Laurie Harrington, Assistant Director for Evaluation at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, has been appointed Acting Executive Director of the center. She succeeds Kevin Dehmer, who was nominated by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to serve as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education.

Laurie has conducted and led research projects covering a wide range of workforce and education programs and policies for more than two decades at the Heldrich Center. In addition to her deep knowledge about public and nonprofit workforce programs and labor market research, she also has experience assembling and managing research teams. She is also highly skilled in communicating results to government and nonprofit agencies that fund the center’s research portfolio.

Dr. Carl Van Horn, Director of the Heldrich Center and Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, commented, "I am very grateful that Laurie has agreed to lead the Heldrich Center. I know she will continue to make very significant positive impacts on the quality of the center’s growing research agenda.”

Dr. Andrea Hetling, Associate Director of the Heldrich Center and Professor of Public Policy at the Bloustein School, shared, “I am thrilled that Laurie will be serving as the Acting Executive Director. She has been an integral part of the Heldrich Center, and I am looking forward to working with her in this new role.”