Ron Painter
President & CEO
National Association of Workforce Boards
Washington, DC USA
“Find your passion, hold on to it, and pursue it because that’s a life fulfilled. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed.”
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By Roadtrip NationRon Painter
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Growing up, my father was very involved in politics—I was always excited to go with him to watch election results, meet candidates, and talk about government and politics.
My experiences as a kid led me to get my bachelor’s degree in political science.
I worked in local elected office after college before going back to school to get my Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.
Graduate school was when I really started to focus on what I had to learn to be good at what I wanted to do, including learning the mechanics of effective public management.
While studying public administration and labor relations, I got the opportunity to help manage the City of Pittsburgh's job training funds.
I fell in love with helping people get back into the labor force after something outside of their control took them out.
I continued to work within labor relations in various positions and am now president and CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards, which makes the connection between workers and the market.
I’ve also served as an adjunct professor for the University of Pittsburgh, where I taught an undergraduate course on the process of public policy.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
President & CEO
I’m responsible for all facets of managing a national 501(C)(3) membership organization.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Politics
Business
Helping People
Day to Day
NAWB's mission is to support its members through advocacy, job training, and strategic partnerships for the advancement of America's workforce. As president & CEO, I'm responsible for the overall strategy and subsequent implementation. I also go to meetings in Washington D.C. and sit in congressional offices to talk about why the nation needs to invest in educational and workforce development. I then communicate what's happening in Washington D.C. to the labor field.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Think about your interests and what you're inclined to be good at. Find people who can help you identify those passions and strengths. Then pursue that to the utmost degree.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You can't do it."
Challenges I Overcame
Work-Life Balance
