Jobs & Opportunity

THE CHALLENGE

Massachusetts has one of the strongest economies in the world, but too many people are locked out of it. The same state that leads the nation in education and innovation has working families who can't afford to stay, young people who leave because opportunity feels out of reach, and communities where economic growth hasn't translated into broadly shared prosperity. The transition to clean energy, the rise of AI, and ongoing federal uncertainty are reshaping the labor market faster than our workforce systems can keep up. The question is whether those changes create opportunity for everyone or just for those already well positioned.

MY APPROACH

Build on Massachusetts' innovation leadership: I spent nearly two decades leading MassTLC, growing the Massachusetts technology and innovation ecosystem into one of the strongest in the world. I helped build MassRobotics, launched Boston TechJam, convened leaders and lawmakers through the Legislative Tech Caucus, and organized annual DC Fly-Ins to connect our innovation community directly to federal policymakers. Massachusetts leads in life sciences, robotics, climate tech, defense technology, and higher education. I'll fight to keep that leadership and make sure it translates into broadly accessible economic opportunity.

Defend the DRIVE Initiative: Governor Healey proposed the DRIVE Initiative, a $400 million commitment to backfill federal NIH cuts and keep researchers in Massachusetts. The House wants to cut that in half and restrict it to state institutions, leaving private research university and hospital researchers without support. That would be a serious mistake. I'll fight for the full DRIVE Initiative. Losing researchers to other states or countries would be a devastating loss for our economy and the discovery of new therapies and cures.

Invest in workforce development: Clean energy, healthcare, construction, and technology are all growing sectors with real job openings. I'll support training pathways in HVAC, solar installation, electrical trades, energy efficiency, and other fields where Massachusetts workers can build careers without a four-year degree. Workforce development should connect directly to employers and produce credentials that lead to jobs.

Connect education to careers: Early College lets high school students earn college credits at no cost, giving first-generation and lower-income students a head start on careers as well as degrees. I voted for Early College on the Board of Higher Education (BHE) in 2017. It now serves 12,000 students and produces dramatically better outcomes. I'll champion H.4407, An Act Relative to College in High School, to codify it into law. I'll also support apprenticeship programs, career technical education, and clear pathways from community colleges to four-year institutions and employment.

Support small businesses and entrepreneurs: Small businesses are the backbone of our district's local economies in Somerville, Medford, Cambridge, and Winchester. I'll fight to reduce regulatory burden, improve access to capital for entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities, and make Massachusetts a place where people can start and grow a business without the administrative burden that falls hardest on businesses without lawyers on staff.

Create good jobs in the clean energy transition: The shift to clean energy is already creating jobs in Massachusetts. I'll ensure those jobs pay well, come with benefits, and offer real career pathways. I'll support workforce development in the skilled trades that the clean energy economy requires and ensure that Massachusetts workers are first in line as we build out solar, offshore wind, and building electrification.

Protect workers and strengthen labor standards: I'll support workers' right to organize, fight wage theft and misclassification, and strengthen enforcement of labor standards. Gig economy workers and independent contractors deserve basic protections. A thriving innovation economy depends on workers being treated fairly, and I'll hold employers in every sector to that standard.

Keep Massachusetts competitive on costs: High energy costs, regulatory complexity, and housing costs make it harder for businesses to hire workers who cannot afford to stay here. The policies I support on housing production, clean energy transition, and streamlined permitting are also economic competitiveness policies.

Support economic opportunity for everyone: Economic growth that concentrates at the top is not success. I'll support the Fair Share Amendment's investment in education and transportation as good economic policy, push for progressive tax policy that asks more of those who can afford it, and ensure workforce and economic development programs reach the communities that have historically been left out.