Boston — Governor Maura T. Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kimberley Driscoll today announced that they will appoint Lauren Jones to be Secretary of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Jones is currently the Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and previously held roles with the City of Boston under Mayor Marty Walsh and in the Labor and Workforce Development Office under Governor Deval Patrick.

"Massachusetts is facing a serious workforce shortage, and it’s negatively impacting our workers, employers and economic competitiveness,” said Governor Healey. “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. Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and I are confident she is the experienced, collaborative leader we need to lead the Office of Labor and Workforce Development.”

“Finding skilled talent for in-demand roles is among the greatest challenges impacting Massachusetts’ economy,” said Jones. “We need to harness the full potential of our community colleges, technical schools, apprenticeship programs and untapped talent to train the next generation of workers who will drive our economy, and we need to make sure those workers' rights are protected each step of the way. I am honored that Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll have placed their faith in me to confront this challenge and deliver for the workers and businesses of Massachusetts.”

Jones has more than 17 years of experience working in local and state government, non-profits, and the private sector, with a particular focus on workforce development. As Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Jones leads the organization’s workforce development policy and strategy. She was previously led the Massachusetts market for the non-profit Apprenti, where she worked with companies to cultivate and diversify tech talent through registered apprenticeships. She also created and led the Business Strategy Unit for Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s Office of Economic Development, supporting business attraction and employer engagement in the city of Boston. Prior to that, she held several roles in the Patrick-Murray Administration, including Communications Director for the Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development, Policy & Communications Director for former Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, and Senior Program Manager of the Economic Development Incentive Program in the Office of Business Development.

As Executive Vice President of the Roundtable, Jones is the Co-Chair of the Workforce Solutions Group and serves 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. She is also on the Board of Trustees for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s New England Chapter and the Board of Directors for Girls on The Run Greater Boston. She holds a Master in Public Administration from Northeastern University, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Providence College. She lives in Boston.