Anne Ladky is a nationally recognized expert on workforce development and higher education access, equal opportunity policy, job quality and issues affecting low-paid working women. She has developed and directed innovative advocacy campaigns, and authored numerous reports and articles on economic issues affecting women and families. From 1985 until 2016 Ladky served as Executive Director of Women Employed, a 47-year-old organization whose mission is to improve women’s economic status and remove barriers to economic equity. Under her leadership, Women Employed won numerous awards for excellence in program effectiveness and management. Ladky has served on many public boards and commissions including the Chicago Workforce Investment Council, the Chicago Workforce Board, the Higher Education Finance Study Commission, the Illinois Workforce Investment Council and the Community Advisory Council of the City Colleges of Chicago. In 2015, she co-chaired the Mayor’s Task Force on Working Families. Ladky currently advises organizations on strategic initiatives and organizational development and is engaged in efforts to increase equity and inclusion in the Chicago region. She is a member of the Board of the Civic Consulting Alliance and the Advisory Council of Education Equity Inc.