JFF has announced the appointment of Marlene
B. Seltzer as its new CEO effective October 1. Boston-based
JFF is a leading innovator in strategies to accelerate education
and career advancement for both young people and adults. Hilary
Pennington, who co-founded JFF in 1983 and led it to national
prominence, remains as vice-chair of the Board of Directors.
“This transition reflects JFF’s
maturity as an organization and our growing scope of activities
as we expand beyond our founders to a new generation of leadership,”
explained Jane Donaldson, Chairman of the JFF Board. “I
am delighted that Marlene Seltzer will add the role of CEO to
her current position as president of JFF. Her experience, including
nine years with JFF, make Ms. Seltzer the perfect choice for this
dual role.”
“At the same time,” Ms. Donaldson
added, Ms. Pennington will be able to play a more strategic role
as vice-chair, focusing on JFF’s long-term goals and program
development.” Ms. Pennington also will be senior advisor
for JFF’s initiatives in education reform. And she will
continue her extensive schedule of speaking and writing about
strategies for improving the transitions young people make in
education, careers, and adulthood.
Ms. Seltzer is nationally recognized for her
work in the workforce development field and has more than 25 years
of practical experience at the national, state and local levels.
She joined JFF in 1995 as executive vice-president and became
president since 2001. “In these years, she and Ms. Pennington
have co-led JFF in every sense,” stated Arthur White, co-founder
and Chairman Emeritus.
“To pursue our ideals as a democratic
nation, and to compete effectively in the 21st century economy,
we must improve opportunities for additional education and workforce
advancement for those who need it most, said Ms. Seltzer. “This
has been our goal at Jobs for the Future for 20 years, and it
will continue to be my guiding principle as CEO of our organization.
In addition, I look forward to the opportunity to utilize my experience
in the major sectors of business, government and not-for-profit
organizations to bring about more effective cooperation among
them.”
Prior to joining JFF, Ms. Seltzer held a number
of prominent positions in non-profit management and government.
From 1987 to 1989, she was commissioner of the Massachusetts Department
of Employment and Training, after serving as deputy commissioner
for four years. As president of Seltzer Associates, a for-profit
consulting firm, she provided policy development assistance to
the U.S. Department of Labor on workforce development initiatives.
She also co-founded and served as president of Employment Resources,
Inc., a nonprofit, community-based workforce development organization.
Ms. Seltzer holds a B.A. in urban economics
and American history from American University, an M.A. in economics
from Northeastern University, and a certificate from the Harvard
University Employment and Training Institute.
“Over the last several years,” Ms.
Donaldson said, “JFF has taken on increasingly complex and
high-impact work through its leadership of, for example, the Early
College High School Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation and other funders, which is creating over 150 new schools
in the next several years. JFF also coordinates SkillWorks, a
groundbreaking collaboration among 10 public and private funders
to address the needs of Boston-area employers for more skilled
workers and of workers for more and better access to jobs that
pay a family-supporting wage.”
The leadership transition at JFF will further
our ability to work with other communities, states, and funders
that are ready for systemic approaches to meeting the economic
challenges of the 21st century, explained Ms. Donaldson. “With
the entire JFF leadership team, I look forward to continuing to
deepen our relationships with our many partners in efforts to
improve outcomes for low-income youth and adults,” said
Ms. Donaldson. “Over 20 years, Hilary Pennington has created
a very special, highly effective team, and we look forward to
her continuing contributions, even as we benefit from Marlene
Seltzer’s leadership and experience in advancing educational
and economic opportunity.”
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Jobs for the Future seeks to accelerate the educational and economic advancement of
youth and adults struggling in today's economy. JFF partners with
leaders in education, business, government, and communities around
the nation to: strengthen opportunities for youth to succeed in
postsecondary learning and high-skill careers; increase opportunities
for low-income individuals to move into family-supporting careers;
and meet the growing economic demand for knowledgeable and skilled
workers. For more information about Jobs for the Future, please
visit the Web site at www.jff.org.
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