Today, Groundwork Collaborative welcomed to its staff roster a slate of new leaders and experts from the White House, the Department of Labor, the Senate Budget Committee, and Georgetown University. These senior leaders arrive from top roles in the Biden administration and leading research institutions and will spearhead the next phase in Groundwork’s innovative and proven approach to economic policy and communications.
Alex Jacquez will helm the newly formed Policy and Advocacy team as the Chief of Policy and Advocacy, with Elizabeth Pancotti serving as the Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy and Katie Wells as Director of Research. Taylor Barnes Lord joins as Chief of Staff. Additionally, Groundwork is delighted to announce the promotion of Manisha Sunil to Director of Communications and Jayleen Alvarado to Director of Programming and Partnerships, strengthening Groundwork’s communications and advocacy efforts at this critical juncture.
“Groundwork has always punched above our weight, becoming a leading economic policy think tank and communications shop in just a few short years, with a lean but incredibly talented team,” said Lindsay Owens, Groundwork Collaborative Executive Director. “Today, we join the heavyweight class, staffing up with an impressive and formidable team of leaders and thinkers who have the creativity, vision, and aptitude to not only help tackle the challenges of the current Administration but also build an economy that works for the people who power it.”
As its new Chief of Policy and Advocacy, Alex Jacquez will manage economic policy, research, and government affairs personnel and programming for Groundwork, and serve as Groundwork’s top expert in the media, to Congress, and to policy audiences. Jacquez most recently served as the Special Assistant to the President for Economic Development and Industrial Strategy at the White House National Economic Council where he advised President Biden on issues spanning labor and competition to clean energy and manufacturing. Before joining the Biden Administration he served as a Senior Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on the Senate Budget Committee and on his presidential campaign. He’s previously held positions in Senate Democratic leadership, the Obama White House, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Today, too many Americans believe the economy only works for those at the top,” said Jacquez. “As Trump, Elon, and Republicans in Congress race to raid vital programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to cut taxes for the wealthy and powerful, nobody is better prepared than the team at Groundwork to provide the policy, research, and advocacy to hold them accountable. I’m excited to get to work building an economy that works for all of us.”
As Chief of Staff, Taylor Barnes Lord will ensure Groundwork’s mission to build a more inclusive economy is driven by incisive strategy, strong internal operations, and an ambitious vision for our future. Most recently, Barnes Lord was Director of the Office of Public Engagement at the Department of Labor, where she helped translate policy goals into real-life outcomes for workers and communities with storytelling, public events, and partnerships. She previously worked at the Democratic National Committee and helped launch the United State of Women in partnership with the Obama White House.
“Joining Groundwork gives me the perfect opportunity to expand on my work turning big policy ideas into tangible results for the workers and families who power our economy,” said Barnes Lord. “As the daughter of a union member, this work is deeply personal to me – I’ve seen firsthand how economic policies shape people’s lives. I’m thrilled to continue that fight with my new colleagues.”
Elizabeth Pancotti will be working alongside Jacquez as the Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy. Before Groundwork, Pancotti advised Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on economic and labor policy and held research roles at the Roosevelt Institute, Employ America, and the National Bureau of Economic Research. She co-authored two blockbuster papers with Groundwork last year, “Inflation Revelation: How Outsized Corporate Profits Drive Rising Costs” and “What’s Driving the Rise in Grocery Prices – and What the Government Can Do About It.”
“For the past five decades, trickle-down economics has made the rich richer at the expense of workers, families, and communities,” said Pancotti. ”As two billionaires parade around town ransacking every vital federal program that doesn’t line their own pockets, it’s clearer than ever that we need a vision for an economy that puts people over profit. I’m thrilled to be back at Groundwork to take Trump, Musk, and their wealthy friends head on.”
Additionally, Groundwork welcomes Dr. Katie Wells as the Director of Research in addition to her role as a Senior Fellow. She will manage Groundwork’s research projects, from design to execution, and a new cohort of economic policy fellows. An urban and labor policy expert, she writes about how tech affects the way we live, and especially how we take care of each other. Katie is a co-author of Disrupting D.C.: The Rise of Uber and the Fall of the City.
“New technologies have a profound impact on our economy, shaping the lives of families and workers, and policy has not caught up,” said Wells. “I’m excited to join Groundwork in this new role and help build a world where what’s best for the economy is decided by the people who power it – not Silicon Valley.”