Improving life outcomes for opportunity youth - the 6.7 million young people aged 16-24 who are out of school and/or work – is a moral imperative and economic necessity. Their disconnection—often precipitated or exacerbated by the failure of critical education, training, and social service systems—places an enormous and unnecessary economic burden on our nation. Melody Barnes will examine efforts to address this challenge and to improve the coordination of the many systems and diverse actors who serve this group of young people. Through the dissection of this issue, Barnes will offer her reflections on the interplay and roles of government (federal, state and local), the private and nonprofit sectors, philanthropy, communications, and public engagement in the policy making process.