Vinnie Vernuccio is president and co-founder of Institute for the American Worker and senior policy advisor at the Mackinac Center for public policy.  Vinnie is a trusted source and respected thought leader to labor policy experts across the country—he provides intellectual acuity and policy innovation to the worker freedom message. He served on the U.S. Department of Labor Transition Team for both Trump Administrations (2016-2017 and 2024-2025) and served in the George W. Bush Administration’s Department of Labor (2008-2009). Additionally, he was a presidential appointee to the Federal Service Impasses Panel (2017-2021). He has advised senators and congressmen on a multitude of labor-related issues, and has testified numerous times before Congress and state legislatures. He has also worked as director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and currently serves as a senior policy advisor to their workers for opportunity project. Vernuccio has held advisory roles for a multitude of free market organizations such as the State Policy Network, Competitive Enterprise Institute, and others.