WorkWhile, the AI-powered labor platform, today announced a major expansion of its economic and data science capabilities. The company promoted Alan Armen to the newly created role of Chief Economist and Head of Data Science and launched the WorkWhile Econ Lab, led by newly appointed Dr. Debora Loccisano.

The new initiative formalizes WorkWhile’s commitment to advancing evidence-based research and policy development focused on the evolving hourly labor market.

“We built WorkWhile as a worker-first labor platform that leverages real-time data to optimize worker experience,” said Jarah Euston, CEO of WorkWhile. “This expands our value footprint by sharing our insights, data science, and indexes with policymakers and labor experts who are continuously tracking and improving the lives of the workforce.”

The WorkWhile Econ Lab: Research for the Future of Work

The WorkWhile Econ Lab will operate as a dedicated research and policy arm, focusing on critical issues in labor economics and the future of work. Its mission includes establishing collaborative initiatives with academic researchers, policymakers, regulatory bodies, and industry leaders to inform labor policy in an AI-driven economy.

“The hourly labor market is undergoing a seismic shift driven by new technology and changing worker expectations,” said Alan Armen. “The creation of the WorkWhile Econ Lab formalizes our commitment to contributing meaningfully to the economic conversation. By combining real-time labor data with rigorous economic analysis, we can help ensure the future of work is more efficient for businesses and more equitable for workers.”

Leadership Background

Alan Armen, Chief Economist and Head of Data Science

In his expanded role, Armen will continue leading WorkWhile’s advanced machine learning and data infrastructure while generating macroeconomic insights from the platform’s real-time labor market data.

Armen brings extensive experience across data science, machine learning, and economics. Prior to WorkWhile, he held leadership roles as Director of Data Science at Upwork and Shipt. He began his career in macroeconomic research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he developed forecasting models and published research on the U.S. economy.

Dr. Debora Loccisano, Head of the WorkWhile Econ Lab

Dr. Loccisano will lead the Econ Lab’s research agenda, applying her expertise in quantitative analysis and economic modeling to the modern labor market.

Before joining WorkWhile, she served as an Economist at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, contributing to public policy analysis. Her academic research has been published in journals such as Annals of Operations Research and focuses on labor economics, optimization, and data-driven policy design.

“I am excited to lead the WorkWhile Econ Lab as we examine the intersection of artificial intelligence and labor markets,” said Dr. Loccisano. “Our goal is to move beyond speculation and deliver evidence-based research that supports stable income, meaningful benefits, and better outcomes for workers.”

Through the launch of the Econ Lab, WorkWhile aims to play a more active role in shaping the future of hourly work by providing transparent insights that support informed decision-making across business and public policy.

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