Commissioner

The Commissioner leads the organization, setting the vision and overseeing all aspects of management, budgeting, project delivery, strategic planning and execution. The solutions that ESD provides act as a spring helping stabilize the economy for the state as well as for every individual household within the state. The Commissioner is fundamentally responsible for making sure that spring remains as agile as possible.

To do that, the major roles this position plays for the agency include

• Formulating and enabling the strategic plan – including setting the vision, mission and, values
• Overseeing the creation of new businesses and ensuring their long-term sustainability – for example, Paid Family and Medical Leave and Long-Term Care
• Ensuring and increasing employee engagement and retention
• Ensuring the operation, solvency and quality of the workforce solutions for which the agency has oversight
• Developing, nurturing, repairing and leveraging partnerships and collaborations across the workforce, education and economic spheres within Washington state
• Sharing best practices and collaborating with other regions, states and national organizations
• Representing the agency in local, national and international forums where our voice and experiences are relevant and valuable and where the engagement can benefit Washingtonian

The Commissioner reports directly to the Governor and serves on the Executive Cabinet. The Commissioner oversees approximately $6.7 billion in trust funds and an annual operating budget of $391 million.