September 2026 Board and Committee Meetings

NASWA held meetings for the Board of Directors and National Policy Committees in Milwaukee, WI, Sept. 14-15, 2026. Read highlights from each meeting below.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

More than 65 members attended the Board meeting, representing more than 35 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• The Board received reports from all standing committees and key partnership initiatives, including the National Labor Exchange (NLx) and NLx Research Hub
• Board Chair Cami Feek (WA), NASWA President and CEO Scott B. Sanders, and Treasurer Anna Hui (MO) shared updates
• Members also received updates on NASWA priorities and initiatives, including enhanced wage records, an AI-powered Registered Apprenticeship project, and other services and products.
• The meeting concluded with an extended peer-to-peer exchange focused on sharing experiences, challenges, and best practices.

ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

About 40 members attended the A&F meeting, representing more than 20 states. 

Meeting Highlights:

• The committee discussed the financial, regulatory, technological, and operational issues affecting state workforce agencies.
• Topics included unemployment insurance administrative funding, RESEA, proposed federal grants-management changes, CARES Act closeout requirements, identity verification, technology modernization, and increasing audit and monitoring demands.
• Members emphasized the importance of stronger coordination across fiscal, program, technology, and reporting teams, as well as continued state-to-state sharing of effective practices.
• The committee also discussed anticipated NASWA training on the Resource Justification Model
• Stephan Demeritte (NC) was welcomed as the new committee chair following completion of Chris Nelson’s (TX) two-year term.

COMMUNICATIONS

About 25 members attended the Comms meeting, representing 18 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• Wisconsin shared a spotlight on their agency and communications work
• Attendees learned about change management strategies
• The committee held its first annual Planning, Execution & Agency Knowledge (PEAK) Project to develop a practical Administrative Transition Playbook featuring communication tools, templates, and best practices for supporting leadership transitions.
• The committee welcomed a new chair, vice chair (elect), and elected a Vice Chair Nominee

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING

70 individuals attended the E&T meeting, representing 40 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• Attendees covered a range of topics, including the current policy landscape, unemployment insurance connections and the utilization of WIOA Governor's Reserve funds.
• Wisconsin shared a showcase presentation, and the committee heard updates from USDOL
• States shared presentations on both coordination efforts with Vocational Rehabilitation and on the Rural Health Transformation Program, as well as on major WIOA waivers approved by USDOL.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

30 members attended the EO meeting, representing 21 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• Members were welcomed to Wisconsin by Pamela McGillivray, Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, who shared several interesting facts about her state’s historic work in nondiscrimination and employment.
• Dong Kim and Luis Rodriguez from the USDOL Civil Rights Center (CRC) provided technical assistance responses to questions from the committee and shared general information and best practices for Office of External Enforcement (OEE) investigations.
• Teresa Eckstein, Equal Opportunity Director and State-Level Equal Opportunity Officer for the Washington State Employment Security Department, presented her state’s nomination for the 2026 Harris Award on “Accessible Facilities Partnership and Accessibility Fund.”
• In addition to committee business, members discussed future meetings, met in subcommittees, and participated in a roundtable to share information about their states.
• This was David Rodriguez’s last meeting as chair. We celebrated by enjoying the tasty pineapple gummies he brought from Hawaii, and passed the gavel to the incoming chair, Danielle Smith from Missouri.

PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE

About 35 members attended the PFML meeting, representing more than 12 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• Attendees exchanged lessons learned and discussed emerging challenges and opportunities in paid leave administration.
• Participants shared updates on program implementation, funding sustainability, operations, program integrity, and outreach and engagement strategies.
• The meeting featured presentations from the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC), Connecticut Paid Leave, Washington State’s transportation network company pilot program, and New America’s New Practice Lab.
• Committee members identified priorities for future collaboration, including new resource development, operational peer learning, and support for both new and established state paid leave programs.

TECHNOLOGY

More than 50 individuals attended the Tech meeting, representing 29 states, marking one of the strongest turnouts in recent years.

Meeting Highlights:

• The meeting opened with a welcome and a spotlight on Wisconsin, followed by updates from USDOL on workforce and UI priorities, including a new UI data confidentiality rule, the unemployment.gov pilot, and the upcoming changes for CareerOneStop.
• During the state roundtable, members discussed efforts to reduce costs, build in-house capacity, expand data platforms, and apply AI to claims, appeals, and customer service.
• A joint session with the Administration & Finance Committee explored practical approaches to funding technology initiatives, while NASPO ValuePoint outlined how states can use cooperative contracts to streamline procurement and save time.
• Mississippi showcased NAVIGATOR, a one-button video kiosk that connects job seekers with a live agent, and North Carolina shared how they are preparing state staff for embracing and using AI.
• The meeting also marked a leadership change as Annie Tietema of Minnesota finished her term as chair and handed the gavel to Amber Shultz of Kansas.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

About 70 members attended the UI meeting, representing more than 35 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• The UI Committee Meeting opened with welcome remarks from outgoing chair Kris Funk (WY) and incoming chair Holly Newell (IN), followed by a Wisconsin state spotlight
• Committee members received a federal update on unemployment insurance priorities and initiatives from USDOL
• During a member roundtable, representatives from each state shared recent accomplishments and discussed key questions and areas of interest
• The committee reviewed updates from the Interstate Benefits Subcommittee

WAGE & HOUR

About 20 members attended the W&H meeting, representing 10 states.

Meeting Highlights:

• The meeting featured a Wisconsin Welcome & State Spotlight
• Attendees heard a presentation from USDOL W&H Administrator Andrew B. Rogers
• New Jersey, Michigan, and New Mexico shared state spotlights and attendees participated in a roundtable discussion.  

WORKFORCE & LABOR MARKET INFORMATION

About 40 members attended the WLMI meeting, representing 29 states, with more joining online.

Meeting Highlights:

• The committee heard presentations from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on innovative projects and best practices, as well as the Gates Foundation on the Competency and Skills Genome.
• Committee members also participated in a series of discussions focused on supplementing WLMI funding, enhanced wage records, the impacts of AI on the labor market, CIP-SOC crosswalks, and UI and WARN notices.

Policy Committees help define policies on issues that are critical to state workforce agencies. These groups are active throughout the year and meet regularly in order to collaborate on key issues across the national workforce system.