Michigan’s Employment & Training Director will bring innovative, results-driven leadership to national workforce association board
LANSING, Mich. — For the next year, Michigan will have an even stronger voice on the national economic stage as Stephanie Beckhorn, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Employment and Training, has been elected to the 2024 National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Board of Directors.
“I’m honored to serve the National Association of State Workforce Agencies as a member of the Board of Directors,” Beckhorn said. “Serving as a member of the leadership team will provide a tremendous opportunity to not only share Michigan’s success with other states, but it allows us to engage with workforce leaders at a national level, allowing Michigan’s priorities to be elevated to the U.S. Department of Labor and federal legislative leaders.”
Beckhorn has developed a well-earned reputation as an innovative workforce development thought-leader. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Michigan ranks first nationally in reemploying workers who have lost their job. Michigan also leads all Midwestern states in adult employment and credential attainment, serving more participants than any other Midwest state.
Beckhorn will serve a one-year term as a member of the Board of Directors, representing a region that includes Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. She assumed her post upon election during the annual NASWA SUMMIT on Sept. 14, 2023. In this capacity, her voice and expertise will impact decisions around key federal funding, policy and legislative priorities that will harness innovation and flexibility to further drive Michigan’s successful outcomes. Beckhorn also serves as the chair of NASWA’s Employment and Training Committee for the second year.
"Stephanie is a valued and active NASWA member and I look forward to her continued contributions both as Region 5 Director and as Chair of the Employment & Training Committee," NASWA President & CEO Scott B. Sanders said. "She is incredibly knowledgeable within the workforce realm and will be a huge asset to both the board of directors and committee."
Beckhorn has served as Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s director of the Office of Employment and Training since 2020, providing leadership and guidance for the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Workforce Development.
Under her direction, Employment and Training administers key workforce programs and systems that equip both employers and workers with resources critical for their success, including vocational rehabilitation to support individuals with disabilities with gaining or retaining employment.
Overseeing a staff of nearly 900 and an annual budget that exceeds $600 million, Beckhorn’s emphasis on exploring innovative solutions has also led to Michigan being a national leader in the use of Registered Apprenticeship. Michigan ranks among the Top 10 states nationally in active and new Registered Apprentices, as well as program completers.
Beckhorn is a Certified Business Solutions Professional (CBSP) and earned a bachelor of science degree from Michigan State University.
She was elected to the Board of Directors by NASWA membership. The board’s duties are to direct the business of the association.
NASWA is the national organization representing all 50 state workforce agencies, District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. These agencies deliver training, employment, career, business and wage and hour services, in addition to administering unemployment insurance, veteran reemployment and labor market information programs. NASWA provides policy expertise, shares promising state practices, and promotes state innovation and leadership in workforce development.
To learn more about NASWA, visit NASWA.org.
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