BOSTON – State officials recently announced the appointment of Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to assist with the integration of newly arrived migrants.
Brown will oversee hiring and job placement for migrants with work authorization as Assistant Secretary for Employer Engagement and Employee Outcomes.
Joseph, meanwhile, will oversee local and regional partnerships with stakeholders dedicated to employment outcomes for migrants, refugees, and vulnerable populations as Director of Community Engagement for the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
Brown brings years of experience in state government, including time spent as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Special Projects for former Governor Deval Patrick, while Joseph brings extensive experience in social work and as an Immigration Court Helpdesk Paralegal to their new positions.
Together, they will help the state accommodate an influx of recent migrants that have come to the state in recent months.
“Families who are arriving to our state are eager to start their lives and provide for their children,” said Cristina Aguilera, Executive Director of the Office for Refugees and Immigrants.
“One way to improve this is by helping with the path to employment and by creating partnerships with local organizations, who can work with us to assess the many skills and work experience that they bring, and support people as they achieve their goal to be self-sufficient in their new community.”
“With positions expressly dedicated to this work,” she said, “we will be able to deeply impact both newly arrived individuals and families seeking new opportunities, as well as their receiving communities.”
The state recently partnered with the Biden administration to hold a pair of weeklong clinics to help migrants obtain work authorization, resulting in 3,000 newly authorized workers in the state.
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