As of November 1, Tina Tchen will be the new president and CEO of Time’s Up. The co-founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund and former chief of staff to Michelle Obama has been “a proven advocate for women for the last 40 years,” a press release has announced, and is “the ideal leader at this critical inflection point in the organization’s story.”
Tchen succeeds interim CEO Rebecca Goldman, who took on the role following first prez/CEO Lisa Borders’ exit in February. Goldman will continue to serve as the org’s COO.
“I have been a single working mother throughout my career, and I have never witnessed such an inspiring and honest conversation about the challenges facing women and all workers, including sexual harassment, power, and equity,” Tchen observed. “I am more optimistic than ever that we can create workplaces where everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their full potential and, in this new role, I’m determined to make it happen.”
“Tina is one of the wisest, toughest, and most grounded people I know, but most of all, Tina has a generous heart which always steers her unerringly toward justice and equality,” said Legal Defense Fund co-founder Robbie Kaplan. “We could not be more fortunate to have someone with Tina’s strength, vision, and calm fierceness leading us on the journey ahead.”
Tchen practices law at Buckley LLP. She leads the workplace culture division, where she advises companies on issues related to gender equality, sexual harassment, and diversity. She also sits on the advisory board of United State of Women, an organization dedicated to supporting gender equality groups around the country. During the Obama administration, Tchen spearheaded the first White House Summit on Working Families and helped put together the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.
Since its January 18 inception, the Legal Defense Fund has referred over 3,600 workers experiencing sexual harassment to attorneys. Employees from every industry have reached out to the Fund, and two-thirds identify as low-wage workers.
Along with Tchen’s appointment, Time’s Up has also unveiled the Impact Lab, an innovation center designed to “pioneer research driving toward public policy, private sector, and culture change to address sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination, as well as broader systemic inequality and injustice at work.”
The Lab began with a grant from Melinda Gates’ Pivotal Ventures and will be overseen by Jennifer Klein, chief strategy and policy officer at Time’s Up. The initiative seeks to make the workplace a better, safer place for women by preventing sexual harassment — and protecting its survivors — removing barriers to entry, and increasing women’s representation.
“I am optimistic about the change we all want — and need — to see in this country because of organizations like Time’s Up that drive forward progress for all women,” Gates stated. “The Impact Lab is a critical initiative to ensure that the workplace becomes what it should be: a place where everyone can thrive, not a barrier to safety and success.”
