“The National Academy of Social Insurance is thrilled to honor Bill Arnone, Marty Ford, and Bill Rodgers as our 2024 Robert M. Ball Award recipients,” said Rebecca Vallas, the Academy’s incoming Chief Executive Officer. “Each has dedicated their remarkable careers to social insurance, bettering countless individuals’ and families’ lives and well- being as a result of their leadership and commitment to public service. We greatly look forward to honoring this extraordinary group of social insurance leaders on October 17th at 5PM”

Willam J. Arnone receives the Ball Award after a long history of leadership of the Academy — most recently as Chief Executive Officer, from 2017-2024. He was a Founding Board Member of the Academy and served on the Academy’s Board of Directors from 1986 to 1994. He also served as the Chair of the Academy’s Board of Directors from 2013 to 2016.

Marty Ford is Senior Advisor for Public Policy at The Arc of the United States, a national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. She served The Arc’s Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy from 2011–2019, leading the public policy team representing The Arc on Capitol Hill and before federal agencies.

William M. Rodgers III is vice president and director of the Institute for Economic Equity at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Before joining the Fed, Rodgers served as professor of public policy at the Bloustein School for Planning and Public Policy and chief economist at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.

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