Art Bilger
Art Bilger is the Founder and CEO of WorkingNation, a national nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about the future of work and the growing employment-skills gap. A seasoned venture capitalist and investor, Bilger has backed numerous private companies at the intersection of content, technology, online education, digital media, and analytics. Before launching WorkingNation, he served as Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he played a key role in major financing activities during the firm’s peak years. Throughout his career, Bilger has also been deeply committed to philanthropy, supporting initiatives in education, workforce development, and economic opportunity.
Art Bilger Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Founder and Chief Executive Officer
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Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Corporate Finance
Academic History
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Master of Business Administration
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B.S., Economics
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
Vice Chairman, Skirball Cultural Center
Board Member, Bet Tzedek
Advisory Member, Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream
Advisory Member, Milken Institute Center for The Future of Aging
Board of Overseers, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School
Founding Funder, Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative
Executive Committee, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
WORKINGNATION
Art Bilger founded WorkingNation to spotlight the emerging workforce crisis and highlight the challenges and opportunities created by rapid technological change.
Under his leadership, the organization has collaborated with award-winning directors, producers, and storytellers to create high-impact content, including documentary films, short-form videos, and digital publications that educate the public about the future of work.
WorkingNation also partners with policymakers, corporations, nonprofits, and academic institutions to identify scalable solutions, share best practices, and drive conversations around reskilling, job creation, and economic mobility in a transforming labor market.
EARLY CAREER
Bilger previously served as Vice Chairman and early investor at Akamai Technologies, a global leader in internet content delivery and cloud services.
He was also a Director of New World Communications Group, a major television production and broadcasting company.
Beyond his work in finance and technology, Bilger served as Executive Producer of 20 Feet From Stardom, the critically acclaimed documentary that won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the 2013 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary.
His work and insights have been featured in leading media outlets including Bloomberg, Fortune, the Los Angeles Times, and Real Vision.