Leadership Spotlight: An Interview with Chris Worley, Director

Chris Worley, Director at Fourth Economy, works on innovative projects that strengthen economies and communities. This builds on his previous role as Senior Consultant for Analytics where he helped clients find and implement evidence-based solutions to community challenges. Before joining Fourth Economy, he earned a master’s degree in Information Systems Management from Carnegie Mellon University. 

We asked Chris a few questions about his role, and his reflections on Fourth Economy’s past and present, and what he’s excited to accomplish at Fourth Economy in the future. We also asked Chris to tell us about something small that recently surprised him for the better. 

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As a Director at Fourth Economy, you have developed a specialty for projects that involve workforce and housing strategy. What drew you to focus on these issues? 

I’m drawn to these projects because workforce and housing strategy seem to be always at the forefront of economic development planning, because they are complementary: workers need housing and housing requires employment. As an analyst, I am excited about being able to pinpoint and quantify specific needs – such as addressing housing gaps or creating worker supports in growing industries – for the communities we work in. It is fascinating to continue to see promising practices emerge as economic developers address these challenges in their communities.

Fourth Economy is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and you have been with the firm for half of that time. How has the team evolved during your tenure?

I’ve been fortunate to see many new co-workers join our team as we grow – and bring new expertise to our staff. My favorite part about this is being able to broaden the types of projects that Fourth Economy can now tackle, including community health and program evaluation, something we couldn’t say a couple of years ago.  

What do you see as the next frontier in economic development?

The world is awash in data, especially with the emergence of AI. With all of this information we are data rich, but context poor, especially when it comes to evaluating what may be most important for a particular community. There continues to be a deep need in economic development for listening to and understanding local circumstances and context, for tailoring and finding the right recommendations for a particular community.

What do you hope to accomplish with Fourth Economy in the year ahead? 

I hope that Fourth Economy can be a steadying, reliable influence in the communities we work with. With all of the funding uncertainty and disruptive changes to programs, there is an opportunity for local leaders to learn from each other. Fourth Economy, by facilitating connections and sharing knowledge and information, can be a part of the solution.

There are big changes happening in the world all around us, and they don’t always feel like they’re for the better. What’s one little, simple change that has enriched your life recently?

I recently got my favorite birthday present in a while… a record player! Along with the gift, my dad gave me the first record he ever owned as a child, “Rubber Soul” by the Beatles. I love playing the records, and so do my children. I love how music can connect us, particularly across generations.