Doug Cotter is the CEO at Grant Associates, a national workforce development company with vast experience operating highly acclaimed, large-scale workforce programs for multiple cities, including New York, Atlanta, Newark, Philadelphia, Detroit, Tulsa, Washington, D.C, and Houston . The company’s expertise in translating business needs into effective career pathways strategies for targeted populations and underserved neighborhoods is a hallmark of its success. By combining education and training with internships and jobs, Grant Associates has successfully improved employment and wage outcomes for residents of the cities it serves. The company currently operates full-service One-Stops, locally funded sector-based initiatives, programs for targeted special populations, including public assistance recipients, disconnected youth and returning citizens. Doug has been a thought leader in the field of workforce development for nearly two decades. He has been responsible for leading Grant Associates’ program design and launch of new contracts, and has had oversight of national operations, providing leadership and accountability for programs in multiple states. He is a nationally recognized expert in sector work, and has presented on the issues that affect workforce development for many organizations, including the Administration for Children and Families, National Association of Workforce Boards, and the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP).