People at ILR

Megan Thorsfeldt is the Associate Director at the ILR School’s Center for Applied Research on Work (CAROW). Megan has worked across government, union, and nonprofit sectors with over 15 years of experience in project management and capacity building; translating research, analysis and investigations to project design, implementation, and coordination, and working with interdisciplinary teams spanning a wide variety of social and economic justice areas.

Most recently Megan led a team of data scientists and analysts at the New York State Office of the Attorney General providing rigorous statistical and analytic support to high priority cases and investigations covering the breadth of the office’s jurisdiction. In her role Megan contributed to cases with broad state and national implications including lawsuits to halt the federal government from making ICE arrests at New York State courthouses, forcing employers to pay workers for wage theft and intimidation, and protecting consumers from misleading marketing and other deceptive practices including industry wide settlements with internet service providers and restitution to consumers of $174 million.

Prior to her work at the New York Attorney General’s Office Megan was the Assistant Director of Research at 1199SEIU where she coordinated strategic research initiatives for new organizing campaigns, provided ongoing analysis on all aspects of the healthcare system including reimbursement models, quality care initiatives, and changes to state and federal regulatory regimes, and conducted bargaining support to negotiate New York’s largest healthcare worker contracts affecting tens of thousands of workers in New York City and across the state. Megan also conducted policy and research at SEIU 32BJ exploring economic development programs and procurement policy in New York State.

Megan earned a Master of Public Policy from the New School University and a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in History from the University of Oregon.