KANSAS CITY, MO, April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the news release, United WE Launches National Task Force to Modernize Occupational Licensing for the AI Economy, issued 29-Apr-2026 by United WE over Globe Newswire, changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows:
United WE Launches National Task Force to Modernize Occupational Licensing for the AI Economy
National leaders among those represented in effort to increase pathways to work in the AI era
United WE, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing women's economic and civic leadership, today announced the formation of a national task force, bringing together leaders from across policy, research, and industry to advance solutions for breaking down one of the most persistent and often overlooked barriers to economic opportunity: occupational licensing.
United WE’s National Occupational Licensing Task Force is part of a multi-year research and stakeholder engagement initiative supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. It will focus on elevating evidence-based solutions, strengthening cross-sector collaboration, and increasing public awareness of how licensing barriers impact workforce participation – particularly for women.
The launch comes as advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the labor market and increasing the need for workers to move quickly between roles, industries, and geographies. However, research shows that occupational licensing can limit that flexibility, making it harder for workers to pivot to new careers and making it critical to identify where requirements are necessary and where they can be modernized.
“Our research has consistently identified occupational licensing as an issue area impacting economic development – especially for women,” said Wendy Doyle, President and CEO of United WE. “As new technologies like AI reshape the economy, we must ensure licensing systems protect public health and safety while not preventing qualified people from working. We are proud to convene leaders from across the country to advance our understanding of practical, research-based solutions to this challenge.”
Occupational licensing has expanded dramatically in recent decades, with the share of U.S. jobs requiring a license rising from just 5 percent in the 1950s to more than 22 percent today. These requirements disproportionately impact women, who are more likely to work in licensed professions. For many – especially military spouses, caregivers returning to the workforce, and professionals relocating across state lines – these requirements can delay or prevent reentry into the workforce altogether.
From State Solutions to National Momentum
United WE has been at the forefront of advancing practical, research-backed solutions to reduce unnecessary and burdensome occupational licensing barriers.
Their groundbreaking research and policy advocacy efforts on occupational licensing in Missouri and Kansas have led to major reforms - including universal licensing reciprocity and reduced regulations on hair braiders. Missouri and Kansas were recently recognized by the Archbridge Institute for having the lowest occupational licensing burdens in the country. These heartland success stories show what is possible when evidence-backed data, policy priorities, and best practices come together.
In this year’s 2026 State of the State addresses, governors across the nation and both sides of the political spectrum highlighted occupational licensing reform, signaling a rare and growing bipartisan consensus around the need to modernize systems that limit workforce participation.
Building on this momentum, the Task Force convenes a diverse coalition of experts to help advance solutions nationwide. Early discussions centered on positioning occupational licensing not just as a regulatory issue, but as a workforce and economic development strategy—one that reflects the realities of workers, the needs of employers, and the people who rely on these services.
“At its core, occupational licensing is about who is allowed to work, and the barriers embedded in those decisions often go far beyond what is needed for public protection,” said Rebecca Haw Allensworth, Ropes & Gray Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and author of The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong.
This work will be grounded in United WE’s national research study, which examines where licensing requirements create barriers – and where targeted changes can expand workforce participation.
A Cross-Sector Coalition
The Task Force includes leaders from research institutions, policymaking bodies, professional associations, and advocacy organizations, reflecting the broad coalition needed to drive lasting change.
Over the course of 2026, the Task Force will advance evidence-based solutions to modernize licensing systems, strengthen collaboration, increase awareness, and inform policy by contributing insights to United WE’s national research project.
Task Force members include:
- Meg Fosque - Director, U.S. Program & Policy, The Rockefeller Foundation
- Haley Glover - Senior Director, UpSkill America, Aspen Institute
- Suzanne Hultin - Director, Employment, Labor & Retirement, National Conference of State Legislatures
- Phyllis Polk Johnson - President, National Council of State Boards of Nursing/Executive Director, Mississippi Board of Nursing
- Stephanie Ferguson Melhorn - Executive Director, Workforce & International Labor Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Jennifer McDonald - Director of Activism, Institute for Justice
- Joanna Mikulski - Senior Advisor, America Achieves
- Ryan Nunn - Director of Research, Yale Law School Budget Lab
- Elle Patout - National Director of Advocacy & Public Relations, National Association of Women Business Owners
- Representative Brandon Phelps, Missouri House of Representatives
- Dane Stangler - Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Bipartisan Policy Center
- Steven Taylor - Policy Director and Senior Fellow, Stand Together
- Edward Timmons - Vice President of Policy, Archbridge Institute
- Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth - Director, Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University
About United WE
United WE is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan think-and-do-tank driving systemic change by elevating all women economically and civically. United WE demonstrates change by conducting research, developing solutions and sharing stories of impact. We have decades of evidence that our unique lens on issues women face, mixed with our method of “Research. Solutions. Results.” Can catalyze systemic change to strengthen our economy. Visit www.united-we.org and connect with @UnitedWE__ on Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Channing Ansley Grate United WE cgrate@mazur-co.com