Dr. Stephen Crawford – a member of Workcred’s board of directors and a staunch advocate of workforce development – passed away suddenly on May 12, 2022, after suffering a stroke days earlier. He is survived by his wife, Liliane, and daughter, Pascal. Workcred and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are deeply saddened by Steve’s passing and honor his memory as a kind friend, wise leader, and significant contributor to benefit the workforce and credentialing communities.
As a founding board member and dear friend to Workcred, Steve was instrumental in bringing visibility to Workcred throughout the workforce community. At a critical moment in the early development of Workcred, he involved the organization in a grant that became the basis for creating Credential Engine – a non-profit whose mission is to use technology to make the credential landscape more transparent so that people make more informed decisions about credentials. This very visible and timely project brought immediate recognition to Workcred thanks to Steve’s exceptional efforts. His commitment to workforce development and improving the credentialing system was pivotal in helping Workcred achieve its national reputation for being a leader for quality.
Steve’s legacy is unanimous among all who knew him as a wonderful person who truly sought to make positive changes in the world. In addition to his involvement with Workcred, Steve spent many years with George Washington University furthering their Non-degree Credentials Research Network (NCRN) and serving as a research professor for the George Washington Institute of Public Policy and co-director of the Program on Skills, Credentials, & Workforce Policy. Other accomplishments in his remarkably well-rounded career include leading projects for the National Governors Association and Brookings Institution; managing the Albert Einstein Institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland; and jumping out of airplanes dozens of times while serving his country in Vietnam.
“Steve had a heart of gold and truly made a difference in the world – touching and improving the lives of so many,” said Dr. Roy Swift, executive director of Workcred. “We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his tireless and fruitful work supporting the workforce community, bolstering the visibility and impact of the credentialing system, and identifying policies to support our nation’s workforce.”
“We were very fortunate to know and work with Steve – a sentiment that I know is shared by everyone in the standards and workforce community,” said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. “He was a treasured member of both the ANSI and Workcred boards, and a friend to many. On behalf of ANSI and Workcred’s staff and board of directors, I extend deepest condolences to Steve’s family and friends. He will be greatly missed.”
“Steve was such a wonderful human being who brought tremendous warmth, enthusiasm, and wisdom to all that he did,” said Fran Schrotter, ANSI senior vice president and COO. “We are all so very fortunate that we got to know him and benefit from his commitment to workforce development and improving the credentialing system, as well as the pivotal role he played in helping Workcred achieve national recognition. He was indeed a great friend and colleague and he will live on through all of us whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace and may all of us learn from his example.”
A small graveside service for Steve was held on May 16, 2022, and a memorial service is being planned for later this year.
