DEED Names Katie McClelland as New Governor's Workforce Development Board Director

St. Paul – Today the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced Katie McClelland as the Director of the Governor's Workforce Development Board. McClelland will work with the Governor's Workforce Development Board (GWDB) to analyze and recommend workforce development policies to the governor and legislature around talent development, resource alignment and system effectiveness to ensure a globally competitive workforce in Minnesota. She will also work with policy, business and workforce leaders across the state to meaningfully improve work opportunities, increase job quality and strengthen the skills of Minnesota workers.

"Minnesota's greatest asset is our hardworking workforce, and the GWDB plays a critical role in developing innovative and transformative workforce strategies and approaches," said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. "Katie's significant experience will help shape the state's public workforce system and help build stronger connections to employers."

"I'm thrilled to step into this role at DEED during such a critical time for workforce," said McClelland. "I look forward to supporting policies and programs that help both job seekers and businesses across the state thrive."

Prior to accepting this new role, McClelland served as the Director of Public Policy & Research for the Minnesota Technology Association (MnTech) where she led policy and research initiatives to ensure Minnesota has a thriving tech ecosystem. Prior to MnTech, Katie led workforce development policy for the Congressional Education & Labor Committee and U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee. She was instrumental in passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the reauthorization of Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, the National Apprenticeship Act and a range of bills and provisions related to education and workforce preparation.

Before serving as a Congressional policy aide, Katie served as the Director of Education and Workforce Initiatives at The Manufacturing Institute (MI) – the nonprofit affiliate of The National Association of Manufacturers – where she led work on strategic partnerships between employers and educators to align education and training programs to in-demand skills, competencies and credentials. She also led MI projects on increasing diversity and closing the skills gap in manufacturing.

DEED is the state's principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website, the JoinUsMn.com website, or follow us on Twitter.