Laurie Harrington named the Acting Executive Director of the Heldrich Center

February 13, 2024

Laurie Harrington, Assistant Director for Evaluation at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, has been appointed Acting Executive Director of the center. She succeeds Kevin Dehmer, who was nominated by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to serve as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education.

Laurie has conducted and led research projects covering a wide range of workforce and education programs and policies for more than two decades at the Heldrich Center. In addition to her deep knowledge about public and nonprofit workforce programs and labor market research, she also has experience assembling and managing research teams. She is also highly skilled in communicating results to government and nonprofit agencies that fund the center’s research portfolio.

Dr. Carl Van Horn, Director of the Heldrich Center and Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy commented, “I am very grateful that Laurie has agreed to lead the Heldrich Center. I know she will continue to make very significant positive impacts on the quality of the center’s growing research agenda.”

Dr. Andrea Hetling, Associate Director of the Heldrich Center and Professor of Public Policy at the Bloustein School, shared, “I am thrilled that Laurie will be serving as the Acting Executive Director. She has been an integral part of the Heldrich Center, and I am looking forward to working with her in this new role.”

About the Heldrich Center 

Established in 1998, the Heldrich Center, located at Rutgers’ Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, is a widely recognized national leader in research on the effectiveness of workforce development, education, and social policies and programs that aim to assist individuals to obtain jobs, advance their careers, or return to work after periods of unemployment. Learn more: www.heldrich.rutgers.edu

Recent Posts

Heldrich Center: Updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report Released

The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development has announced the release of an updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report, linking postsecondary completion data to employment outcomes across Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia. This effort...

Cantor, Yedidia Identify Strategies to Provide Health Care to Homeless

Through cooperation, homeless services and health care providers can improve delivery of medical care to a vulnerable population, according to Rutgers researchers published by Rutgers Today, December 17, 2025 Author: Greg Bruno Media Contact: Nicole Swenarton, Rutgers...

“Work Trends RU” Podcast with Beth Simone Noveck, Ph.D.

Beth Simone Noveck, Ph.D., Chief AI Strategist for the State of New Jersey, Guests on Work Trends RU Podcast Listen to the latest episode of the Heldrich Center’s “Work Trends RU” podcast, featuring Beth Simone Noveck, Ph.D., Chief AI Strategist for the State of New...

Prof. Andrews Interviewed About New Jersey’s Propane Emergency

RINGWOOD, N.J. (PIX11) — It’s a phrase that brings to mind natural disasters, like hurricanes or blizzards, but a state of emergency has now gone into effect in New Jersey over propane deliveries. As is the case in most natural disasters, this state of emergency...

Pfeiffer Ranks on List for Local Political Influence (Daily Targum)

By Daniel Ovadia Dec. 9, 2025, 8:04 p.m. Marc Pfeiffer, a senior policy fellow and associate director of Bloustein Local — a unit of Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy's Center for Urban Policy Development — was recently ranked on the Insider 100...