HARRISON —
Industries of Greater New York and Northern
New Jersey has announced the appointment of Katy Gaul-Stigge as president and CEO. She succeeds William J. Forrester, who is retiring after 33 years of service to the organization.
Gaul-Stigge, who took office Monday, comes to Goodwill from the New York City Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, where she was executive director and led key citywide agencies for more than a decade.
“Katy was the unanimous choice of our Board Selection Committee after conducting an extensive search. She will bring a fresh perspective, imagination, and enthusiasm to our solid Goodwill NYNJ team,” said Goodwill NYNJ Board Chairman Henry E. Gooss.
Gaul-Stigge stated: “I am honored and excited to join Goodwill NYNJ as the next CEO of this dynamic organization. I am inspired by its mission to help individuals to gain independence through the power of work. Their model of creating jobs and community programming through personal donations transforms lives and communities.”
Gaul-Stigge gained national and international attention for her development of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Career Pathways strategy, coordinating workforce with economic development in all five boroughs, creating a real-time connection to businesses and connecting individuals seeking workforce services to quality jobs with opportunities for advancement.
Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, noted: “Gaul-Stigge has an extensive background in workforce training programs and deep relationships within the community, which will bring great value to the strategic growth of Goodwill NYNJ. I look forward to collaborating with her and the broader team on transforming the vision for the organization.”
Previously, Gaul-Stigge was deputy commissioner of employment and contracts for the Human Resources Administration of the City of New York. In this position, she led HRA employment programs to enable New Yorkers on public assistance to find and keep a job — through the Back to Work, Jobs-Plus and other specialized employment programs.
She also served as assistant commissioner of Workforce Training &
Advancement at the Department of Small Business Services.
Gaul-Stigge is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and earned a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University.
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey is a not-for-profit organization and a member of the network of 165 agencies of Goodwill Industries International. Since its beginnings 101 years ago, its mission has been to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment gain independence through the power of work.
A social enterprise model, Goodwill’s 41 retail stores, including Harrison’s, support the organization’s mission through the sale of new and slightly used donated goods and provide employment for its core constituency.
GoodTemps, Goodwill’s temporary staffing division, places 700 individuals in jobs weekly and serves both private companies and city and state agencies. Its welfare-to-work services, as well as programs which engage youth in school and the surrounding community, are designed to break the cycle of poverty for those facing significant barriers.
Learn more about Goodwill NYNJ at www.goodwillnynj.org.
