CEO, AI4All
Tess has spent her career on initiatives that increase equity and economic opportunity in the education system and economy. She is passionate about working towards a future where all people have the chance to access education, find dignified work and reach their full potential. Tess is currently CEO of AI4All, whose vision is for AI to be developed by a broad group of thinkers and doers advancing AI for humanity’s benefit. Previously, Tess supported the TechHire initiative—a national initiative to get more Americans rapidly trained for well-paying tech jobs—through collaboration with key stakeholders including state and local government leaders, workforce development programs, and education providers.
Prior to joining Opportunity@Work, Tess was Managing Director of Samaschool, a social enterprise part of the SamaGroup that equips low-income people to find work in the digital economy. Prior to Samaschool, Tess led the employment and education programs at First Place for Youth, a nationally-recognized model that helps foster youth find housing, get their first job, and stay in school. Before First Place, she managed programs that taught competitive debate as a literacy and empowerment tool in underserved public schools in New York City. Tess holds a master's degree from Columbia University School in Social Enterprise Administration and a bachelor’s in liberal arts from St. John’s College.
