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 furthered his education in art direction in San Francisco, subsequently working in the film industry in Los Angeles. ...
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. ...
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 management strand at the University of Wyoming as adjunct faculty. She has been teaching nutrition at two ...
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. Then onto big brand graphic design work in the toy industry. After spending some time as the creative director for a fitness and nutrition ...
Tina Conley
Email: tina@ireach2.com
Bio: Executive Director of Ireach 2, Inc. – Providing high quality, innovative, individualized therapeutic services to adults with developmental disabilities and brain injury.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ireach2lifestyles
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, policy development, operations management, benefits and compensation administration. Demonstrated experience ...
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 private sector experience in coal and oil and gas, Megan advocates for conservative values, parental rights, ...
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 resources, tourism and outdoor recreation, and agriculture. We leverage those strengths to activate new sectors ...
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. Strengths Finder skills: Maximizer, Relator, Adaptability, Arranger, Input. Bachelor of Science (B.S.) focused in Political Science ...
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. As a licensed social worker and certified rehabilitation counselor, she understands the challenges ...
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 poverty alleviation at the state, regional, and national levels. As she leads one of the most innovative, outcomes-based nonprofits ...
Travis Lawrence
Email: tlawrence@firstnorthern.Bank
Bio: Senior VP/Senior Loan Officer, First Northern Bank of Wyoming
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.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-morgan-9310aa93/
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 development opportunities for faculty and staff around utilizing best practices for student success.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-moritz/
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, Education Technology, Leader and Teacher Evaluation Systems, Accountability, Educational Assessment, ...
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: I am passionate about fostering relationships, engaging in collaborative strategic planning, and empowering communities and businesses to achieve their full potential.
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-schoenfeld-3896b31a5/
Dick Smith
Email: dsmith@codyregionalhealth.org
Bio: Human Resources Officer at Cody Regional Health – Dick has worked as a human resources professional for over 20 years, first as the Director of Human Resources for a Critical Access Hospital in Michigan and for the past 15 years, as the Human Resources Officer at Cody Regional Health.
Source: https://www.codyregionalhealth.org/about-us/senior-leadership/richard-smith/
Ron Wild
Email: ron.wild@rockymountainpower.net , rwild@allwest.net
Bio: Regional Business Manager for Rocky Mountain Power. Ron has led diverse teams across multiple organizations, managing project and department budgets while navigating the complexities of change in dynamic business environments. His work has involved developing strong relationships with regulatory agencies, ensuring compliance, and ...
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 to engineering leadership, having an affinity and desire to focus on the “big picture”. Eventually, this path ...
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 the communities to the needs of veterans. Charlie has been providing free counseling services to veterans ...
Debra Zolnoski
Email: debrazolnoski@safarihospitality.com
Bio: Debra is the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express in Gillette