Roosevelt Institute Names Elizabeth Wilkins Next President and CEO

New York, NY—The Roosevelt Institute board of directors voted to approve Elizabeth Wilkins, the former director of the Office of Policy Planning at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as its next president and CEO. She will begin her tenure in February 2025.

“In the last decade, the Roosevelt Institute has led a major reconceptualization of the government’s role and responsibility in shaping a better economy, lifting up the value of public investments, and advancing the interests of workers and families,” said Roosevelt Institute Board Chair Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. “Elizabeth is the right leader to carry that work forward and advance an economy that works for the many.” 

Wilkins succeeds Felicia Wong, who will transition to lead strategy and development for the Roosevelt Society, a new personnel initiative that trains, connects, and champions a pipeline of leaders ready to reimagine how our democracy and economy should work.

At the FTC, Wilkins led work to ban noncompete clauses that limit workers’ choices and pushed back on the health-care and tech intermediaries that use their market power against patients, consumers, and small businesses. In addition to her role as director of policy planning, Wilkins also served as chief of staff to FTC Chair Lina Khan. Before her time in the Biden administration, Wilkins worked for the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia for nearly five years. Wilkins got her start helping people build power as a part of the SEIU 32BJ in Manhattan. 

“Much of my work over my professional career has been to push back against the harmful corporate concentration that robs workers and families of economic power,” said the incoming Roosevelt Institute CEO, Elizabeth Wilkins. “We want our economy to support human flourishing. But because of the continued impact of decades of market deregulation, Americans aren’t flourishing, they aren’t secure, they aren’t economically free. Roosevelt’s research, advocacy, and people have been a part of the profound policy shifts to address this, and I am excited to be a part of it.”

As Roosevelt announced in June, Wong will be transitioning into new work with the Roosevelt Society after 12 years as president and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute. In her new role, Wong will continue to support progressive leaders for public service and economic policy positions, leveraging the power and success of Roosevelt’s student and alumni network, Institute staff and fellows, and political appointments.

“Elizabeth’s experience and relationships are unparalleled,” said Wong. “She sets her sights on big goals, brings people together, and gets things done—leaving every organization better as a result. The Roosevelt Institute is in excellent hands.”

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