Oral history interview with Byron G. Auguste, 2021
Abstract
Byron Auguste reflects on his time as deputy assistant to the president for economic policy and as deputy director of the National Economic Council. He starts with a biographical account, going over his acquaintance with Vernon Jordan and his experience as the first Black director of McKinsey & Company. He recounts his time in Hope Street Group and the Opportunity Economics Colloquium, through the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and accepting the National Economic Council position. He talks about the creation of the Race to the Top Package, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and TechHire, UpSkill America and Ready to Work from the Obama administration. He talks about the dynamics between Congress and the White House, the possibilities of government action, and the role of the private sector
Presidents--United States; Auguste, Byron Gerald; Obama, Barack; National Economic Council (U.S.); McKinsey and Company; President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (U.S.); Race to the Top (Program : U.S.); United States. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2021
Physical Description
48 pages
Note (Biographical)
Byron Auguste served as deputy assistant to the president for economic policy and deputy director of the National Economic Council. His policy portfolio included job creation and labor markets, skills and workforce policies, innovation, investment, in frastructure, transportation, and goods movement. Prior to his work in the federal government, Auguste spent 20 years at McKinsey & Company. After leaving the White House, he founded Opportunity@Work, a nonprofit working to expand access to career opportunities
Note
Interviewed by Dov Weinryb Grohsgal on March 23, 2021. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Byron G. Auguste, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2022