About the Council

Our vision

We envision a Wyoming where every employee and job seeker has an opportunity to secure purposeful and rewarding work and where employers can access a prepared workforce to help grow the state’s economy.

Our mission

To take a lead role in supporting a workforce system that meets the current and future needs of Wyoming.

About the Council

Appointed by the Governor of Wyoming, these visionary individuals volunteer their time and expertise, serving four-year terms to drive progress in employment and training across the state.

Council members come from diverse fields, including business and industry, organized labor, the state legislature, education, social services, and other key sectors. Together, they collaborate in quarterly meetings and focused subcommittees to address workforce challenges and opportunities, bringing a wealth of experience and passion to the table.

We deeply appreciate the dedication and impact of all our council members—past and present—who have contributed to building a stronger, more resilient workforce for Wyoming’s future.

For more information, contact Jennifer Wilch, WWDC Director at jennifer.wilch@wyo.gov.

Our Council Members

Mark Gordon, Governor of Wyoming

Email: lauren.schoenfeld@wyo.gov
Bio: Governor, State of Wyoming

Eric “ET” Trowbridge, Chair

Email: et@phonehome.earth
Bio: Eric Trowbridge, widely known as ET, is the Director of Development & Enterprise Applications at Blue Federal Credit Union in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A native of Cheyenne, he graduated from Central High School in 2004 and ...Read More

Michael Kercher, Vice-Chair

Email: michaelk@ucar.edu
Bio: NCAR Wyoming Supercomputing Center, NCAR is managed by the nonprofit University Corporation for Atmospheric Research on behalf of National Science Foundation (NSF) and the UCAR university community. ...Read More

Dr. Michelle Aldrich, Designee for Megan Degenfelder

Email: michelle.aldrich@wyo.gov
Bio: State CTE Director, Wyoming Department of Education – Dr. Michelle Aldrich is currently the Wyoming State Director of Career & Technical Education and Perkins Funding. She spent eight years teaching the family resource ...Read More

Ryan Bledsoe

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Danny Burau

Email: danny@firewaterpublichouse.com
Bio: Restaurant Owner, Firewater Public House – I studied advertising, then worked in advertising for a few years. I ate pastries, and then I worked in pastry for a while. I spent a bit of time in front end website design. ...Read More

Tina Conley

Email: tina@ireach2.com
Bio: Tina is the Executive Director of Ireach 2, Inc. The company provides high quality, innovative, individualized therapeutic services to adults with developmental disabilities and brain injury....Read More

Phillip Cornella

Email: iuoe800bm@gmail.com
Bio: Apprenticeship/Training Director, Operating Engineers Local 800

Tony Cross

Email: tony.cross@jhairport.org
Bio: Human Resources Director at Jackson Hole Airport Board – Senior Human Resources professional with over 20 years of experience, including HR management, employee relations, HRIS management, performance management, recruiting, ...Read More

Megan Degenfelder

Email: michelle.aldrich@wyo.gov
Bio: Elected Wyoming’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2022, making her one of the youngest elected statewide officials in Wyoming history. Growing up in a six-generation Wyoming ranching family and coming from years of ...Read More

Dan Dockstader, Senator

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Josh Dorrell

Email: josh.dorrell@wyo.gov
Bio: CEO of the Wyoming Business Council – It’s my pleasure to introduce the team that is realizing diverse, broad and lasting growth for Wyoming’s present and its future. Together with our partners, we add value to our core industries of natural ...Read More

McKay Erickson, Representative

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Wendy Fisketjon

Email: dfsafetyconsulting@gmail.com
Bio: Dougherty/Fisketjon Safety Consulting

Larry Fodor

Email: larry@msiwyo.com
Bio: Vice President/COO at Mechanical Systems, Inc., Member of Wyoming Young Contractor’s Association

Elizabeth Gagen, J.D.

Email: elizabeth.gagen@wyo.gov
Bio: Department of Workforce Services Director

Ron Gullberg, Designee for Josh Dorrell

Email: ron.gullberg@wyo.gov
Bio: Strategic Partnerships Director at Wyoming Business Council – Experienced communicator and project manager with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration and media industries. ...Read More

Bria Hammock

Email: bria.hammock@gmail.com
Bio: Hammock Fine Art & Madden Media – VP of Destination Strategy for our Mountain West team

Nicky Harper

Email: nicky.harper@wyo.gov   
Bio: Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator – Department of Workforce Services. Nicky Harper, MSW, LCSW, CRC, is a seasoned administrator in Vocational Rehabilitation with expertise in integrating mental health into workplace services. ...Read More

Katie Hogarty

Email: katie@climbwyoming.org
Bio: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Climb Wyoming – Her lifelong passion for community development and advocacy, paired with her expertise in public policy and organizational leadership, informs and inspires her work in ...Read More

Travis Lawrence

Email: tlawrence@firstnorthern.Bank
Bio: Senior VP/Senior Loan Officer, First Northern Bank of Wyoming

Shay Lundvall, Mayor

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Brenda Morgan

Email: bmorganwejatc@gmail.com  
Bio: Training Director of the Wyoming Electrical Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee – Demonstrated history of working in the electrical industry, higher education and state government....Read More

Dr. Ben Moritz

Email: ben.moritz@wyo.gov
Bio: Wyoming Community Colleges Association, Executive Director – Dedicated community college leader with a strong background in transfer articulation, honors education, public-private partnerships, and creating professional ...Read More

Peter Nicolaysen, Commissioner

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Dr. Laurel Ballard, Designee for Ben Moritz

Email: laurel.ballard2@wyo.gov
Bio: Experienced education leader with a demonstrated history of working across the education spectrum and working closely with education partners. Skilled in Leadership, Micro-credentials, Digital Learning, Online Courses, ...Read More

Korin Schmidt

Email: korin.schmidt1@wyo.gov
Bio: Director of Wyoming Department of Family Services

Corrine Livers, Designee for Korin Schmidt

Email: corrine.livers@wyo.gov
Bio: Economic Security Programs Administrator at Wyoming Department of Family Services

Lauren Schoenfeld, Designee for Governor Gordon

Email: lauren.schoenfeld@wyo.gov
Bio: Lauren is passionate about fostering relationships, engaging in collaborative strategic planning, and empowering communities and businesses to achieve their full potential....Read More

Taylor Timmis

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Nathan Williams

Email: nate@kennoncovers.com
Bio: Prior to returning to his home state of Wyoming, Nate spent the majority of his career with Ottobock Healthcare, both in the U.S. and overseas. Nate worked as an accomplished development engineer early in his career, but quickly transitioned ...Read More

Charles Wilson

Email: cwilson@wyoming.com
Bio: MA, LMFT is a master’s level psychotherapist in private practice in Lander Wyoming. He and his wife Jennifer are co-founders of The Soldier’s House of Fremont County, a nonprofit 501c-3 dedicated to bringing volunteer services from ...Read More

Debra Zolnoski

Email: debrazolnoski@safarihospitality.com
Bio: Debra is the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express in Gillette.