R&P: Sarah
Member of Research and
Policy Unit (R&P)
I started my career in the international trade field. I knew I wanted to pursue a meaningful and purposeful career, so when I learned about the repeal of the consumptive demand clause – it clicked! I could use my trade background for good and apply my experience in an impactful way. I decided to shift my focus and went back to graduate school for sustainability management. I was able to work on several interesting projects, including one with Kate Spade to design the first consumer facing Corporate Social Responsibility Impact Report, highlighting social impact metrics and key performance indicators related to the social enterprise women’s life skills program established in Rwanda. This project solidified my pursuit of a career in social impact.
I joined the ILAB team in September 2020 as an International Relations Officer, and coincidentally enough, I am now working on the same issues that motived my career shift. My portfolio includes working on forced labor trade enforcement and other trade related initiatives. Working closely with the other members of the R&P unit as well as with our interagency partners, I have the opportunity to learn from deeply passionate and bright leaders.
MERL: Wei-Cheng
Member of Monitoring, Evaluation Research
and Learning Division (MERL)
Nearly two decades ago, when I came to the United States from Taiwan for my graduate studies, little did I know that I would eventually join the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT), devoting myself to a career that I have come to be passionate about. Prior to OCFT, I spent more than 12 years as a research professional on a wide range of subjects relating to international development, such as food security, public health, child and forced labor, and governance. From these experiences, I came to believe that the evidence-based program designs, which uphold transparency and accountability, are a key element in sustainable development strategies. This belief eventually brought me to join the US government.
As an International Relations Officer in OCFT, I am responsible for overseeing work related to monitoring, evaluation and research in support of OCFT’s technical assistance programs. These activities include performance and impact evaluations, development of comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems, prevalence surveys and other formative research tasks. These activities assess how projects have been implemented towards meeting their expected objectives and outcomes, and inform adjustments of program implementation or future design. As part of my work, I have the opportunity to engage with a variety of partners— within USDOL, other U.S. agencies, the private sector, civil society organizations, and foreign governments— to nurture partnership among stakeholders with possibly diverging priorities and perspectives to make progress toward our common goal of eradicating international child labor, forced labor and human trafficking. I feel privileged and motivated to work hand-in-hand with many talented colleagues who share this passion to make our world a better place.
TAC: Lorena
Member of Technical Assistance
and Cooperation Unit (TAC)
I decided to pursue a career in international development in college. That decision took me to Mexico and Brazil where I witnessed firsthand the plight of marginalized populations that worked and lived under some of the most precarious conditions. I saw children working in the agricultural fields side by side with their parents harvesting crops that would eventually end up in the United States. I worked in a nonprofit organization that taught work readiness skills to vulnerable youth, preparing them to secure safe and decent employment opportunities, a first for many in their families. The passion I saw in youth to improve their families’ conditions through better and safer jobs inspired me to look at a career in the Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).
I joined OFCT in 2011 as an International Relations Analyst. I have worked an array of issues including child labor, youth employability, acceptable working conditions, occupational safety & health, migration, capacity building of civil society organizations and governments, just to name a few. I have grown professionally in my career here in OCFT, which has led me to work on topics that extend beyond just immediate project management role and I work daily with people across the US government, community based organizations, government and business in countries such as Brazil, Panama, Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia and Mexico. I feel very honored to have the opportunity to be a civil servant and represent my agency abroad while working on topics that are close to my heart.
R&P: Claudia
Member of Research and
Policy Unit (R&P)
I grew up between Mexico and the United States, and saw children my age working in the fields with their parents while I got to play and go to school. It didn’t feel right and I wanted to help all children to be able to play and go to school just as I had. This led to my interest in pursuing a career in international economic development to ensure that vulnerable communities around the world have more opportunities. After graduating with my master’s degree in applied economics, I began working at the Bureau of Labor Statistics as an economist and, in 2017, I was fortunate to complete a detail assignment with ILAB focusing on data analysis and OCFT’s Sweat & Toil mobile application. I subsequently joined OCFT full-time in 2018 as an International Relations Officer, once again focusing on data analysis and engaging on child labor and forced labor issues in Mexico during the negotiation and implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Working in ILAB has allowed me to develop new skills, engage with stakeholders across governments, private sector, and civil society, and work to advance labor rights. I’m honored to serve as a civil servant representing the U.S. here and abroad while working on topics about which I am passionate.
R&P: Kyle
Member of Research and
Policy Unit (R&P)
Growing up, I watched many family members working in the medical field and thought I was destined to attend medical school. I worked hard through my undergraduate studies and prepped for the MCAT medical school admissions exam, but was wait-listed my first go-around. I decided to pause my pursuit of medical school and joined the Peace Corps to gain additional real-world experience as a health volunteer in Eastern Europe. Instead, I was assigned to work in Thailand as a community-development volunteer. During those two years I discovered a profound desire and keen ability to work on international development and affairs work at all levels; from the grassroots village to working directly with the U.S. Ambassador in Thailand. My experiences pushed me to leave the medical school dream, study for the GRE, and attend American University in Washington, D.C. for a master’s degree in international affairs in Southeast Asia.
After graduation, I worked at Peace Corps Headquarters in the international cooperation and operations management fields. I was extremely excited to join OCFT in 2018 as an International Relations Officer working specifically on labor issues in Southeast Asia, especially after using some of OCFT’s work in graduate school. Now, as a Team Lead for international relations staff within OCFT, I work with management to coordinate the research, production, and publication of ILAB’s annual flagship report, The Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor. I provide my team with day-to-day guidance on work projects and establish workflows. With my team, I also formulate policy and program recommendations, including coordinating and developing official positions and budget requirements. I ensure policies and programs respond to the Department’s and United States’ priorities and interests. I feel extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to progress in my career in OFCT and work to ensure that the dignity and rights of workers around the world are upheld.
Marc
Member of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research,
and Learning Division (MERL)
Growing up with family in both France and the United States, I have been interested in international affairs for a long time. I was also drawn to public policy and finding work that would allow me to make a difference. In college, I was fascinated by courses on workers’ rights and labor markets in developing economies and eventually chose to pursue a career in this field. As a researcher, evaluator, and technical assistance specialist, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of international development issues in Zambia, Egypt, Morocco, and Côte d’Ivoire. I also worked directly on ILAB-funded technical assistance projects in Mexico, Honduras, and Georgia, before ultimately joining ILAB in April 2021.
ILAB funds a variety of organizations to implement projects to strengthen respect for workers’ rights around the world. In my role with ILAB’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT), I help our grantees monitor, evaluate, and report on the progress of their projects. This helps ensure that these projects are able to use reliable information on their progress to make sound management decisions to achieve their goals. I feel lucky to be able to help fight workers’ rights abuses in this way, while also learning from the varied experiences of our partners, who face unique challenges in each country where they work.