Author Profile
Amy Dean
Amy Dean is a fellow of The Century Foundation and principal of ABD Ventures, LLC, an organizational development consulting firm that works to develop new and innovative organizing strategies for social change organizations. Dean is co-author, with David Reynolds, of A New New Deal: How Regional Activism Will Reshape the American Labor Movement. Dean has worked for nearly two decades at the cross section of labor and community based organizations linking policy and research with action and advocacy. You can follow Amy on twitter @amybdean, or she can be reached via http://www.amybdean.com.
During her tenure at the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, the New York Times called Dean “the most innovative figure in Silicon Valley.” As leader of the 15th largest regional labor federation in the country, Dean represented over 90 unions and 110,000 members in the heart of Silicon Valley. She was the youngest person and first woman to lead a major labor federation of the AFL-CIO.
Dean is founder of two successful and innovative nonprofit organizations. In 1995 she founded Working Partnerships USA (WPUSA), a nonprofit organization committed to rebuilding the links between regional economic policy and community well being. In 2005, Dean founded Building Partnerships USA, a national organization dedicated to increasing civic and political participation to strengthen democracy and advance social and economic justice at the regional level.
Dean has also served on the Board of Governors of California’s Community Colleges and has received many awards for her leadership, including Woman of the Year from the San Jose Mercury New, John M. Gardner Exemplary Leaders Award from the American Leadership Forum, and the Gloria Steinem Women of Vision Award from the Ms. Foundation.
Most Recent Articles
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Features
Reforming Immigration? Don’t Forget About Workers
The United States must remain the land of opportunity. more »
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Features
Help Obama Find His Shoes
Progressives need to pressure Obama to stick up for workers as promised. more »
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Features
How Teachers Unions Lead the Way to Better Schools
Diane Ravitch upends the "bad teachers" narrative. more »
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Working
One Right-Wing Strategy Creates a Thousand Local Battles
Michigan? Ohio? Indiana? In the wake of Republican Governor Scott Walker's over-the-top attacks on public sector workers in more »
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Working
Not a Union Member?: Why You Should Care About Wisconsin (or Ohio, or Michigan)
After two weeks of protests in Wisconsin, we are now watching demonstrations spread across the country. Over the more »
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Working
Finding Budget Solutions, Not Scapegoats: Lessons from an Oregon Victory
This week, as President Obama unveiled the federal budget and state legislatures across the country continued heated battles more »
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Working
Mr. President: The Fight for the Middle Class Isn’t in Washington
Tuesday night, the nation will focus its attention on the president’s State of the Union address, more »
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Working
Tax Cuts Create Jobs? Prove It.
Almost every piece of legislation passed in Washington these days is pushed forward in the name of creating more »
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Features
A New Blueprint for Change
A revived progressive program must be built year-round, at the local level. more »
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Working
Moves Against Off-Shoring Should Be More Than Political Afterthought
Yesterday, Democrats failed working people and demonstrated once more how wide the gulf has become between political rhetoric more »
