Andrea Ray.

As Regional Field Director for the central United States, Andrea helps organize multi-stakeholder coalitions that advocate for workforce policy changes at both the state and federal levels. She provides technical assistance to state partners in the areas of coalition-building, policy analysis and press outreach, and supports more intensive legislative and communications campaigns within targeted states. Andrea joined National Skills Coalition in 2008.

Andrea was previously Youth Policy Associate for the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, mobilizing advocates, service providers and youth to lobby the Illinois Governor and Legislature to create the Illinois Commission on Children and Youth. At Heartland she was also a Coordinator for the National Transitional Jobs Network. Prior to that, she organized community coalitions to reduce substance abuse in Missouri for the National Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

Andrea holds an MSW from Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Illinois. She is based in Chicago.