Patrick Combs is a vice president at Jobs for the Future, leading the Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning in developing, scaling, and promoting effective programs that lead to equitable economic advancement. His expertise includes strategy development and implementation, workforce and economic development, partnership and coalition building, and employer-led, community-driven talent solutions.
Patrick served as the interim chief executive officer and chief program officer for the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership. In that role, he led the second-largest local workforce area in the country while helping to drive equity through programs such as the Chicago Community Health Response Corps and the Road Home Reentry initiative. He also helped lead a winning bid for the Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge. Before that, he held executive roles in the workforce systems of both Nashville and New York.
Patrick served on the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council board, co-chairing the youth and young adults subcommittee. Previously he served on the boards of Alignment Nashville and Alignment USA, helping to use collective impact frameworks to achieve equitable outcomes in K-12 education.
“My family loves visiting the beaches near Chicago on Lake Michigan or taking a long walk with our rescue dog, Juice Box,” Patrick says. “Having lived in big cities all over the country, I am fascinated by the symphony of life in urban areas and love exploring new cities.”
