New York, New York – November 19th, 2024 – The workforce development organization Year Up United announced today that it has appointed Eric Westphal as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately.
Westphal comes to Year Up United with more than 20 years of leadership experience in workforce strategy, operations, and economic development. He previously served as the Global Workforce Strategy and Economic Development Leader at Cognizant, an information technology services and consulting company.
As COO, Westphal will report directly to Year Up United CEO and President Ellen McClain. His primary area of focus will be on optimizing Year Up United’s training pathways to ensure consistent, quality program delivery across all Year Up United markets.
“Eric’s expertise and decades of experience will allow us to continue advancing operational excellence across Year Up United,” said McClain. “What stood out for us was his commitment to increasing economic mobility and his ability to inspire confidence in the potential and necessity of skills-first talent practices. He sees the good in people, appreciates the interconnectedness of our work, and respects the essential need for collaboration.”
“Increasing access to opportunity through skills training and on-the-job experience is work that I’m truly passionate about, and I’m excited to join Year Up United and continue building upon its tremendous impact,” said Westphal. “Year Up United has delivered the largest wage gains of any workforce organization in US history, and it has continued to innovate to better serve young adults and its employer partners. As part of this innovation, my priority will be to further streamline and enhance Year Up United’s Career Pathways training program, where we are serving multiple markets simultaneously, using standard curriculum and instructional delivery methods across the country.”
During his 14 years at Cognizant, Westphal held several leadership roles, including COO of Global Legal and Corporate Affairs and Chief of Staff to the CEO. Prior to Cognizant, Westphal was the New York Operations Leader for Deloitte and VP of Operations at a digital creative services agency. He has also served on the Board of Per Scholas and led the creation of the Cognizant U.S. Foundation, funded by Cognizant with an initial investment to support technology education and skills initiatives for U.S. workers and students.
Westphal graduated from Providence College and received an MBA from the Fordham Gabelli School of Business. He is based in New York City.