Department of Social and Economic Mobility

The Maryland Department of Social and Economic Mobility is the first cabinet-level agency in the United States focused on removing structural barriers to upward mobility. By combining the three existing offices focused on social equity programming—the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Affairs, the Office of Social Equity, and the Office of Minority Business Enterprises in the Maryland Department of Transportation—the agency allows the state government to better integrate initiatives that promote economic opportunity for individuals and s​​​mall businesses.

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Walter L. Simmons

Secretary

https://economicmobility.maryland.gov/

Walter L. Simmons is an accomplished nonprofit, government, and workforce development executive who is recognized as a national leader in public sector workforce development. In 2018, Simmons created Employ Prince George’s, Inc., the principal workforce development entity for Prince George’s County. Under his leadership, Employ Prince George’s has helped raise more than $200 million, develop relationships with more than 400 partners, serve more than 100,000 job seekers, and assist more than 15,000 businesses, leading to the creation of tens of thousands of jobs throughout the D.C. metropolitan region.

Simmons holds several leadership roles outside of his work with Employ Prince George’s, serving as chair of both the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations and IMPACTdmv. He also serves as the vice chair of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and he serves on the board of directors for the Bi-County Business Roundtable, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Workforce Boards.