Right People, Right Skills, Right Time

”This is the future of work”

WorkforceRx: Agile and Inclusive Strategies for Employers, Educators and Workers in Unsettled Times is a collection of proven workforce development strategies refined for the private, public, education, and nonprofit sectors—a playbook for connecting work and workers with training in an uncertain economy.

Who will benefit from this book? Industry leaders, educational leaders, economic and workforce development practitioners, elected officials and public policy makers, foundation officers, and citizens who care about their community. Everyone can take action to form an ecosystem of the willing and approach the future of work with a new and agile mindset.

Finding novel ways to collaborate and braid resources, stimulate diversity by making education and career opportunities more reachable, design the right on- and off-ramps to create supportive infrastructure for the emerging gig economy— WorkforceRx offers a clear-cut, proven strategy for each.

“This book is great storytelling and a master class in big design thinking. Well worth reading.”

Tammy Johns
CEO of Strategy &Talent, former SVP Innovation and Workforce Solutions of ManpowerGroup

Praise for WorkforceRx​

“Van Ton-Quinlivan has mastered workforce development from more perspectives than anyone in the field. She knows the differing interests of private industry, the public sector, higher education and the union movement, and has offered up ways to bridge those worlds to collectively bring a diversity of working people into good jobs.”
Andy Van Kleunen
CEO, National Skills Coalition
“Creating an inclusive economy takes intentionality. This book outlines the levers every state and region have at their disposal to create economic opportunity and equitable recovery.”
Stuart Andreason
Assistant Vice President and Director of the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
“Van Ton-Quinlivan is a leader, a storyteller, and a problem solver, all key to helping cure the ills of our outdated and outmoded workforce development systems. WorkforceRx offers a prescription for navigating the new world of work, where postsecondary credentials are a critical part of the treatment and where business leaders, educators, policymakers and the workers themselves must work together to build a healthier new ecosystem.”
Jamie Merisotis
President & CEO, Lumina Foundation 
A revolutionary set of public-private partnership prescriptions for how to reignite the American Dream from a unique leader who has been on both sides of the education/employment divide. WorkforceRx should be compulsory reading for every elected official, college president, and CEO.”
Ryan Craig
Managing Director of Achieve Partners and author of A New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College and College Disrupted: The Great Unbundling of Higher Education
“Chock full of practical advice for business people who need to find and grow talent.  The book pays keen attention to diversity, equity and inclusion and how companies don’t need to go at it alone.” 
Helen Rule
Board President of the International Women’s Forum, Chairman of Imatech Group of Companies, Australia 
“Van has rewritten the human capital theory and practice. The book offers a critical analysis and thoughtful proposition of the skills ecosystem that the new economy needs. Van calls for all stakeholders to develop a sustainable and inclusive skills ecosystem.”
Dr. Soon Joo Gog
Chief Skills Officer, SkillsFuture Singapore 
"Van Ton-Quinlivan has pioneered the path—and has now provided a guidebook—for bringing employers and educators together to develop the skilled and adaptable workforce that is required to close the income gap and enable resilient regional economies. These cross-sector partnerships—focused on improving outcomes and reducing disparities—should be a priority strategy for civic leaders committed to more inclusive prosperity.”
James Mayer
National Public Service Award recipient, former CEO of California Forward and Executive Director of the Little Hoover Commission
“Van Ton-Quinlivan very effectively reframed how community colleges in California delivered on workforce programs while executive vice chancellor of the state system, reshaping not only how those institutions operated but also influencing K-12, workforce, economic development and other public agencies.  She describes the behind-the-scenes work to materialize policy ideas into implementation—which is where many can fall short.” 
Mike Kirst
Professor Emeritus of Education at Stanford University and the longest serving President of California’s (K-12) State Board of Education
“For the big challenges facing our country posed by the striation of our economy, this book gives a win-win roadmap for workers and employers.”
Dave Regan
President, SEIU–United Healthcare Workers West
"Brilliant.  How Van comes up with solutions in really tricky and complicated environments should be inspiring to everyone in an organizational leadership role.  And her book illustrates solutions that are repeatable and transferable.  These insights and proposals hold relevance across national borders and different education systems.”
Mary-Ann Bell
Corporate Director at COGECO, NAV Canada, SNC-Lavalin and IGOPP, former SVP and COO, Bell Aliant, Canada
“Van has a mastery of the intersection of higher education, workforce and public policy.  She weaves those worlds together into WorkforceRx so that leaders of public systems and companies can adopt and adapt the playbooks for our needs.”
Totsie Memela Khambula
CEO, South African Social Security Agency,  former CEO of the Women’s Development Business Trust, South Africa

Enjoy Video Highlights

Watch the Virtual Book launch

WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Main Event

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Tom Dawson, Interim Chief Executive Officer of STRADA EDUCATION NETWORK
  • Rachael Stephens, Workforce Development & Economic Policy Program Director with the NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION
  • Stuart Andreason, Director of the Center for Workforce & Economic Opportunity and Assistant VP with the FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of ATLANTA
  • Laurie McGraw, SVP of Health Solutions, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Introduction Chapter

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Chancellor Dianne Van Hook, SANTA CLARITA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT 
  • Peter Darbee, Captain M/V Sequoia and retired CEO
  • Dexter Suzuki, Officer, HAWAII STATE DEPARTMENT of TAXATION 
  • Beth Devin, Strategic Advisor, HEARSTLAB
WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Chapters 1 and 2

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Beth Cobert, Chief Operating Officer of MARKLE FOUNDATION
  • Brenda Curiel, Managing Director with the CENTER FOR CORPORATE INNOVATION
  • Ann Randazzo, retired Executive Director of the CENTER for ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
  • Ophelia Basgal, Chair of the Board of the SF FOUNDATION
  • Deb Nankivell, Chief Executive Officer of the FRESNO BUSINESS COUNCIL
  • Tom Cohenno, Principal of APPLIED LEARNING SCIENCE
  • David Gatewood, Dean of SHASTA COLLEGE
WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Chapters 3 and 4

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Amy Wallace, former Deputy Director at CA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
  • Rachel Unruh, Chief of External Affairs with the NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION
  • Debra Jones & Lynn Shaw, former system leaders with the CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
  • Flannery Hauck, Director with SEIU-UHW
  • Kai Drekmeier, Chief Development Officer with INSIDE TRACK
  • Fred Freedman, Chief Executive Officer of PIMA MEDICAL INSTITUTE
  • Katie Nielson, Chief Education Officer, ENGEN
WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Chapters 5 and 6

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Chauncy Lennon, Vice President of LUMINA FOUNDATION
  • Earl Buford, Chief Executive Officer of COUNCIL ON ADULT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (CAEL)
  • Amrit Ahluwalia, Editor of EVOLLLUTION
  • Carole Goldsmith, President of FRESNO CITY COLLEGE
  • Rock Pfotenhauer, Chair of the BAY AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONSORTIUM
  • Jim Caldwell, Chief Executive Officer of WORKFORCE INCUBATOR
  • Rajinder Gill, CEO and Co-Founder, ESSENTIAL SKILLS PROGRAM
  • Steve Wright, ICT Statewide Director with the CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Chapters 7 and 8

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Holly Zanville, Co-Director of Program on Skills, Credentials and Workforce Policy with GEORGE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE of PUBLIC POLICY
  • Paul Granillo, President & Chief Executive Officer of the INLAND EMPIRE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
  • John Brauer, Executive Director for Workforce & Economic Development with the CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATON
  • Linda Wah, Trustee with PASADENA CITY COLLEGE
  • Gustavo Herrera, CEO of ARTS FOR LA
  • Shannon Lucas & Tracey Lovejoy, Co-Chief Executive Officers, CATALYST CONSTELLATION
WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Chapters 9 and 10

WorkforceRx Virtual Book Launch: Chapters 9 and 10

Join author Van Ton-Quinlivan with

  • Lenny Mendonca, former Chief Economic & Business Advisor, STATE OF CALIFORNIA
  • Dave Regan, President, SEIU-UHW
  • Howard Brodsky with CCA GLOBAL
  • Omid Pourzanjani, Superintendent & President with SAN JOAQUIN DELTA COLLEGE
  • Anthony Dalton, Vice President & Chief Data Scientist with FUTURO HEALTH
  • Kathy Booth, Project Director with WESTED
  • Ann Volk, Senior Director with ALVAREZ & MARSAL
  • Sara Skvirsky, Research Director with INSTITUTE FOR THE FUTURE

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About the Author

Van Ton-Quinlivan is a nationally recognized thought leader in workforce development and a catalyst for creating inclusive social and economic mobility for students through higher education. Her distinguished career spans the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Ton-Quinlivan served as executive vice chancellor of workforce and digital futures of the California Community Colleges and brought about significant public investment growth in career education.  She has been quoted as an expert on higher education in the New York Times, Chronicle of Higher Education, Insider Higher Education, Stanford Social Innovation Review, U.S. News & World Report, and other publications. She is a frequent speaker at events hosted by the National Governors Association, Brookings Institute, Aspen Institute, Stanford’s Hoover Institution, RAND Corporation, and numerous other forums. Currently, Ton-Quinlivan is the CEO of Futuro Health, whose nonprofit mission is to improve the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of credentialed allied healthcare workers in the nation.

In 2013, Ton-Quinlivan was named a White House Champion of Change under the Obama administration in recognition of her notable career in industry, education, and service as a community leader. She received the California Steward Leader Award in 2017 for her dedication to collaboration and work with public, private, and civic leaders to support economic and social mobility for state residents. Ton-Quinlivan was included in Sacramento magazine’s 2018 “Powered by Women” list of leaders inspiring positive change. In 2019, she was named a mediaX distinguished visiting scholar by Stanford University.

Ton-Quinlivan earned her master’s degrees from the Stanford Graduate School of Education and the Stanford Graduate School of Business and has an honorary doctorate from Golden Gate University. She serves on the boards of the National Skills Coalition, National Student Clearinghouse, and California Forward and advises the Putting America Back to Work venture fund.

Discover Solutions to Excel in the Future of Work

Finding novel ways to collaborate and braid resources, stimulate diversity by making education and career opportunities more reachable, design the right on- and off-ramps to create supportive infrastructure for the emerging gig economy—WorkforceRx offers a clear-cut, proven strategy for each.

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