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Artwork for The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and Interviews

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program
Employee Ownership
Job Quality
Employee Stock Ownership Plans
ESOP
Community Development Financial Institutions
Economic Opportunity
Worker Cooperatives
Workforce Development
Esops
Labor Rights
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (esops)
Child Labor
Small Business
Small Businesses
Workplace Democracy
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Racial Equity
Aspen Institute
Small Business Financing
Artificial Intelligence

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes240Founded6 years ago
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Artwork for The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program

Latest Episodes

In this video, Loren Rodgers — executive director of the National Center for Employee Ownership — 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 sessio... more

In this video, Phil Reeves — founder and managing partner of Apis & Heritage — 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 tran... more

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 manufacture... more

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 add... more

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Recent Guests

Dr. Stephanie Hoopes
National Director of United For ALICE
United For ALICE
Episode: When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Allison Pepin
Human Resources Consultant for United for ALICE
United For ALICE
Episode: When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Jessica Pilcher
Director of United for Working Families, United Way of Greater Chattanooga
United Way
Episode: When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Cary Dawson
Director of Strategic Partnerships, ALICE at Work
ALICE at Work / United Way network
Episode: When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Beth McDowell
HR leader, Hamilton County Schools
Hamilton County Schools
Episode: When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Lynn White Sohn
Engagement and Retention Specialist, UR Medicine Thompson Health
UR Medicine Thompson Health
Episode: When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Thelma Adams Johnson
President and CEO, Albany Community Together, Inc.
Albany Community Together, Inc.
Episode: Investing in Job Quality in the South
Sherra Bennett
Senior Program Officer, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
Episode: Investing in Job Quality in the South
Jennifer Epps
Executive Director, The LIFT Fund
Labor Innovations for the 21st Century Fund (LIFT)
Episode: Investing in Job Quality in the South

Hosts

Matt Helmer
Host and Director of Job Quality and Worker Well-being at The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program; multiple episode host/interviewer
Maureen Conway
Host of conversation; frequent facilitator of discussions on job quality and inclusive growth

Reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars from 4 ratings
  • Don’t Have A Q&A

    I listened to the interview with Marjorie Kelly. I loved her talking about what’s wrong and destructive about our current global economic system. I did not appreciate, however Maureen Conways approach to the Q&A. She was rude to the audience by letting them ask their questions and then telling them that there wasn’t time for an answer. Extremely off putting.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    German Girl
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are typically high-caliber leaders from foundations, academia, and major employers, which can boost credibility and relevance for sponsors.
The show's discussions frequently balance policy depth with actionable programs, a strength for listeners seeking implementable ideas.
Feedback often highlights the practical, data-driven approach and real-world implementation stories.
Don't Have A Q&A: audience questions can feel dismissed, which can leave listeners with mixed impressions about host handling during Q&A.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

When Work Isn’t Enough: Improving Job Quality for ALICE Households
Q: How does ALICE at Work translate data into practical changes for employers?
The program uses 12-hour cohorts to teach employers how to adjust scheduling, benefits, and development opportunities, supported by action plans and follow-ups to ensure implementation.
Leading Change For Skills: Champions Across The Workforce Ecosystem
Q: What prompted Beyond Housing and Fresno Housing to look beyond front-door entry in their workforce initiatives?
They conducted an internal assessment, acknowledged leadership gaps and inclusion issues, and pursued intentional, equity-focused reforms including leadership accountability, revised job competencies, and removing undue emphasis on degrees to broaden the talent pool.
Innovations Driving Small Business Lending Forward: It’s Not All About AI — ⁠The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability
Q: When might AI-driven agents and CFO-level guidance become a standard part of small business finance, and what are the major hurdles to that transition?
Agents are approaching the capability to plan and take action, but the transition requires re-platforming, data origination, and governance; adoption will accelerate in SMBs mid-market before large enterprises fully migrate.
Innovations Driving Small Business Lending Forward: It’s Not All About AI — ⁠The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability
Q: What are the biggest barriers to adoption of these AI and embedded lending tools for small businesses, and how are lenders addressing them?
Barriers include cost, intimidation, and complexity; bundling intelligence with accessible capital, providing education, and embedding tools into familiar workflows helps overcome adoption frictions.
Innovations Driving Small Business Lending Forward: It’s Not All About AI — ⁠The New Era of Small Business Finance: Access, AI, and Accountability
Q: With the rapid advancement of AI, how far out are we from tools that can effectively replace or substantially augment human financial decision-making for small businesses?
AI will augment decision-making gradually; the technology will first improve data processing and insights, then support more complex advisory roles, but human judgment will remain essential for governance, edge cases, and ensuring outcomes that support long-term resilience.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program consistently centers on improving job quality, wage adequacy, and inclusive workforce development through a mix of policy analysis, practical employer-led actions, and cross-sector collaboration. Episodes frequently feature panels with nonprofit leaders, foundations, educational institutions, and employers discussing wraparound supports, apprenticeship pathways, and ownership models to expand durable, good jobs—often with a focus on the American South, manufacturing, health care, and public-sector collaborations. Noteworthy is the emphasis on data-informed decisions, humane scheduling, and the role of philanthropy and labor voices in scaling impact, along with a willingness to critique traditional lending, credentialing, and gro... more

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1. The Daily
2. Up First from NPR

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this podcast launched 6 years ago and published 240 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dr. Stephanie Hoopes
2. Allison Pepin
3. Jessica Pilcher
4. Cary Dawson
5. Beth McDowell
6. Lynn White Sohn
7. Thelma Adams Johnson
8. Sherra Bennett

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