Our Mission
The Worker Institute at Cornell engages in research and education on contemporary labor issues, to generate innovative thinking and solutions to problems related to work, economy and society. The institute brings together researchers, educators and students with practitioners in labor, business and policymaking to confront growing economic and social inequalities, in the interests of working people and their families. A core value of the Worker Institute is that collective representation and workers' rights are vital to a fair economy, robust democracy and just society.
People at the Institute
- Executive Director, The Worker Institute (on leave)
Dr. Campos-Medina is a researcher, RTE Faculty and labor educator focusing on the intersection of race, immigration status and worker’s rights.
- Professor of Labor and Employment Law, ILR School, Academic Director, The Worker Institute
- Interim Executive Director, The Worker Institute
- Director of the National Labor Leadership Initiative
Kathleen Mulligan is the Director of Labor Leadership Programs, and Director of the National Labor Leadership Initiative, at Cornell University’s ILR School.
- Administrative Manager, The Worker Institute
Maheya Afnan is the Administrative Manager for The Worker Institute within the NYC Extension/Outreach Division of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).
- Director of Research for Worker Rights and Equity, ILR Worker Institute
Anne Marie Brady is the Senior Extension Associate – Research Director, Worker Rights and Equity. Anne Marie holds a Ph.D.
- Senior Extension Associate
Grabelsky is a senior extension associate with The Worker Institute and the Climate Jobs Institute.
- Senior Extension Associate
Elaine Kim spent over a decade on the leadership team at 32BJ SEIU, the largest property service union in the country, representing janitors, security officers, airport workers, and residential wor
- Program Coordinator
Sherrie Morales is a Program Coordinator for the Worker Institute at Cornell/ILR. She has worked for Cornell/ILR in NYC for over 27 years with various departments within ILR.
- Extension Associate, Labor Leadership Programs
Natalia ’09, has over 11 years of experience as a leader in the immigrant rights movement in New York and nationally, including leading a campaign to maintain and improve temporary protected status
- Labor Leadership Programs Associate
Tamara Robinson (She/Her) is an organizational development consultant, coach, labor leader, and activist with 16 years of experience.
- Director of Training and Curriculum Design, Worker Rights and Equity, ILR Worker Institute
Arianna Schindle joins the Worker Institute as an Extension Associate for Training and Organizational Development under the Worker Rights and Equity Team.
- Senior Extension Associate, Labor Leadership Team
David Unger is a Senior Extension Associate for the Worker Institute’s Labor Leadership Team, where he works to help build the NYS AFL-CIO/Cornell Union Leadership Institute’s pres
- Senior Researcher, Worker Rights and Equity, ILR Worker Institute
Zoë West, PhD, is Senior Researcher, Worker Rights and Equity (Senior Extension Associate).
- Director of Workplace Issues at Cornell University's ILR Metro District Office in New York City.
KC Wagner is the Director of Workplace Issues at Cornell University's ILR Metro District Office in New York City.
Donate
The Worker Institute at Cornell engages in research, training and education to advance worker’s rights and collective representation and help create a more fair, equitable and sustainable workplace and society.
The Institute conducts cutting-edge research and convened researchers, educators and students with practitioners in labor, social justice and policymaking to address workers’ rights in the gig economy, sexual harassment in the workplace, and creating good jobs in the clean energy economy.
Your gift to The Worker Institute will support workers’ rights and contribute to building a more diverse, inclusive and dynamic labor movement.
Worker Institute Fellows
Through our Fellows program, the Worker Institute acknowledges the groundbreaking work of our external colleagues and partners in the labor movement. Worker Institute Fellows have been nominated due to their ongoing and continued work on key Worker Institute projects.
