René is a Washington, DC-based Apprenticeships for America team member focusing on membership services. He joins AFA after a decade as an independent consultant.

For over 25 years, René has worked to help disadvantaged people and communities find social and economic opportunity. His varied experience has included work as an advocate, board member, facilitator, researcher, writer and director of multi-site programs. His primary areas of focus have been workforce development, asset-building and diversity, equity and inclusion. Over the years he has worked with a variety of non-profit, for-profit and foundations alike, offering facilitation services, leadership and staff counsel, program and event management, advocacy support and diversity, equity and inclusion audits and learning sessions.

Prior to launching his consultancy, René served on the staff of two programs at the Aspen Institute. These included: Skills for America’s Future, an initiative that highlighted and promoted partnerships between employers and community colleges to help match training to workforce needs and the Community Strategies

Group, a program that engages rural communities around the country to help them design strategic responses to their most difficult local challenges.

Prior to joining Aspen, René worked at CFED (now known as Prosperity Now) designing and leading multi-site demonstration projects and scores of convenings, both large and small. His focus at CFED was on the then new field of asset-building: helping people purchase homes, start small microbusinesses and access post-secondary education. CFED’s work helped develop the asset-building field.

René also has relevant experience as an advocate. Early in his career he worked for RESULTS, Inc. an anti-poverty advocacy group. He led a team of staffers and volunteers - as well as multi-organizational coalitions - on successful campaigns to pass impactful legislation.

René is a graduate of Columbia University and the UCLA School of Law.