Maddy Thompson has been appointed acting executive director of the Workforce Board.

Thompson has broad policy and public affairs experience and deep knowledge of the workforce, education and higher education systems. She has worked in leadership positions in the executive and legislative branches. She most recently served as the board’s director of policy, strategy and research.

“The Workforce Board’s research and policy development support a strong business climate and living wage jobs throughout Washington,” Thompson said. “I look forward to working with lawmakers, board members and partners across the state to create strategies that help students, workers, and employers succeed.”

Workforce Board staff provide expert testimony to a variety of legislative committees. Examples include the latest research on Washington’s clean energy workforce, and more.

A project to help job seekers find employment and services more efficiently is making significant progress, Workforce Board officials report. 

Several early milestones have been reached in the No Wrong Door project, which aims to create a new and unified way for job seekers to access Washington’s workforce system.

A new federal student aid program is a major win for both workers and employers, the Workforce Board’s Marina Parr told lawmakers Thursday.

Workforce Pell grants were approved by Congress and signed into law earlier this year. The grants are intended as financial aid for students enrolled in short-term programs that lead to in-demand jobs.

“Workers need shorter pathways to get the skills they need to give them the momentum in the marketplace,” Parr, director of workforce system advancement, told the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.