Good Jobs
Across America

Ro speaking on stage at an outdoor event

Together, we can make America a manufacturing and technology superpower. Ro has already helped create thousands of good jobs for young people at top companies like Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and Zoom, paving the way for even more opportunities.

Jobs Created
Jobs Advocacy

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Boone, IA

Des Moines Area Community College TechWise program

Ro established a free 18-month program that includes a $5,000 dollar stipend to empower students from underrepresented groups at Des Moines Area Community College. The program is run by Google and provides students with mentors and trains them to get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies.

Boone, IA

$61,200 for tech scholarships

Ro partnered with Ron and Jane Olson and Des Moines Area Community College to establish $61,200 towards 10 tech scholarships to rural and Latino students. The scholarships aim to bridge the rural-urban divide and create more tech careers in the midwest.

Ames, IA

$1.105 million for Iowa State University

By virtue of Ro’s collaborative effort to connect tech with universities, Iowa State University received a $1.105 million grant from the Bia-Echo Foundation to Iowa State for regenerative agriculture research.

Carroll, IA

$165,000 for rural journalism

Ro facilitated a connection between rural newspapers and job creators with the Facebook Journalism Project to grant $165,000 to local newspapers to increase digital subscriptions

Jefferson, IA

Created scholarships and paid digital apprenticeships

With local education and business leaders in Iowa, Ro created scholarships and paid digital apprenticeships at the then newly opened Forge office, a computer software technology company. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds joined him at the opening to celebrate the effort.

Jefferson, IA

$25,000 for rural scholarships

Ro secured a $25,000 investment from Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott’s personal foundation for rural scholarships. Before Ro’s work, there were no technical training programs set up in the area.

Jefferson, IA

$25,000 grant for new office space

Ro facilitated a $25,000 grant from Costanoa Ventures to commit to opening an office in rural Iowa. This is a model that can help keep U.S. jobs from moving offshore.

Jefferson, IA

Established K-12 tech program

In coordination with Tech Interactive, Ro helped implement a Design Challenge Learning tech program as part of K-12 curriculum for 52 teachers. It’s critical to support educators in preparing their students to participate in the technology economy.

Jefferson, IA

$100,00 for rural scholarships

Working across the aisle, Ro and Iowa Republican governor Kim Reynolds secured a commitment from Facebook for $100,000 to fund rural scholarships. This is the training for jobs typically found in large cities now available in rural Iowa.

Dubuque & Burlington, IA

Economic patriotism tour

Tells business leaders and union members the Democratic Party must make job creation its top priority. (September 2022)

Janesville, WI

Economic patriotism Midwest tour

Met with workers and local officials in the historic union town still reckoning with the 2008 closure of its GM plant. (Late August 2022)

Monmouth, IL

Monmouth College “Midwest Matters” lecture, “Bringing Tech Jobs to the Heartland”

Delivered Monmouth College’s 2022 Midwest Matters Lecture in Dahl Chapel and Auditorium; free and open to the public, organized by political science faculty member Robin Johnson. (April 8, 2022)

Anderson, Newcastle, & Richmond, IN

Economic patriotism manufacturing tour

Toured New Castle Stainless Plate, met GM retirees in Anderson, and held a local Democratic session to discuss how to bring back manufacturing jobs. (Late August 2022)

Flint, Michigan

Facilitated investment in Flint-based company

Led by Ro and Rep. Tim Ryan, 100K Ventures founder Robert Wolf met with influencers and entrepreneurs in Flint, Michigan, which led to investment in Flint-based company Kalm Clothing.

Romulus & Dearborn, MI

Heartland Tour (GM Romulus; UAW Local 600)

With Reps. Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens. (May 9, 2026)

Youngstown, OH

Facilitated investment in the Rust Belt

Ro organized a trip for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs to the Rust Belt with Rep. Tim Ryan to highlight investment opportunities in places like Youngstown and Akron.

Youngstown, OH

Comeback Capital Fund launch

Launched the $2.25 million Comeback Capital seed fund for Midwestern startups, spurred by the tour, at the Youngstown Business Incubator. (October 16, 2018)

Cleveland, OH

City Club of Cleveland address

Major economic address contrasting his agenda with JD Vance’s, in Vance’s home state. (April 14, 2025)

Warren, Cleveland, Shelby County & Walbridge, OH

Heartland Tour

Ultium Cells (Warren), the Port of Cleveland and MAGNET (with Rep. Shontel Brown), an Ohio Farmers Union dinner at Gibbs Farm (Shelby County), and First Solar (Walbridge, with Rep. Marcy Kaptur). (May 8, 2026)

Pittsburgh, PA

Community College of Allegheny County TechWise Program

This time in Pennsylvania, Ro established an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run by Google to empower students from underrepresented groups at the Community College of Allegheny County to get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies.

Pittsburgh, Leetsdale, Koppel & Cochranton, PA

Heartland Tour launch

USW headquarters in Pittsburgh (President Roxanne Brown), Nextpower/JM Steel (Leetsdale, with Rep. Chris Deluzio), Tenaris (Koppel), and Vitro Glass (Cochranton). (May 7, 2026)

Johnstown, PA

Modern Steel Act unveiling

At a former Bethlehem Steel wheel plant with USW President David McCall and AAM’s Scott Paul, unveiled a plan to bring back high-quality steel and iron jobs to the Rust Belt (July 26, 2024)

Bethlehem, PA

Lehigh Valley Economic Development roundtable

With Rep. Susan Wild and regional business and labor leaders. (June 28, 2023)

Manchester, NH

Manchester Community College TechWise Program

Partnering again with Google, Ro established an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run to empower students from underrepresented groups at Manchester Community College get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies.

Manchester & Concord, NH

AFL-CIO Labor Day breakfast + State House rally with Bernie Sanders

Concord rally drew more than 4,000; called to “reindustrialize America” with stronger unions. (September 1, 2025)

Keene, NH

Keene State College town hall

Town hall at Keene State’s Alumni Center, discussing how the future American economy must be dedicated to making jobs accessible to young adults (March 1, 2026)

Jamaica, NY

$20/hour summer apprenticeships

Ro set up a partnership between Charles Schwab Corporation and majority Black university, York College, to give students summer apprenticeships paying $20 per hour working at a billion dollar financial services firm and increase diversity in the financial sector.

Bronx, NY

Mercy College TechWise Program

At Mercy College in the Bronx, Ro established an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run by Google to empower students from underrepresented groups to get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies.

Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

Levy Economics Institute keynote, Bard College

Keynote at the Levy Institute’s 32nd Annual Conference, “Money, Finance, and Economic Strategies in Fractured Times,” on the Bard College campus; spoke on economic insecurity and the policy responses needed to address it. (June 16, 2025)

Beckley, WV

Supported West Virginia University’s Beckley campus

Ro connected West Virginia University President Gordon Gee with Silicon Valley leaders to support the Beckley campus. The new tech-oriented campus at Beckley’s enrollment has so far exceeded expectations.

Beckley, WV

Championed land grant legislation

Worked with Gordon Gee on pathbreaking land grant legislation. The legislation would invest billions to spread high paying jobs to America's heartland.

Paintsville, KY

Appalachia Tech Training Program

To bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and rural America, Ro partnered with Republican Rep. Hal Rogers to secure $2.75 million for tech training in Eastern Kentucky. The program provides coding and IT skills to young people in Appalachian communities.

Charlotte, NC

Comeback Cities Tour

With Reps. Tim Ryan and Jim Clyburn, toured with Bloomberg Beta and GV to help bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and rural communities. (October 2018)

Columbia, SC

NVIDIA-SC State ink deal

Facilitated a sweeping AI education and a workforce development program between NVIDIA headquartered in Silicon Valley and South Carolina State University. Students will gain hands on experience, earn advanced computing certifications, and learn to use the tools needed for today's most in demand industries.

Columbia, SC

HBCU TechWise Program

Ro established an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run by Google to empower students from underrepresented groups at Benedict College, an HBCU in Columbia, SC, to get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies. This program is now available to all 8 HBCUs in South Carolina.

Orangeburg, SC

$1.2 million partnership between Zoom and Claflin

In collaboration with Rep. Clyburn, Zoom, and Claflin University, Ro established a partnership for $1.2 million in educational and financial investments, paid apprenticeships year-round, and merit and need based scholarships.

Orangeburg, SC

Silicon Valley Tech Summit

Ro hosted the first ever Silicon Valley HBCU tech summit at Claflin University in South Carolina. The summit connected top HBCU presidents with leaders from OpenAI, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell, and NVIDIA to announce available scholarships, job opportunities, and financial support to HBCU students. Public-Private partnerships with the universities were also discussed.

Orangeburg, SC

Paid apprenticeship program

Ro coordinated a partnership between Claflin and Silicon Valley tech company Whiterabbit.ai to grant paid apprenticeships to students and established permanent connection between Whiterabbit and Claflin leading to Whiterabbit serving on Claflin Board as a tech advisor, creating a pipeline between Claflin students and tech jobs.

Orangeburg, SC

Claflin University fireside chat

With Claflin President Dwaun Warmack on getting more HBCU students into tech. (April 12, 2022)

Orangeburg & Columbia, SC

Comeback Cities Tour (Claflin University)

Southern/HBCU leg of the venture-capital tour with Reps. Tim Ryan and Jim Clyburn, spotlighting HBCU tech talent at Claflin University. (October 2018)

Charleston, SC

Laptop Distributions

Ro partnered with South Carolina Representative Wendell Gilliard to provide laptops to underserved communities in the Charleston area. Bridging the digital divide is a priority, especially for communities that have historically faced barriers to technology access.

Atlanta, GA

Comeback Cities Tour (Southern/HBCU leg)

With Reps. Tim Ryan and Jim Clyburn and a delegation of venture capitalists. (October 2018)

Water Valley, MS

Vocational training in computer programming

Ro connected Facebook with the Base Camp Coding Academy’s new facility to secure six scholarships over two years providing trade training in computer programming that lead to tech jobs at local companies.

Clarksdale, MS

Robotics process automation hub

By introducing Silicon Valley tech executives and Peopleshores, which has two offices in Clarksdale with over 100 high paying digital tech jobs, Ro helped launch a robotics process automation hub.

Jackson, MS

Jackson State University TechWise Program

Ro established an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run by Google at Jackson State University, a public historically black research university. The goal of the program is to empower students from underrepresented groups to get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies.

Phoenix, AZ

New green jobs

In Phoenix, Ro advocated for the RealReal’s work to create new green jobs in the circular economy in Phoenix. This is critical to creating a more sustainable future.

Reno, NV

University of Nevada, Reno TechWise Program

Ro worked with Google, former Governor Brian Sandoval, and the University of Nevada, Reno, a Hispanic Serving Institution, to establish an 18-month program with a $5,000 dollar stipend run by Google to empower students from underrepresented groups to get ready for high-growth tech careers at Google and other companies.

Fremont, CA

Union construction apprenticeships in Fremont

Ro secured $1 million to put Fremont high school graduates and residents into paid apprenticeships leading to union construction jobs.

Cupertino, CA

Paid career pathways at De Anza College

Ro secured $351,000 to pay young people in Cupertino to work in their own communities while earning a college certificate.

Milpitas, CA

A workforce training center in Milpitas

Ro secured funding to build a training center in Milpitas' highest-need neighborhood, preparing residents for advanced manufacturing jobs.

Sunnyvale, CA

A national semiconductor training center in Sunnyvale

The CHIPS Act Ro co-wrote brought Semiconductor Workforce Center of Excellence to Sunnyvale.

Santa Clara, CA

$100 million for chipmaking jobs in Santa Clara

Ro delivered $100 million to Applied Materials to build the next generation of American chip packaging in Santa Clara.

Santa Clara, CA

Jobs and training for families on public assistance

Ro secured $3 million to move Santa Clara County residents off CalWORKs and into paid jobs and job training.

Santa Clara, CA

Health care careers in Asian and Pacific Islander neighborhoods

Ro secured $1 million to train and hire community health workers in the Santa Clara County neighborhoods hit hardest by COVID.

San Jose, CA

The first African-American career fair at San Jose State

Ro's brought 90 local students face to face with recruiters from a dozen Silicon Valley companies.

San Jose, CA

Careers for San Jose child care providers

Ro secured $1.5 million to give family and neighborhood caregivers professional training and credentials.

San Jose, CA

$8 million for STEM training at San Jose State

Ro delivered federal research funding to open STEM careers to students who are first in their family to go to college.

Oakland, CA

Cybersecurity internships for Oakland students

Ro connected Merritt College students with cybersecurity executives and got them internships.

Omaha & Grand Island, NE

“Rural New Deal” town hall swing

Focuses on how America’s trade and tariff policy has crushed workers and small businesses and how we need a “Rural New Deal” to bring back jobs (April 25, 2025)