Stephen joined the Boston Fed to lead the Working Communities Challenge initiative in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont and work on inclusive growth issues in New England. Prior to the Fed, Stephen spent more than two decades consulting on economic and community development strategy in small cities, metro regions, and rural places across the country. Within that work, he had special focus on inclusive economic development strategy, talent development, and business-civic engagement. Stephen is a New Hampshire resident, a former legislator, and ran a nonprofit housing organization prior to his consulting work. Stephen’s work has been published extensively in coordination with the Ford Foundation, Aspen Institute, and National Fund for Workforce Solutions on topics including regional economic transformation, community-driven economic development, and business-civic leadership.