Skills,Strategy, and the Road to Tomorrow’s Industries: A Coffee with Joey Pozo, Analyst at Karp Strategies

Pictured: Joey Pozo, Analyst

In this conversation, Joey Pozo shares how his path through research, nonprofit work, and economic policy led him to Karp Strategies, where his interests in place, data, and workforce development come together. He reflects on what advanced manufacturing and semiconductor development mean for regions redefining their economic futures, and why partnership, access, and trust are just as important as funding and programs. Joey also discusses how data can capture lived experience, what excites him about holistic workforce and small business support, and how thoughtful process shapes equitable outcomes. Keep reading to learn more.

How do you like your coffee?

Cappuccino

How did your career lead you to joining Karp Strategies?

My path to Karp Strategies started with studying economics at Kenyon College in Ohio. I was drawn to the way the program blended theory with real-world policy, and during school I was very fortunate to have worked on a research project with the county’s economic development agency. That experience gave me my first glimpse into how planning and economic policy actually shape places. After college, I started working for the Jericho Project, a supportive housing nonprofit that really opened my eyes to New York City planning and the different organizations that work together to make this city function. When I joined Karp Strategies and began working on advanced manufacturing and semiconductor projects, I was pleasantly surprised to see all of my interests—the research, the economics, asking important questions around place—align into one role with such a thoughtful team.

Your work has seen you support economic development initiatives surrounding semiconductor manufacturing in Ohio and New York State. What does this industry signify for you, and what are your thoughts on the different geographies you’ve worked in?

My first exposure to the semiconductor industry was during my college research project. We were working within Knox County about 40 minutes from a new Intel factory. We were trying to understand how the region might change. What would this new industry mean for local businesses, land use, and vacant sites? How would the neighborhood character shift due to this exciting, and somewhat unfamiliar, industry?

What stands out most to me in this industry is the idea of re-industrialization. Across the country — especially in places like Ohio and upstate New York — regions that once had strong manufacturing identities have been searching for what comes next. Semiconductor manufacturing represents a chance to rebuild that economic identity.

We’re always asking questions about what it means to create jobs, and what it means for these to be “good” jobs. The industry creates well-paying roles across a wide range of education levels and career pathways, really opening the door to the people that are supposed to be benefiting. And as regions build workforce pipelines around these industries, they often leave the workforce better off overall, with stronger skills and opportunities.

How have your previous experiences contributed to your perspective on workforce and economic development?

My time at the Jericho Project had a huge impact. I learned there that providing stable housing is a lot more than just offering a place to live. Residents often have access to workforce development, education, and social services, and you see how those supports intersect. It made me realize how many systems have to align for people to succeed.

That perspective carried into later work, like our Go-SEMI project. We saw that resources often existed, resources like training programs, funding, and technical support, but businesses and workers weren’t always aware of them or able to access them easily. It was really informative to see that success wasn’t just about making sure resources are available, but really providing them in a way that builds partnership.

Whether it’s supportive housing or economic development, the throughline for me is that outcomes improve when people feel supported and understood throughout the process.

Was there a moment that made you realize this was the field you wanted to pursue?

One moment that really stuck with me was attending ESD’s MWBE Regional Opportunities Expo in Albany. We were speaking directly with minority- and women-owned business owners about their perspectives on the semiconductor industry.

I was struck by how deeply knowledgeable they were, not just about their own businesses, but about the industry landscape and public programs. There was a real passion not only for their companies, but for their broader business communities. It made me realize how powerful it could be if that passion and knowledge were matched with strong public-sector support and trust. That idea of partnership is something I still feel very proud to be part of.

How has data and quantitative analyses shaped your work in these sectors, particularly in quantifying economic impact?

Data plays a large role, what excites me most is how many different types of data we use. Economic mobility isn’t captured by one dataset — it spans education, credentials, job postings, and lived experiences. As planners, we’re constantly trying to paint a picture that’s grounded in reality but still useful for decision-making.

A good example is our work on the Boston Citywide Needs Assessment with the City of Boston. That work is heavily reliant on translating on-the-ground realities like neighborhood assets and perceived quality into a framework that’s practical and usable at a citywide scale. That process inevitably involves some level of compression, and with that comes the risk of losing nuance or overlooking neighborhood-specific needs.

To mitigate that, we’ve leaned heavily on Boston-based expertise and stakeholder perspectives to ground the analysis. Our role has been figuring out how to reflect those differences clearly within a composite system; making sure the data is structured enough to guide policy, but still rooted in how communities actually experience their neighborhoods.

As someone early in their career, what has working for Karp Strategies taught you?

The biggest lesson has been about process and mindset. When I first joined, I felt like my colleagues were deeply specialized experts. How else could you explain how thoughtful and intentional they were with their work? Over time, I realized that what really defines the team is a shared commitment to doing thoughtful, rigorous work, across a wide variety of topic areas.

There’s a strong emphasis on asking the right questions, being detail-oriented, and staying grounded in sound principles. That’s been really empowering early in my career. I've realized that expertise isn’t just about time spent in a niche, but about curiosity, discipline, and care in how you approach problems.

What developments in workforce / small business development excite you the most at this point?

I’m really excited by more holistic approaches to workforce and small business development. Increasingly, regions are building programs that function less like service providers and more like long-term partners — almost like incubators. They’re helping businesses navigate systems, build networks, and grow sustainably.

One example that really stood out to me is the work of the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance. What struck me was how relationship-based their model is. They talk about their business network almost like a family — there’s a real sense of shared investment in each other’s success. That kind of trust-based ecosystem can be really powerful. Like I mentioned before, we’ve seen that barriers are often about awareness or access rather than a lack of resources. When speaking with UMEA, they told us that they would sometimes drive right up to the doorstep of the businesses that they serve and speak directly with them. I would love to see how we can keep that level of service and attention at scale.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I recently got a membership to Metrograph, the movie theater, and have definitely made my money back on that purchase. I’m an avid reader, I’m currently nose deep in Robert Caro’s Lyndon B. Johnson series. I’m also taking guitar and Spanish lessons. I really enjoy playing soccer with friends at Sternberg Park in Williamsburg, and am just always on the lookout for new things and places to bring into my life.

Last TV show I binge-watched: Veep

Restaurant I’d recommend to close friends: Casa Ora or Bamonte’s in Williamsburg 

Best concert I’ve ever experienced: Jonathan Richman

Book that changed me: Middlemarch

Movies I’d pay to see again and again: Casablanca

My heroes are: Al Smith, Nina Simone