Eastern Bank Foundation Welcomes Jerry Rubin as New Foundation Fellow Focused on Promoting Workforce Development

Workforce development leader brings decades of experience working across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to advance job quality, workforce development and New England’s workforce for the future

Eastern Bank Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Boston-based Eastern Bank, is pleased to announce Jerry Rubin has joined its team as a Foundation Fellow focused on promoting workforce development for adults, a strategic area in the Foundation's work to support economic inclusion and mobility across the region. Eastern Bank Foundation Fellows bring deep expertise to the Foundation’s investments in driving systems change to affect economic mobility.

“The Eastern Bank Foundation supports organizations breaking through systemic disparities affecting today’s workers and providing training to equip people with the skills they need to secure work with family-sustaining wages and the opportunity to advance,” said Nancy Huntington Stager, President and CEO of the Eastern Bank Foundation. “These inequities exacerbate racial and gender wage gaps resulting in people in jobs with less than a livable wage and flat career trajectories or no job at all. Jerry Rubin has decades of experience in the space and understands the intersection of these issues like few do. We are thrilled to welcome him as a Foundation Fellow to help advance our work.”

Mr. Rubin is a highly accomplished leader known for driving impactful and successful research, programming, and community and economic development initiatives at the crossroad of workforce training and adult education. He most recently served as the President and CEO of Jewish Vocational Service (JVS), the largest workforce development organization in Greater Boston, where he led the organization for 15 years. During his tenure, he tripled the size and budget of the organization, and expanded its impact to serve nearly 15,000 individuals annually, most of whom are adult immigrants. In November 2022, he was appointed to the transition policy committee for Massachusetts Governor-elect Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Driscoll, focused on jobs and lifting up workers while building a flourishing economy for all.

Prior to his role at JVS, Mr. Rubin was Vice President at Jobs for the Future, a national research, policy and technical assistance organization focused on education and skill development for low-income youth, adults and their employers. In this role, he managed the adult/workforce development division, and led initiatives across the public and private sectors. Additionally, he has led non-profit organizations focused on housing and business venture development, as well as consulting, training and technical services to small- and mid-sized manufacturers and their employees. He also has served as Deputy Director for Policy and Research and Chief of Staff for the Economic Development & Industrial Corporation for the City of Boston where he undertook economic development research of various business sectors and designed innovative employment and training programs. His government work has included serving as a Policy Advisor in the City of Boston for former Mayor Raymond Flynn.

Mr. Rubin serves as a Trustee of the Economic Empowerment Trust Fund of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and a Board Member of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Organization (MIRA) and the Hyde Square Task Force. His published thought leadership has focused on such issues as job quality and workforce development, educating New England’s workforce for the future, and re-inventing workforce development. Mr. Rubin will serve in his Foundation Fellow role with the Eastern Bank Foundation on a part-time basis.

“We are at a unique moment in time to re-invent the workforce of the future and create opportunities for greater upward mobility for individuals and their families, through their work,” said Jerry Rubin. “I am excited for the opportunity to join the Eastern Bank Foundation to help advance its focus on addressing issues of economic mobility and inclusion through collaborative workforce development.”

The Foundation’s philanthropic investments, volunteerism and advocacy in this area are dedicated to addressing barriers to employment and advancement in employment. Efforts include expanding programming in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), providing more substantial worker protections, preparing workers for the jobs and careers of the future, and empowering all local residents to reach their full potential. This focus does not include internships and school or career or school-to-college readiness.

About Eastern Bank Foundation

Created in 1994, the Eastern Bank Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Boston-based Eastern Bank. Through philanthropy, employee volunteerism, advocacy and collaborations with other businesses and community partners, Eastern Bank Foundation responds to community needs and supports sustainable solutions to our communities’ most vexing challenges across eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. This includes advancing economic inclusion and mobility in such areas as equity in the small business ecosystem, enriching early childhood development, securing safe and affordable housing, and promoting workforce development. To learn more, visit easternbank.com/foundation.

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