Leadership Transition Announcement
news releaseA note from Alan Essig, Executive Director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy and Citizens for Tax Justice.
It is with mixed feelings that I announce I will be leaving the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) and Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ) in December of 2019. Although I will miss the amazing staff and important work we do, I am looking forward to slowing down to a part-time work schedule and spending more time with my family in my home state of Michigan.
I am fortunate to have led such a highly credible, committed, and effective organization. I am proud of our work over the past 2 plus years to provide rigorous analyses of tax and economic proposals and data-driven recommendations on how to shape equitable and sustainable tax systems. In today’s political climate, ITEP-CTJ’s work is more important than ever—and it is well-positioned for future success.
I have been fortunate to work with Boards of Directors who are so supportive of me, the staff and the mission of ITEP-CTJ. They are poised to undertake a search for my successor, and I am confident that their search will result in an exceptional new Executive Director.
A note from Joan Entmacher, Board Chair of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, and Ed Jayne, Board Chair of Citizens for Tax Justice.
We are sorry to see Alan Essig leave ITEP-CTJ and wish him the very best. We are grateful to Alan for all he has accomplished in his tenure as Executive Director.
Alan strengthened an already talented ITEP-CTJ staff, expanding capacity in the areas of communications, federal tax policy, and economic analysis. He facilitated an update and enhancement of ITEP’s unique microsimulation model, enabling it to analyze the impact of federal and state tax policies by race and ethnicity. Alan built and strengthened partnerships with national, state, and community-based organizations to highlight the connections between progressive tax policy and greater economic opportunity, reduced income inequality and poverty, and lessened racial and other inequities. Alan updated organizational policies and procedures, including adopting a three-year strategic plan, and he enhanced the organization’s financial stability by creating an operating reserve and attracting several new funders.
Under his leadership, ITEP-CTJ provided timely and reliable research on the impact of federal and state tax policies that helped shape public opinion and build support for equitable tax policies. He has put ITEP-CTJ in a stronger position to provide leadership in advancing progressive tax policies as it prepares to enter its 40th year.
The boards of ITEP-CTJ have appointed a committee to lead the search for a new Executive Director of ITEP-CTJ, and engaged Marcum, a national nonprofit executive search firm, to work with us on the search. A copy of the position profile outlining the skills and experiences we are seeking in the next leader can be found here. We are confident that a new leader will be identified to carry on the great work done by Alan and the staff of ITEP-CTJ.