New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the appointment of Abby Jo Sigal as executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development. In this role, Sigal will help deliver on the mayor’s workforce vision to prepare New Yorkers, particularly those from underserved communities, for the jobs of the future, in sectors including the life sciences, clean energy, and 21st-century manufacturing, among others. Sigal will also work in partnership with members of the New York City Workforce Development Board to oversee federal investments under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act into strategic adult and youth workforce development initiatives.
“As my economic blueprint makes clear, investing in our city’s workforce is critical to an equitable recovery, and having a leader at the helm of the Office of Talent and Workforce Development with the knowhow to ‘Get Stuff Done’ will be essential in helping our city grow. Abby Jo Sigal is that leader,” said Mayor Adams. “For too long, far too many people in our city — primarily those living in Black and Brown neighborhoods — have been left behind. Equipping them with the skills they need to compete in our modern economy and burgeoning industries will be a top priority for my administration, and I’m so proud to have a proven leader like Abby spearheading that effort.”
“Abby Jo Sigal is a proven leader, and I am excited that she is joining our team at this critical moment for New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “The Office of Talent and Workforce Development will play a leading role in realizing our vision for a workforce development system that is better integrated with our economic development efforts, and which will yield real results for New Yorkers.”
“I am humbled and honored that Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer tapped me to work in the administration on behalf of the people of New York City,” said Abby Jo Sigal, incoming executive director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development. “New York has the opportunity to build back its economy stronger and more equitably than before the pandemic — and through strategic investment and alignment of resources, together, we can transform how we, as a city, develop our talent and position all New Yorkers for lifelong career success.”
Sigal will lead the city’s effort to connect New Yorkers to quality jobs, as outlined in the recently released plan, “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery.” She will work with stakeholders from the public and private sectors to reimagine the city’s talent development system so that it promotes the economic security of every New Yorker, meets the talent needs of employers, and contributes to a robust and inclusive economy.
At the head of the newly renamed Office of Talent and Workforce Development, Sigal will work across multiple agencies, launching, convening, and staffing the ‘Future of Workers’ taskforce, a working group of industry experts — including higher education, job training providers, research institutions, labor, and employers — to develop a citywide, early-education-to-adult talent development vision to address short-term recovery needs and long-term structural challenges. The office will seek out opportunities to streamline and improve coordination among the more than two dozen city and state agencies that manage workforce programs, as well as The City University of New York (CUNY), the New York City Department of Education (DOE), nonprofits, intermediaries, and employers.
“An equitable recovery for our city starts with meaningful investments in our most valuable resource: New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright. “Abby Jo Sigal has been a tireless champion for uplifting New Yorkers across the five boroughs and building pipelines to good-paying jobs, and I especially look forward to working with her on youth workforce development initiatives to expand on our administration’s efforts to help young people thrive.”
“Every student who graduates a New York City public school should be ready to get a good paying job or go to college, and Abby will be a vital partner in realizing this goal,” said New York City Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks. “Abby is a tireless advocate for creating quality career pathways for young people that blend academic and work-based learning and has a keen sense for how to create a citywide culture amongst community and business leaders that will foster the expansion of this work. I look forward to working closely with Abby to benefit all of our young people.”
“As a nonprofit leader, Abby Jo Sigal has served as a powerful voice for creative and collaborative policies and programs that expand economic opportunities for low-income New Yorkers,” said David Fischer, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Youth Employment (MOYE). “The team at MOYE is delighted that she will bring her knowledge, energy, and idealism to the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development, in service to its vital mission of economic mobility and empowerment.”
“Abby Jo Sigal is a tireless and proven leader, who will marshal the cross-sector resources and best thinking needed to deliver on the mayor’s ambitious vision for a talent pipeline worthy of our great city and its thriving industries,” said Saskia Levy Thompson, program director, Carnegie Corporation of New York; and chair, Mayor Adams’ Education Transition Committee. “Carnegie Corporation has invested in career pathways for a quarter of a century because we believe all young people should experience the rigorous education, real-world learning experiences, and professional networks necessary for long-term success and economic mobility. We were an early supporter of HERE to HERE — a Bronx-based youth-serving coalition that, under Abby’s leadership, demonstrated what is possible when K-12, higher education, and employers partner to expand opportunities for young people, and cultivate the brilliant, home-grown workforce that will build our future.”
“Having worked with Abby over the years that she served as executive director of the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation and founding CEO of HERE to HERE, I know her solid commitment to ensuring opportunities for CUNY students to enter the city’s workforce and build rewarding careers, particularly during the ongoing post-pandemic recovery,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Abby has been a key ally and advocate for our students; she understands the talent that CUNY students bring to the table, along with the benefits of a truly inclusive workforce that mirrors the diversity of New York City. We congratulate Abby on her appointment and look forward to working with her to foster the continued growth the city’s thriving economy and economic prosperity of CUNY students.”
“I have known Abby Jo Sigal for more than 20 years and we have worked side-by-side. I believe Abby Jo will do for the City of New York what she has always done — lead, shape opinion, build consensus, and transform lives,” said Kirk Goodrich, president, Monadnock Development; and chairman, New York State Association for Affordable Housing. “The mayor could not have made a better choice to lead the Office of Talent and Workforce Development for all New Yorkers.”
“Abby Jo Sigal is a unique leader who focuses on doing no less than transforming an entire system without ever losing sight of listening to and engaging young people directly, one person at a time — accounting for their strengths, aspirations, and potential,” said Angie Kamath, dean, New York University School of Professional Studies. “The city has exhibited incredible foresight by entrusting the workforce strategy and transformation of New York City in the hands of Abby Jo Sigal.”
“Abby Jo will bring deep knowledge and experience to the challenge of integrating the city’s public education and workforce development initiatives into a coordinated system with seamless connectivity to employers, large and small. This is an important appointment,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City.
About Abby Jo Sigal
Abby Jo Sigal will serve as executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development. For over 25 years, working in various roles and types of organizations, Sigal has been committed to revitalizing New York City neighborhoods to better serve local residents. As the founding CEO of HERE to HERE, Sigal currently leads a diverse Bronx-based team committed to aligning with key stakeholders around the goal of career success for New York City students — demonstrating best practices and translating those best practices into common practice.
She also serves as the executive director of The James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation. Sigal has extensive experience in community development, public/private partnerships, real estate finance, impact investing, and working with community-based organizations.
Prior to HERE to HERE and the Dimon Foundation, Sigal was the senior vice president of Innovation at Enterprise Community Partners, a national housing organization, where she provided leadership across the multiple business lines and markets for strategy, new product development, knowledge management, and impact investing.
Prior to that role, she ran the Enterprise New York market, deploying $200 million annually in equity, debt, and grants; developing and implementing programs; and enacting policy. Early in her career, she oversaw the design and development of New York City’s Hudson River Park along the westside and launched its first summer youth program.
Sigal holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale in Philosophy and master’s degrees from University of California, Berkeley in Business Administration and City & Regional Planning.
Sigal will report to Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer.
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