I invited Katy Gaul-Stigge, the CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, to talk to students at The City College of New York about the great work that she's doing and to also talk about how to infuse innovation and entrepreneurship in a large and well-established organization. Katy also talked in depth about the growth that she went through when she initially took this leadership position at Goodwill NY/NJ as she transitioned from her experience in serving New York City in various capacities.
We also talked about the rich and diverse career opportunities that are available in the nonprofit sector, and Katy shared valuable insights to students to help them create these opportunities for themselves as they think about their post-graduation plans. Thanks so much Katy for coming out on a rainy day to spend some time with us!
Bio:
Katy Gaul-Stigge is the President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc., one of a network of 160 national organizations serving individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment. She joined the $120 million social enterprise in March 2016. Gaul-Stigge oversees the operations of 46 Goodwill NYNJ programs and 37 retail locations in the New York City metropolitan area, Northern New Jersey, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the capital region of NY. In her tenure she has created a new strategic plan for the organization, Vision 2020, focusing on improving operations with a strategic focus to expand mission impact. Goodwill has also launched the Curated boutique sub-brand, began a career pathways program and partnered with Google on digital skills training.
A major force in workforce development strategy and policy, Gaul-Stigge gained national and international attention for her development of Mayor de Blasio’s Career Pathways strategy as the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development. She led key City-wide agencies in the fourteen years of city service prior to joining Goodwill NYNJ. Including as Deputy Commissioner at Human Resources Administration (HRA) for Employment & Contracts workforce program including the Back 2 Work, Jobs-Plus, and subsidized job programs. Gaul-Stigge was also Assistant Commissioner at New York City’s Small Business Services (SBS.) where she led the Training and Advancement team which launched NYC Training Guide and expanded anti-poverty programs for working New Yorkers. Gaul-Stigge is well-known as a workforce development leader and policy voice. She has presented at numerous conferences and think-tank symposiums.
Katy Gaul-Stigge lives in Brooklyn and is a graduate of Columbia School of Social Work and Mt. Holyoke College. She is a member of Coro Leadership NY, GreaterNY, a Board member for the Human Services Council, and is a mentor for 92 St Y Women in Power fellows.