Rachel Barker
Public policy and economic development strategist
- Role
- Nonresident Fellow at The Brookings Institution
- Location
- Chicago, IL, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Rachel Barker
Rachel Barker is an economic development and public policy strategist blending skill sets across research and policy analysis; program strategy and delivery; and stakeholder engagement to build more innovative and inclusive city-regions. Specific areas of expertise include growth strategies for lagging and distressed regions; state support for regional economic development; and economic and workforce development alignment (i.e. “talent-to-industry exchange.”) Over the past four years, Barker has played a leading role in a portfolio of intensive engagements with public-private collaboratives and other partners in California’s midsized and inland regions, helping these regions position to compete in a “winner-take-all” economy favoring coastal, innovation-rich hubs. These efforts have resulted in the launch of new intermediaries, regional industry initiatives,(e.g. aerospace, bio-industrial manufacturing), and workforce strategies connecting residents to quality jobs. Barker also contributed to the establishment of a 2019 framework ultimately informing design of California’s signature $600M Community Economic Resilience Fund supporting regional economic development. Over 20••••22, Barker worked as part of a team engaging with Chicagoland regional stakeholders to determine the potential for greater economic development collaboration emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in formation of a new seven-county regional economic development partnership. Barker was previously a Policy Analyst, Engagement Strategist, and Impact Manager at Brookings Metro, focusing on applied research, peer learning networks, and monitoring and evaluation. Barker contributed to a range of projects – the Brookings-Rockefeller Project on State and Metropolitan Innovation, the Global Cities Initiative, the Shared Prosperity Partnership, and an inaugural Inclusive Economic Development Lab – applying Brookings expertise to promote local problem-solving. She has also worked with philanthropy and national intermediaries on a range of strategic projects.
Experience
Nonresident Fellow
Sep 2023 — Present
Education
The Lawrenceville School
High School Diploma
2004 — 2008
The George Washington University
B.A.
2008 — 2012
Skills
- Public Policy
- Digital Media
- Digital Strategy
- Community Outreach
- Research
- Qualitative Research
- Strategic Communications
- Foreign Affairs
- Urban History
- Storytelling
- Social Media
- Writing
- Public Affairs
- Digital Marketing
- European Studies
- Nonprofits
- Publications
- Social Media Marketing
- Monitoring & Evaluation
- Social Impact Assessment
- Blogging
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