Our guest this episode is Kristina Francis, a Executive Director at JFFLabs. Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to reshaping U.S. education and workforce systems for inclusive economic progress. Kristina is a experienced professional with a rich background spanning management consulting, software development, engineering, and cybersecurity. She began in database administration at the American Institutes for Research, evolving from an individual contributor to leading a 120-member development team for the Department of Defense. In 2016, a pivotal moment led to a dual career path, involving founding a consulting company, angel investing in women-owned tech ventures, and engaging in workforce opportunities. Currently serving as the Executive Director for JFFLabs at Jobs for the Future, Kristina  provides a distinctive perspective on the present and future of workforce and education, emphasizing innovation, disruption, and foresight into the implications of emerging technologies. Takeaways: AI has the potential to both disrupt jobs and create new job opportunities, but ensuring access to skills training will be important for workforce development.Personalized learning and career discovery tools that integrate assessments and map out skills pathways could help more people navigate changing job opportunities.Addressing systemic barriers and biases will be important to ensure all populations can benefit from new economic opportunities.Regions and employers can play a role in workforce development through public-private partnerships, on-the-job training programs, and investing in employees' skills. Quote of the Show: " How do we get more innovators, school systems, programs, and employers to get on board and provide the support and systems needed so that everyone in our communities is able to discover and navigate through our system to achieve their highest potential? "- Kristina Francis Links: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinaharrisonfrancis/Website: https://www.jff.org/Email: [email protected] to Tune In: Earley AI Podcast: https://www.earley.com/earley-ai-podcast-home Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1586654770 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nkcZvVYjHHj6wtBABqLbE?si=73cd5d5fc89f4781 iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-earley-ai-podcast-87108370/ Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/earley-ai-podcast Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/18524b67-09cf-433f-82db-07b6213ad3ba/earley-ai-podcast Buzzsprout: https://earleyai.buzzsprout.com/   Thanks to our sponsors: CMSWire Earley Information Science AI Powered Enterprise Book