Matt Bruce became the first executive director of the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance in October 2012.

Under his leadership, the Funder Alliance has raised more than $6 million, grown from five to 25 funders and initiated a set of strategic initiatives focused on industry workforce partnerships, systems change and workforce innovation. He also has stewarded the creation of a new fund to support the region’s career pathway system, and a new commitment to fight wage theft and discrimination in low-wage occupations. Prior to moving back to Chicago to start the Funder Alliance, Bruce was the manager of regional sector initiatives for the Boston office of Jobs and Community Services. In this position with the city of Boston, he started sector workforce initiatives such as Green Jobs Boston and the Skilled Careers In Life Sciences initiative. Bruce has a master’s degree in public policy from the Harris School at the University of Chicago