 which is triple what they spent just a year ago. But, nearly 90% of CEOs say they've seen little impact on operations or productivity. In my latest Forbes column, I note that the companies closing the ROI gap on AI will be the ones that invest as seriously in their people as they do in their technology, giving workers the skills, the voice, and the agency to augment their work, not replace it. Jobs for the Future (JFF)'s most recent AI for Workers and Learners survey shows just over one-third of workers say they have the training and resources they need to use AI on the job: down from 45% in 2024. More than 60% have no access to employer-provided AI training. As the technology keeps advancing, the big question is whether our approach to people will keep pace. I hope you'll read the column and share your thoughts: https://lnkd.in/eq8FH-uy #FutureOfWork #AI #WorkforceDevelopment
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Maria Flynn shared thisOur latest Jobs for the Future (JFF) Workers and Learners survey shows a shift in how workers experience #AI, growing concerns about job quality, and too few workers receiving the support they need to adapt. That reality is reflected in a new The Wall Street Journal story that highlights how AI is reshaping day-to-day work and expectations for young workers. This moment calls for a more intentional approach – one that ensures AI expands opportunity rather than leaves workers behind. Grateful to Rachel Wolfe and Te-Ping Chen for bringing attention to these findings and helping elevate the voices and experiences of workers navigating this shift. You can read the story here: https://lnkd.in/eDPX2KuTWhat Young Workers Are Doing to AI-Proof ThemselvesWhat Young Workers Are Doing to AI-Proof Themselves
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Maria Flynn shared thisAfter years of extraordinary partnership, I’m sharing bittersweet news: Joel Vargas is retiring from Jobs for the Future (JFF) effective May 1. Joel has been one of the most consequential leaders I’ve had the privilege of working alongside. His fingerprints are on so much of what JFF has built — from shaping our organizational strategy to deepening the partnerships that have expanded our reach and impact. He led the opening of our Oakland office, which became the launchpad for over a decade of transformative work across California. But what I’ll remember most is Joel’s gift for narrative. In a field full of complex ideas, Joel had a rare ability to bring it all together — to write and communicate in ways that made JFF’s work undeniable. So many of us have grown as thinkers and communicators because of him. Joel, your legacy at JFF and in the workforce and education field is lasting. Thank you for your vision, your craft, your commitment to this work. It has been such a gift to be your colleague all these years. Wishing you all the best in this next chapter. I hope many more open mic nights and karaoke stages are in your future!! 🎵
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Maria Flynn shared thisI hope you'll check out the new findings from Jobs for the Future (JFF)'s latest #AI for Workers and Learners survey, which sheds light on how workers and learners perceive, use, and experience the impacts of AI at work, in education, and in career navigation. The data captures the “messy middle” we’re in right now — dipping optimism, uncertainty about the need for career changes, and very different experiences with how AI is showing up in work, education, and training. It’s a moment of disruption, but also a major opportunity for the learn-to-work ecosystem to show up for workers and learners with the guidance and support they need to navigate this uncertainty. A few highlights: • Only 39% of workers say they feel optimistic about AI’s impact on workers, down from nearly half last year. • Just over one-third say their employers are providing the training, guidance, or opportunities they need to use AI in their jobs. • Early-career workers are more likely than those with more experience to say AI is changing their jobs. You can explore more survey findings as well as the data here: http://bit.ly/46WElRE Thank you Tiffany Hsieh, Alex Swartsel and Ben Pring for your leadership on this work. The team and I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions as you dig into the data.
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Maria Flynn shared thisI'm sorry to be missing SXSW EDU this year, but if you're in Austin - I hope you'll check out these Jobs for the Future (JFF) sessions and connect with our amazing team!Maria Flynn shared thisJFF is at SXSW EDU this week, March 9–12, in Austin, Texas! We’re excited to join educators, employers, learners, and innovators exploring new ways to connect learning and work. Catch JFF experts in two sessions: 📅 Monday, March 9 | 4:00–4:45 PM CT Apprenticeships: A Nuts-and-Bolts Guide Krysti Specht, Director in JFF’s Center for Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, joins leaders from Western Governors University, Craft Education, and edwell, to discuss how institutions and employers can build workforce-aligned apprenticeship pathways, expanding opportunities beyond the traditional 4-year degree while improving student success and affordability. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04630QM0 📅 Thursday, March 12 | 2:30–3:15 PM CT The Big Blur: Rethinking the Transition from School to Work JFF’s Joel Vargas, VP of Education, joins leaders from Dallas Regional Chamber, Rodel, and Austin Community College District, for a panel on “The Big Blur,” a bold vision led by JFF for erasing the lines between K–12, higher education, and the workforce to create seamless pathways to careers starting in high school. The conversation will focus on how these efforts are creating real opportunities for students and what it will take to scale nationwide. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q0462_700 If you’re at SXSW EDU, we hope to see you there! 👋
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Maria Flynn shared thisJobs for the Future (JFF)is incredibly fortunate to have Tod Loofbourrow as a board member. Thank you, Tod, for always encouraging us to think big!Maria Flynn shared thisOur CEO, Tod Loofbourrow, has served on the Jobs for the Future (JFF) board for the past 15 years, and as Chair for 5 years. It’s a powerful example of how leadership at ViralGains extends beyond our business and into meaningful community impact. Which is why we’re excited to introduce our new series, ViralGains Changemakers! Rooted in our core value to "Embrace and Drive Change", this series spotlights a cause close to someone on #TeamVG, and the impact each organization is making. Throughout Tod’s career in AI and technology, he’s seen both the magic of innovation and the real ways it can transform and displace careers. That’s what led him to joining JFF as a board member and later Chair, to help grow their employer practice and ensure that courses after high school train people for the jobs of the future. JFF works with educators and employers to help more people build family sustaining careers, especially as technology reshapes the future of work. And by 2033, their mission is to help employers and educators build effective pathways to quality jobs for 75 million Americans facing barriers to economic advancement. For Tod, one of his favorite moments was visiting a JFF client, a flight academy in Arizona, and hearing students share how they went from tough beginnings to training for careers as commercial airline pilots. Seeing their work ethic, resilience, and adaptability up close was a powerful reminder of what access to the right opportunity and focused education can unlock. Interested in learning more? Registration is now open for JFF’s 2000 person Horizons Summit, July 13th - 14th in Washington DC. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ec7hcX3Z
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Maria Flynn shared thisLast week, I had the privilege of attending the National Governors Association's Winter Meeting and I returned home with a renewed sense of optimism. In a moment when national conversations often feel polarized, the governors' bipartisanship stood out. Each governor may approach problems differently, but they share a focus on improving people’s lives and strengthening economies. Jobs for the Future (JFF) is proud to be an official sponsor of the NGA Chair’s Initiative, Reigniting the American Dream, led by NGA Chair and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. The initiative focuses on unlocking economic opportunity through better education and employment experiences, as well as entrepreneurship, innovation, and AI. Those priorities align closely with JFF’s approach to achieving our North Star goal of enabling 75 million US workers to have quality jobs by 2033. I’m also fortunate to serve on the advisory board helping to guide NGA’s Service-to-Career Pathways effort, and it’s been inspiring to see the leadership of Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland and Governor Spencer Cox of Utah elevating service as both a horizon-expanding experience and a valuable pathway to skill development and economic mobility. Here are a few additional takeaways from my time with the governors: 1. Affordability is top-of-mind everywhere. Governors across the country are grappling with the rising cost of housing, energy, and education. 2. AI is rapidly reshaping the economic landscape. Building more agile education and workforce systems that can respond to—and anticipate these changes is imperative. 3. There was repeated emphasis on the idea of “disagreeing better.” While political parties may differ on their approach, there was clear agreement on the goal: Americans should be better off financially. For JFF, gatherings like this underscore why our state work continues to grow. Many of the most meaningful policy reforms in education and workforce development are being designed and implemented at the state level—and then scaled nationally. Governors and their teams are actively testing what works and sharing proven practices. It was wonderful to reconnect with friends and partners last week. My team and I look forward to continuing our partnership with NGA and governors across the country to expand opportunity and strengthen pathways into quality jobs.
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Congratulations Avni Nahar!
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Maria Flynn liked thisMaria Flynn liked thisMy parents came to this country with almost nothing, and I remember growing up in apartments where we didn't have basic furniture, where everything felt borrowed and temporary, where the message was implicit: we are guests here, and guests don't get to stay forever. When we finally bought a house on Sumac Drive in Champaign, Illinois, we stopped being untethered. We had proof that the American Dream was real, that it was ours, that the sacrifice and the distance and the years of saving had built something no one could take away from us. A family now needs to earn $110,000 a year to buy a typical home and the median household brings in $85,000. Young couples are putting off kids because they can't swing a second bedroom. For many families, the dream is already receding before AI enters the picture. The housing system has never been perfectly fair, and the people inside it have always known. But when a biased appraiser undervalued your home or a loan officer turned you down, you could look them in the eye. You could argue. You could say, you're wrong about what this house is worth. That's now disappearing. An algorithm scores your mortgage or a screening tool decides whether a landlord ever sees your name. When the system discriminates now, you might never know. You just don't get the apartment, you never find out why, and when you try to trace what happened, the landlord says the tool rejected you, and the tool company says they just provide scores. Many profit from the decision, but no one is accountable for it. This morning, I shared some remarks at the National Fair Housing Alliance Responsible AI Symposium alongside Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, NJ AG Jennifer Davenport, Fed Governor Michael Barr, CEO Lisa Rice, and Dr. Michael Akinwumi on what we can do. The civil rights community is building what the tech industry has failed at: AI that accounts for historical bias and performs more accurately because it does so. At The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation we've committed over $500 million to AI for public benefit across five continents, and the pattern holds everywhere we work. Give the people closest to the consequences the resources and authority to redesign these systems, and they will build something better than what the industry built without them. My parents believed a home could anchor a family in this country. I want that belief to remain possible for families whose mortgages, rental screenings, and home valuations now run through systems they did not choose and cannot inspect. We can still shape those systems with intention, imagination, and political will. I look at this photo and see the beginnings of permanence - my parents building a life because they belonged inside the American story. That is the promise in front of us so many of us now.
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Maria Flynn reacted on thisMaria Flynn reacted on thisNew York City is like a mother to me. She raised me. She shaped me. The way I talk, walk, and dress. My impatience. My curiosity. My values. My strength. The way I understand the world. And now I get to bring everything I've learned - from the federal government to global philanthropy - home to her. When this work came to me, there was really only one answer. Late last year, I moved into a new role at The Rockefeller Foundation, building the New York Affordability Lab, a new initiative designed to tackle the affordability crisis shaping economic opportunity in this city. The Lab is a platform to catalyze solutions across government, philanthropy, the private sector, and civic organizations - to make this city work better for the people who built it. The work is personal. I grew up working-class in New York City. I know what it means to apply (and reapply) for SNAP and Medicaid at the Coney Island office. To be a Pell student. To be a proud graduate of NYC public schools. I know what it means when the cost of being alive is too high, when the grocery bill doesn't add up, when the city you love starts to feel like it's not for you anymore. This role lets me work on those problems, at scale, in partnership with city leadership and New York's robust social impact community - in the place I love most. There is no work I'm more ready to do.
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Maria Flynn liked thisMaria Flynn liked thisThere are moments in your career when the work becomes more than a role. It becomes a responsibility. I’m stepping into one of those moments. I’ve joined USAA as Executive Director, Workforce Enablement & Transformation, as part of the Workforce of the Future team, in an organization serving millions of members with more than 38,000 employees. I’m a USAA member, and my dad served. I’ve seen up close the discipline, adaptability, and leadership that come with military experience, and how often those strengths don’t translate cleanly into traditional career paths. That matters. Because the future of work shouldn’t depend on whether someone followed a narrow path. It should reflect what people are capable of doing and how they continue to grow. At USAA, that responsibility is real. It shows up in how we think about hiring, development, and mobility, and in how we support people as they transition and build new chapters in their careers. There’s no shortage of conversation about the future of work. What matters now is doing the work in a way that actually improves outcomes for people. Because potential is meaningful when it has somewhere to go.
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Maria Flynn reacted on thisMaria Flynn reacted on thisI am excited to share that I will be attending NYEC’s 2026 Annual Forum: Rooted in Action next week as a speaker on the panel, “Centering Youth Leadership to Drive Strategy, Practice, and Policy"! This conversation is especially meaningful to me as I continue to think about what it takes to create space for young people to lead, not just participate in how programs, systems, and opportunities are designed. If you will be there, I would love to connect and a big thank you to National Youth Employment Coalition for this opportunity! #YouthLeadership #CareerNavigation #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork #NYEC2026
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Maria Flynn reacted on thisMaria Flynn reacted on thisAfter nearly two years of research, pre-production, filming, and editing, Higher Education in Prison Storytelling Initiative's two-part series Roadtrip Nation: The Inside Scholars, fueled by Ascendium, premieres April 1st! This incredible documentary features Nurudeen Alabi, one of our Fair Chance 2 Advance fellows. And, our team will watch the film in Cleveland on April 8th and Nurudeen will be there live. We hope to see you there. Here is a complete list of opportunities to watch the film on public television: https://lnkd.in/gEpsU-6s Check out the trailer now!
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Maria Flynn reacted on thisMaria Flynn reacted on thisThrilled to share that I've joined Pursuit as Head of Job Outcomes! Working to expand economic mobility has been the throughline of my career, across roles in the Office of the Mayor of New York City, Jobs for the Future (JFF), Impact Engine, A Healthier Democracy, and more. Pursuit felt like a natural next step: AI is reshaping the nature of work itself, and I’m excited to be part of a team actively working to ensure this revolution distributes its gains broadly, creating opportunities for people who've historically been left out. Pursuit has been training low-income adults for software engineering roles for over a decade, with program graduates seeing a 5x income increase on average. Last year, the organization made a deliberate pivot, rebuilding the entire program (and organization!) to be responsive to a world in which AI is transforming every industry, every job, and every skill. Today Pursuit trains people to become Builders: experts in deploying AI to analyze data, automate workflows, and ship products. Learn more about them and their work at lookbook.pursuit.org. My job will be to connect our Builders to the companies and roles where their skills can make the most impact, which will evolve rapidly as AI capabilities grow. The future of work is deeply uncertain, and I'm incredibly motivated to help ensure workers of all backgrounds can prosper. If you're curious about the program, want to talk about the future of work, and/or are looking to bring on AI-native talent (!), I'd love to hear from you.
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Maria Flynn liked thisMaria Flynn liked thisStates, institutions, & workforce partners must rethink how they track, validate, and tell the story of credential attainment & skill acquisition. Self-reported surveys won't be enough. LinkedIn or resume self-assertions won’t be enough. Defaulting to Revolutionary War era parchment or electronic transcripts won’t be enough. Outcomes data, wage record access, cross-agency partnerships, and integrated learning and employment records are now a mission-critical part of the education and training data infrastructure. https://lnkd.in/em8YXQXf
Experience
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Jobs for the Future
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Administrator, Office of Policy Development and Research
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
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U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
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Division Chief, One-Stop Operations
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
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Team Leader, Policy and Legislation Team
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
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Policy Director, National School-to-Work Office
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
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Education
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University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business
Intelligent Investing - Executive Education Course
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Volunteer Experience
Skills
Publications
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Better Care, Better Careers: The Jobs to Careers Strategy for Growing a Skilled Health Care Workforce
Jobs for the Future
This report brings together the experience and lessons of this six-year, $15.8 million initiative Jobs to Careers, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in collaboration with the Hitachi Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor. The report addresses four key questions:
*Why did Jobs to Careers focus on the frontline workforce?
*How did Jobs to Careers grow a skilled workforce?
*What was the impact of Jobs to Careers?
*What are the lessons of Jobs to…This report brings together the experience and lessons of this six-year, $15.8 million initiative Jobs to Careers, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in collaboration with the Hitachi Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor. The report addresses four key questions:
*Why did Jobs to Careers focus on the frontline workforce?
*How did Jobs to Careers grow a skilled workforce?
*What was the impact of Jobs to Careers?
*What are the lessons of Jobs to Careers?
Jobs to Careers provides ample evidence and practical, replicable strategies that demonstrate that health care providers can bolster the quality and coordination of care and reduce staffing costs when they expand career opportunities for low-skilled, low-wage employees on the front lines of care and service delivery.
Research by Jobs for the Future and the University of North Carolina Institute on Aging, the evaluations of Jobs to Careers, points to lessons that health care employers, education institutions, and other community organizations should consider when engaging frontline workers in work-based learning:
*Partnerships with education institutions are key to work-based learning.
*Accommodate nontraditional learning and learners in college programs.
*Improve the basic skills of workers.
*Cultivate buy-in from top-level administrators.
*Transform the workplace, not just the workers.Other authors -
Honors & Awards
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Forbes 50 Over 50: Impact
Forbes and Know Your Value
https://www.forbes.com/50over50/impact
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Top Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts (#47)
Boston Globe
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/28/magazine/top-100-women-led-businesses-massachusetts-2022/
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