Stephanie Veck

Stephanie Veck is a Principal Consultant at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) with more than 30 years of leadership experience spanning business, economic development, and workforce systems. She is widely recognized for helping employers, states, and regions strengthen the infrastructure that connects education, workforce development, and industry demand. Stephanie’s work centers on industry engagement, work-based learning (WBL), and cross-system alignment, with a particular focus on the role of intermediaries, sector partnerships, and employer collaboratives in building sustainable talent pipelines. At AIR, she has led national initiatives including the Apprenticeship for Tech program under a U.S. Department of Labor Industry Intermediary contract and the Job Corps Business Engagement Initiative, supporting employers to expand access to early career opportunities while meeting real business needs. She served on the Strada Education Foundation WBL Action Group, advising development of a framework for scaling WBL through effective employer facing intermediaries. Stephanie describes the work of her team as serving as the intermediary of intermediaries. Previously, Stephanie served as managing director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council, where she led the creation of the state’s integrated talent development network and advanced industry-led sector strategies. Earlier in her career, she worked in economic development and ran multiple businesses, bringing a pragmatic, employer-informed perspective to her systems leadership.