The NYC Workforce Drop with NYCETC’s Gregory J. Morris

In this mini episode, we return to the urgent question at the heart of nearly every workforce conversation: wages—and whether working New Yorkers can actually afford to live in the city they serve. Michelle Jackson , Executive Director of the Human Services Council of New York , joins us again for a discussion about the growing number of wage justice campaigns unfolding across the city and state....

This episode explores what it means to lead not just an organization, but a broad, values-driven coalition responsible for shaping systems, policy, and power across New York City’s human services sector. The conversation centers on Michelle Jackson , Executive Director of the Human Services Council , and her leadership journey stewarding collective power at scale. From the early days of large-scal...

In the final episode of the year of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J Morris sits down with NYS Assembly Member Amanda Septimo (AD-84) for a conversation about leadership rooted in community, workforce equity, and New York’s next political chapter. A lifelong Bronxite, AM Septimo reflects on her path from early organizing and community advocacy to elected office, and how her lived exper...

In this mini episode of The NYC Workforce Drop , Gregory J. Morris , Stephanie Birmingham , Courtney Granger , and Jennifer Tausig dig into the conference comment cards —what attendees told NYCETC about communications, content, and what the next mayoral administration should prioritize on workforce and economic development. The group reads directly from the cards, surfacing candid, sometimes surpr...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop , Gregory J. Morris , CEO of NYCETC , is joined by Stephanie Birmingham , NYCETC Director of Community & Operations, Courtney Granger , and Jennifer Tausig for a real-time debrief of the 2025 NYCETC Conference —what resonated, what surprised them, and what comes next for the workforce field. Together, they unpack the energy inside (and outside) the roo...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop , NYCETC CEO Greg Morris welcomes Kathy Wylde , outgoing president & CEO of the Partnership for New York City , for a conversation about affordability, power, and the future of New York’s workforce and economy. Kathy reflects on five decades of shaping the city, from her early organizing in Sunset Park to partnering with David Rockefeller to rebuild ne...

In this Thanksgiving mini-episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, Encore Community Services Executive Director Jeremy Kaplan returns to share what the holiday really looks like inside one of New York City’s most mission-driven older adult organizations. What starts as a simple question — “What’s going on at Encore on Thanksgiving?” — unfolds into a vivid picture of community care at scale. Jeremy walks...

In this special Thanksgiving episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J Morris sits down with Jeremy Kaplan , Executive Director of Encore Community Services , for a warm, funny, and moving conversation about what it means to grow older and to never have to do it alone. From barefoot Florida Thanksgivings and anxiety-inducing “what are you thankful for?” rituals to New York City chose...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop , NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Wayne Ho , president and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, community power, and what it really takes to move policy when the stakes are highest. Wayne traces his journey from being the child of immigrants to leading the nation’s largest Asian A...

On a wet, gray Halloween-eve in Manhattan, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Dr. Lisa Vollendorf , president of Empire State University (SUNY Empire), for a high-energy conversation about expanding opportunity through high-quality online public education. From her scholarly roots in 16th–17th century women’s cultural history to leading a 98% online SUNY institution serving 17,500 student...

In this mini episode, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Stephanie Birmingham , NYCETC’s Director of Community and Operations, to talk about what it really means to make the 2025 NYCETC Conference accessible and inclusive. Drawing from her decade-long experience managing events at the Whitney Museum, Stephanie shares how accessibility planning goes far beyond checking an ADA box, instead,...

NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris is joined by Ngozi Okaro , founder and CEO of Custom Collaborative , for a conversation that threads together personal journey, workforce innovation, and a vision for a fairer fashion economy. From a childhood decision to practice law to a purpose-driven pivot into nonprofits (and the late-night sewing sessions that sparked a social enterprise) Ngozi unpacks how values...

In this mini episode of The NYC Workforce Drop , NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris welcomes Grace Bonilla , President and CEO of United Way of New York City , back on the pod to unpack the devastating ripple effects of the federal government shutdown on millions of New Yorkers. As critical safety net programs like SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid face cuts and delays, families are being forced to choose between...

In this special mini episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Debbie Roman to share some exciting personal news. After three and a half impactful years at Per Scholas New York , Debbie is joining National Grid to lead workforce development initiatives connecting employers and community-based organizations across New York City and the state. Debbie reflects on...

In this mini episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris dives into the recent New York City mayoral debates and the glaring silence around jobs and workforce development. While candidates sparred over affordability and business incentives, critical conversations about wages, job quality, and equitable access to opportunity barely surfaced. Greg breaks down why workforce develo...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa (District 10) for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about care, courage, and the fight to make New York City work better for working people. From her early years growing up in Upper Manhattan as the daughter of Dominican immigrants to chairing the Council’s Committee on...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Teresa Gonzalez , partner at Bolton-St. Johns and principal at DalyGonzalez Consulting , for a candid, pragmatic conversation about what it takes to build a healthier, more affordable New York where workforce is the throughline across every policy area. Teresa traces her journey from a Puerto Rican kid growing u...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris sits down with Kalilah Moon , Executive Director of Drive Change , and Debbie Roman , Managing Director, New York, at Per Scholas , for a conversation that bridges personal journeys, nonprofit innovation, and systems-level change. Kalilah reflects on her path from Oakland to New York, sharing early career lessons from The Door...

In this NYC Workforce Drop Mini Pod, NYCETC CEO G regory J. Morris shares his remarks from the City & State Economic Development & Workforce Summit , where NYCETC served as a co-sponsor alongside leaders from across the city and state. Greg underscores why workforce and economic development cannot be treated as separate conversations. He calls out the persistent gaps—gender and racial wage...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, host Gregory J. Morris , CEO of NYCETC , sits down with Grace Bonilla , President and CEO of United Way of New York City , for a powerful conversation about equity, leadership, and resilience in New York City’s social safety net. Grace reflects on her journey as the daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants in Queens, where early experiences interpreting for her...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, host Gregory J. Morris , CEO of NYCETC , sits down with David Lebenstein Executive Managing Director and Co-Chair of Cushman & Wakefield ’s Not-for-Profit Advisory Group, for a deep dive into how real estate decisions shape the future of New York City’s workforce and nonprofit sector. Greg and David explore how questions about buying, selling, or leas...

In this mini episode, real estate veteran David Lebenstein , Executive Managing Director, Not For Profit Specialty Practice Group at Cushman & Wakefield, joins The NYC Workforce Drop to share a powerful story about balancing development pressures with the moral imperative to keep vulnerable New Yorkers housed. David walks listeners through two real-world examples where nonprofits faced difficu...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, host Gregory J Morris , CEO of NYCETC , sits down with Collin Smith , Director at The Information Lab US and the leader of The Data School ’s U.S. operations. Together, they explore how innovative apprenticeship models are opening doors to high-demand data careers for New Yorkers from all backgrounds. Collin shares his personal journey from nonprofit data...

In this episode of The NYC Workforce Drop, host Gregory J Morris , CEO of NYCETC , sits down with Grace Rauh , award-winning former NY1 political reporter, founder of the 5Boro Institute , and now Executive Director of Citizens Union . Together, they trace Grace’s journey from journalism to civic leadership and explore how her work is shaping systemic reform across New York City. Grace shares why...

In this mini episode, NYCETC CEO Gregory J. Morris and Citizens Union Executive Director Grace Rauh sit down to unpack the latest indictments to drop against seven individuals, including Ingrid Lewis-Martin, and this week's scandal involving Winnie Greco — a longtime ally of Mayor Adams who resigned last year as his Asian community liaison after being the subject of multiple investigations. Gr...