Gregory
Adam Haile
is a recognized leader at the intersection of U.S. competitiveness, workforce development, and economic mobility.
Chief Executive Officer of Upwardly Global
Chair of the Federal Reserve of Atlanta
Chair of the Audit Committee for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School
Senior Advisor to the Harvard Project on Workforce
Senior Fellow at Achieving the Dream
Former President of Broward College
Recognized as a top 5 Community College President
Designed and taught a higher education law and policy course at Harvard
One of six U.S. leaders appointed to the U.S. Dept of Commerce’s U.S. - EU Trade and Technology Council’s Talent for Growth Task Force
Tireless advocate for opportunity
Columbia University Law School, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and editor-in-chief of the National Black Law Journal
Noted keynote speaker
Meet Gregory Haile
Before realizing these achievements, however, Greg was just another kid growing up in South Jamaica, Queens, New York, during the late 1980s. Like many residents from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, he possessed talent but had little opportunity for it to shine. His high school was in the first cohort of NYC public schools to require metal detectors. He graduated from high school in the top 15% of his class with a 2.7 GPA. He attended Arizona State University, and despite requiring remedial education, Greg soon excelled at ASU. Upon becoming the first college graduate in his family, he was named Most Outstanding Undergraduate - ASU College of Public Programs, forever transforming his life and career trajectory. Since then, his purpose has been grounded in elevating the lives of others and creating access to opportunity.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEADER
As CEO of Upwardly Global, the nation’s leading immigrant workforce development organization, Greg is focused on correcting a $40 billion annual misallocation of workforce capacity. Greg is dedicated to activating the talent of the 2+ million work-authorized, professionally-qualified immigrants working in jobs below their skill level within our nation. While key industries like healthcare and education suffer from critical vacancies, Upwardly Global works to connect employers with the talent they need. The results speak to the scale of the opportunity: Upwardly Global jobseekers move from an average salary of ~$9,000 at intake to ~$67,000 upon placement in a skill-aligned role.
Economic Policy Expert
Haile serves as Board Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta overseeing the management of the Bank’s operations and providing insights to help inform monetary policy deliberations. He also served on the U.S.- EU Talent for Growth Task Force, a collaborative initiative of the U.S. Commerce and State Departments and their European counterparts, which recommended best practices to remain competitive globally through workforce training programs that enhance and advance human capital in the age of AI.
Social Impact Advocate
Greg is the CEO of Upwardly Global, a national workforce development organization that has helped more than 35,000 immigrant professionals find meaningful work in the U.S., bolstering the U.S. economy by at least $1.9B annually. Greg is a tireless community advocate with 20+ years of experience on nonprofit boards. Greg remains committed to removing those barriers that limit access to the opportunities most likely to positively impact the quality, longevity, and success of people’s lives.
Recognition for this work includes the 2021 Helpline Hero Award (211 Broward), 2019 Champions of Children Award (HANDY: Helping Abused and Neglected Disadvantaged Youth), and 2019 Tripp Scott Diversity Champion Award (Urban League of Broward County).
FUTURE OF WORK STRATEGIST
Haile recently concluded his Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard University, where his research explores the intersection of economic mobility, workforce readiness, and artificial intelligence as critical elements of U.S. competitiveness and national security. He then accepted an opportunity to extend this work with the M-RCBG as a Research Fellow.
He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the Harvard Project on Workforce, a cross-university collaboration between the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Graduate School of Education focused on the future of education, labor markets, and workforce development. Through this work, Haile helps shape research and strategy that guide leaders across business, education, and public policy in preparing for a rapidly evolving economy.
Noted Speaker
A dynamic and inspiring speaker, Greg delivers keynote speeches and participates in panel discussions at dozens of conferences, university lecture series, and charitable events each year.
