Areas of Expertise: Workforce policy development and implementation, Aging and long-term care, Racial equity, Future of work
Robert Espinoza is the Chief Executive Officer of National Skills Coalition, which fights for a national commitment to inclusive, high-quality skills training so that more people have access to a better life, and more local businesses see sustained growth. Since 2000, through expert analysis and technical assistance, broad-based organizing, targeted advocacy, and cutting-edge communications, NSC has changed hundreds of state and federal skills policies that have transformed the lives of workers across the country and grown local businesses and economies.
Robert Espinoza is a prominent advocate and thought leader in the fields of workforce, aging, and caregiving. He has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing public policy and fostering a greater general understanding about some of our most pressing societal issues, from the workforce to caregiving, LGBTQ+ rights to racial equity—and more. He presents frequently at events throughout the country and has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, Forbes, and The Washington Post, among others.
Prior to his role at the National Skills Coalition, Robert served as the Executive Vice President of Policy at PHI, the nation’s foremost organization focused on the direct care workforce. For nearly a decade, he directed the organization’s award-winning national advocacy, research, and public education division. Under his leadership, the division produced over 100 original publications, launched multiple high-profile national and state-based initiatives, and garnered significant media attention and online engagement.
In recognition of his innovative contributions, Robert was selected for the inaugural CARE100 list in 2020, recognizing him as one of the most forward-thinking individuals reshaping the landscape of caregiving in America. Additionally, he was named one of Next Avenue’s 2020 Influencers in Aging. In 2021, he testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen workforce interventions in direct care.
In addition, Robert serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and sits on the board of directors for the National Academy of Social Insurance, the FrameWorks Institute, and the American Society on Aging, where he holds the position of Chair Elect. Since 2023, he has hosted A Question of Care, a widely syndicated podcast exploring the many challenges facing our country’s caregiving system.
Robert received his MPA from New York University, and his BA in English and BS in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he graduated summa cum laude. He is a 2014 graduate of the Rockwood Leadership Institute, and lives in Jersey City, New Jersey with his husband, Michael, and their dog, Gracie.
