Speaker Profile

Maria Flynn is President and Chief Executive Officer of Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming education and workforce systems to expand economic opportunity for individuals, businesses and communities. A nationally recognized authority on the future of work, she focuses on workforce innovation, job quality and the impact of artificial intelligence and automation on the labor market.

Since becoming CEO in 2016, Flynn has led JFF’s growth into a nationally respected, nonpartisan organization that develops and scales solutions to help learners, workers and employers succeed. Under her leadership, JFF launched JFFLabs to advance technology-driven innovation in education and workforce development and expanded its impact through the creation of JFFVentures.

Before joining JFF in 2007, Flynn served in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, where she oversaw workforce training policy, research and evaluation and the agency’s $12 billion budget.

Flynn is a frequent keynote speaker and trusted advisor on workforce policy, education and the future of work. She serves on several national boards and advisory councils, has testified before the U.S. Senate on workforce system reform and has been recognized for her leadership, including being named to the Forbes 50 Over 50: Impact list.