The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

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Jun 2026

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The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. This podcast features audio from our events, webinars, interviews, and other conversations. Learn more at aspeninstitute.org/eop

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June 16, 202649 min

Made Here, Owned Here: Employee Ownership in Manufacturing

American manufacturing continues to face an uncertain future, with decades of offshoring and consolidation hollowing out communities and leaving workers behind. This session explores how employee ownership models can help sustain existing manufacturers, support the rebuilding of domestic production capacity, advance our national competitiveness, and ensure that the workers who make things in America have a real stake in the businesses they power.Our conversation includes opening remarks from Douglas Kruse (Research Director, Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, Rutgers University), followed by a panel discussion with Rich Cammarano (President and CEO, Tech Etch Inc); Veda Clark (Chair of the Board of Directors, Lampin Corporation); Elisabeth Reynolds (Professor of the Practice, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, MIT); and moderator Jack Moriarty (Executive Director, Lafayette Square Institute).This video comes from the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 15, 20268 min

Sen. Tim Kaine Keynotes the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum

In this video, US Senator from Virginia Tim Kaine speaks at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 14, 202614 min

ESOP Association’s Jim Bonham Keynotes the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum

In this video, Jim Bonham, president and CEO of The ESOP Association, speaks at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University. The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 13, 202618 min

Sen. Ron Johnson Keynotes the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum

In this video, US Senator from Wisconsin Ron Johnson speaks at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 12, 202640 min

What Ownership Means: Employee Owners in Their Own Words

Employee ownership looks compelling on paper, but what does it actually mean to have a stake in the place where you work? This session puts employee owners at the center, sharing firsthand accounts of how ownership has changed their relationship to their work, their workplace, and their futures, offering an unfiltered look at the promises and realities of building an economy where more workers have a real share in what they create.Our speakers include Charlie Arrindell (Division Manager, Lewis Tree Services); Krystal Thompson (Senior Software Solutions Advisor, Advisors for Change); Nicole Vitello (Vice President, Equal Exchange); and moderator Matt Helmer (Director of Job Quality and Worker Well-Being, Economic Opportunities Program, The Aspen Institute).This video comes from the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 11, 202611 min

A Few Cool Hardware Stores’ Gina Schaefer Keynotes the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum

Gina Schaefer — founder and co-owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores — speaks at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 10, 202611 min

Maureen Conway and William Castellano Open the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum

The Aspen Institute’s Maureen Conway and Rutgers University’s William Castellano give opening remarks at the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

June 9, 20261 hr 16 min

Ownership During the AI Revolution

Artificial intelligence and automation promise to unleash a wave of productivity and economic growth — but without deliberate action, the gains will flow overwhelmingly to those who already own capital, deepening inequality and further disconnecting society from the value it helps create. This session explores how reimagining ownership — from broad-based worker equity to public-interest frameworks — can ensure that the AI-powered economy generates a true "social dividend" rather than a private windfall. Panelists will examine the risks of AI growth without consideration of ownership and social impact, how some organizations are already prioritizing shared value and governance, and what policy shifts could institutionalize this approach.Our speakers include Deric Cheng (Director of Research, Windfall Trust); Anthony Cimino (Head of Federal Affairs, Anthropic); Zoë B Cullen (Michael B. Kim Associate Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School); Richard Freeman (Herbert Ascherman Chair in Economics, Harvard University); and moderator Liba Wenig Rubenstein (Director, Future of Work Initiative, Economic Opportunities Program, The Aspen Institute).This video comes from the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website.For additional content from the Forum, visit our main event page.To view more sessions and event highlights, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go.About this event:The Employee Ownership Ideas Forum is an annual event hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing at Rutgers University.The Forum convenes participants — including members of Congress, congressional staff, administration officials, employee owners, investors, lenders, researchers, practitioners, and policy experts — around the shared, bipartisan goal of increasing broad-based employee ownership and providing workers and communities with the opportunity to own their share of America’s prosperity and future.The Forum highlights innovative policies and practices, features firsthand experiences and perspectives of employee owners, and fosters dialogue and engagement to drive concrete actions toward expanding employee ownership.We are grateful to our Forum Champions — the Ford Foundation, Prudential Financial, the Sorenson Impact Foundation, JPMorganChase, and EO Equals — for their principal support of the Forum. We also thank McKinsey & Company, a Forum Ally, for its generous contribution.As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Aspen Institute is nonpartisan and does not endorse, support, or oppose political candidates or parties. To the extent elected officials are in attendance, they are attending and speaking in their official capacity and not as a political candidate. Further, the views and opinions of our guests and speakers do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute or of Rutgers University.

May 27, 20261 hr 29 min

When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households

More than two in five American households struggle to afford basic necessities, like housing, child care, food, and transportation in their communities. In addition to families below the federal poverty level, ALICE® households — those that are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — earn above the poverty line but live paycheck to paycheck. ALICE workers form the backbone of our economy while facing impossible tradeoffs and chronic instability.For many ALICE workers, low wages, unpredictable schedules, limited benefits, and few advancement opportunities make stability difficult to reach. Improving job quality can help ALICE households move from short-term survival toward lasting well-being.This conversation — hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and United for ALICE on May 19, 2026 — looks at ALICE data and early lessons from ALICE at Work, an innovative approach to working with businesses to improve job quality.The discussion features opening remarks from Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D. (United For ALICE), followed by panel discussions with Sherra Bennett (Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation), Cary Esperanza Dawson (United For ALICE at Work), Elizabeth McDowell (Hamilton County Schools), Allison Pepin (United For ALICE at Work), Jessica Pilcher (United Way of Greater Chattanooga), Lynn White Sohn (UR Medicine Thompson Health), and moderator Matt Helmer (Aspen Institute).For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website. To learn more about United for ALICE, visit: unitedforalice.org.For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.This event is part of our Job Quality in Practice series.

May 8, 20261 hr 17 min

Investing in Job Quality in the South

Improving job quality takes many forms and tactics — as does the funding that supports it. Some businesses need access to capital or technical assistance to build better jobs. Workers and advocates need resources to organize, push for higher standards, and shape the policies that govern work. And the field itself needs investment to grow the knowledge, networks, and infrastructure that make progress possible. This event — hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on May 7, 2026 — explores how philanthropic and financial capital can play a meaningful role in supporting efforts to improve job quality. Job Quality Fellows from across the South will share examples from their own communities, including where they see opportunities and challenges in investing in job quality and what they’re learning. The conversation surfaces lessons about how funders and investors can show up as partners in the long-term work of building a South where good jobs are the norm, not the exception.Our speakers include Thelma Adams Johnson (Albany Community Together), Sherra Bennett (Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation), Jennifer Epps (The LIFT Fund), Sarah Reed (Metafund Corporation), and moderator Maureen Conway (Aspen Institute).For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website. For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.This event is part of our Job Quality in Practice series. It is also the fourth in our four-part miniseries, Fixing Work in the South, which brings together Job Quality Fellows who are on the frontlines of expanding access to good jobs in communities across the American South.