Lauren Jones, 2017 graduate of the Policy School’s MPA program, joined Governor Healey’s cabinet on January 20th, assuming the office of Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. Governor Healey announced her pick earlier in the month on January 11th, saying, “Massachusetts is facing a serious workforce shortage, and it’s negatively impacting our workers, employers and economic competitiveness… Lauren Jones has a proven track record of collaborating with businesses and labor to expand workforce development opportunities, attract new businesses to our state, and give both workers and employers the support they need.”
Secretary Jones has held a number of roles in government previously, including Director of Business Strategy for former Mayor Walsh’s Office of Economic Development, and Policy Director of the Mayor’s Office of Health and Human Services, as well as Director of Communications for the Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development, and Director of Policy and Communications for the Office of the Governor and Lt. Governor, both under Governor Patrick and Lt. Governor Murray.
Most recently she served in the private sector as Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, where she was the Co-Chair of the Workforce Solutions Group and served on the Board for the Massachusetts Workforce Association, the Executive Committee for the Alliance for Vocational Technical Education, the Board of Advisors for the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, the Boston Private Industry Council, and previously served on the Future of Work Commission.
