June 13, 2023
Alexandra Anderson
Watch Burnes Center for Social Change senior fellow Seth Harris in conversation with Portia Wu, Secretary of Labor for the state of Maryland, Laura Fortman, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor, and Robert Asaro-Angelo, Commissioner at New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, as they discuss the the role and responsibilities of a labor secretary, the big successes and challenges in each state, and much more.
Secretary Wu has been serving as the Secretary of Labor for the state of Maryland since early 2023. Previously, she was Managing Director of of U.S. Public Policy at Microsoft. Before joining Microsoft, Wu served as Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training at the United States Department of Labor, overseeing federal programs that provided job training and employment services. From 2011 to 2014, she served at the White House Domestic Policy Council as Special Assistant and Senior Policy Advisor to President Barack Obama for Labor and Workforce.
Commissioner Fortman has over 20 years of experience in public policy and advocacy for the Department of Labor. Prior to being confirmed to serve as Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor in 2019, Fortman was Deputy Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the United States Department of Labor from 2013 to 2017, and held her same role as Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor under Governor John Baldacci from 2003 through 2010.
Commissioner Asaro-Angelo was appointed as Commissioner at New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development in 2018. Before serving in this role, Asaro-Angelo worked for the Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA), AFSCME and 1199SEIU. He also served as executive director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee in 2008 during the Bush Obama transition.
