Washington, April 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Academy of Social Insurance has named Rebecca Vallas as Chief Executive Officer, beginning July 1, 2024. She will be the third CEO in the Academy’s nearly forty-year history, succeeding Bill Arnone, who has served as CEO since 2016.
As one of the nation’s leading experts on economic security, Vallas brings over fifteen years of in-depth experience in income policy and direct service to those most affected by social insurance and related programs.
“Rebecca combines an extraordinary array of skills and experiences with a collaborative leadership style and a vast network among private, public, and non-profit entities," said Academy Board Chair Paul Van de Water.
"Rebecca takes the helm of the Academy at a crucial time in the organization’s and our nation's history,” said CEO Bill Arnone. “Social insurance programs face major challenges, and how we respond will be a reflection of our nation’s values. There is no one better equipped to lead an impactful, strategic response than Rebecca Vallas.”
“I believe deeply in social insurance as a recognition of the dignity of every human, in our shared humanity, and our interconnectedness,” said Vallas. “It is a great honor to carry forward the Academy’s nearly 40-year legacy into its next chapter, and I look forward to doing my part to hold space for the extraordinary Academy community at this critical time.”
Rebecca’s professional career spans The Century Foundation, the Center for American Progress, the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, where she began her career representing low-income disabled and older people struggling to access Social Security and Supplemental Security Income.
She also served nearly eight years on the Academy’s Board of Directors, including as the Academy’s Secretary and a member of its Executive Committee. Most recently, she has served as Distinguished Fellow and Senior Advisor to the Academy.
Vallas earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. from Emory University.
For photos, interviews, or information, contact Tom Novotny at the National Academy of Social Insurance at (202) 243-7281 or by e-mail at tnovotny@nasi.org.
Since the National Academy of Social Insurance was founded in 1986, it has provided rigorous inquiry and insights into the functioning of our nation’s social insurance and related programs – Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, Medicare and Medicaid, Unemployment Insurance, and Workers’ Compensation. Comprised of over 1,200 of the nation’s top experts in social insurance and related policies and programs, the Academy studies how social insurance will meet the changing needs of American families, employees, and employers. The Academy also looks at new frontiers for social insurance, including areas of uninsured or underinsured economic risks. To learn more about the Academy’s work, please visit www.nasi.org, or follow @socialinsurance on Twitter.
