KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Suzan “Suzi” LeVine
Commissioner
Washington State Employment Security Department
Suzan “Suzi” LeVine was appointed by Governor Inslee as Commissioner for the Employment Security Department (ESD) on July 9, 2018. At a time when society is experiencing massive technological and demographic shifts, she brings relevant leadership experience and expertise from the public, private, and non-profit sectors to help people navigate their paths forward to be lifelong career ready.
She served as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from June 2014 until January 2017. During that time, she played a key role in the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent between Switzerland and the U.S. to collaborate on apprenticeship, partnering with 30 companies to bring and/or expand their Swiss style apprenticeship model into the U.S. She also secured billions of dollars in investment and hundreds of jobs into the U.S. – with $3 billion alone announced at a special White House roundtable she catalyzed with Swiss business and government leaders.
Since resigning her position, she has continued her focus on and passion for apprenticeship and careers by joining Governor Inslee’s Career Connect Washington Task Force, the CareerWise Colorado board, the Markle Foundation’s Rework America Task Force, and the ETH (a Swiss university) Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training (CEMETS) Advisory Board. She and her husband, Eric, have presented across the globe about the merits of apprenticeship and reigniting new pathways to the American Dream.
Her role in the public sector as Ambassador is the latest turn in a diverse and non-linear career in which she has sustained a laser focus on impact. Her previous private and non-profit sector positions focused on education, technology, community, innovation, travel, social responsibility, and youth outreach. She’s worked at Microsoft as a Director of Communications for Education and Student Developer Strategic Partnerships and at Expedia as a Vice President for Sales and Marketing in Luxury Travel. Twice during her career, she was a stay-at-home mom, during which time she co-founded two non-profit organizations – an innovative Jewish community model, The Kavana Cooperative, and an advisory board for the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (ILABS) at the University of Washington. As Commissioner, Suzi was recently appointed to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies Board of Directors, representing Region X.
Suzi is a graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with aerospace applications. She and her husband have two children. They enjoy hiking, biking, traveling and playing with their dogs.
Commissioner
Washington State Employment Security Department
Suzan “Suzi” LeVine was appointed by Governor Inslee as Commissioner for the Employment Security Department (ESD) on July 9, 2018. At a time when society is experiencing massive technological and demographic shifts, she brings relevant leadership experience and expertise from the public, private, and non-profit sectors to help people navigate their paths forward to be lifelong career ready.
She served as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from June 2014 until January 2017. During that time, she played a key role in the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent between Switzerland and the U.S. to collaborate on apprenticeship, partnering with 30 companies to bring and/or expand their Swiss style apprenticeship model into the U.S. She also secured billions of dollars in investment and hundreds of jobs into the U.S. – with $3 billion alone announced at a special White House roundtable she catalyzed with Swiss business and government leaders.
Since resigning her position, she has continued her focus on and passion for apprenticeship and careers by joining Governor Inslee’s Career Connect Washington Task Force, the CareerWise Colorado board, the Markle Foundation’s Rework America Task Force, and the ETH (a Swiss university) Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training (CEMETS) Advisory Board. She and her husband, Eric, have presented across the globe about the merits of apprenticeship and reigniting new pathways to the American Dream.
Her role in the public sector as Ambassador is the latest turn in a diverse and non-linear career in which she has sustained a laser focus on impact. Her previous private and non-profit sector positions focused on education, technology, community, innovation, travel, social responsibility, and youth outreach. She’s worked at Microsoft as a Director of Communications for Education and Student Developer Strategic Partnerships and at Expedia as a Vice President for Sales and Marketing in Luxury Travel. Twice during her career, she was a stay-at-home mom, during which time she co-founded two non-profit organizations – an innovative Jewish community model, The Kavana Cooperative, and an advisory board for the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (ILABS) at the University of Washington. As Commissioner, Suzi was recently appointed to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies Board of Directors, representing Region X.
Suzi is a graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with aerospace applications. She and her husband have two children. They enjoy hiking, biking, traveling and playing with their dogs.
Renée Smith
Director of Workplace Transformation - Results Washington
Office of the Governor
As Director of Workplace Transformation at Results Washington, Office of the Governor, Renée champions a more humane and effective workplace through primary research, writing, and speaking on Making Work More Human by increasing love and decreasing fear in the workplace. Renée leads the development of services and resources for state leaders, teams, and organizations to make Washington State government workplaces more human.
Before joining Results Washington, Renée spent nearly seven years at the Department of Enterprise Services leading the Organization Development Services division that provided Lean Transformation Services and Change Excellence Services to DES and Government to Government Lean Consulting to other state and local governments.
She earned a Master of Science in Organization Development from Pepperdine University. She lives in a 102 year old Craftsman home in Tacoma and enjoys drawing for pleasure, cooking for friends and family, exploring foreign cities, and swimming in the Mediterranean.
Director of Workplace Transformation - Results Washington
Office of the Governor
As Director of Workplace Transformation at Results Washington, Office of the Governor, Renée champions a more humane and effective workplace through primary research, writing, and speaking on Making Work More Human by increasing love and decreasing fear in the workplace. Renée leads the development of services and resources for state leaders, teams, and organizations to make Washington State government workplaces more human.
Before joining Results Washington, Renée spent nearly seven years at the Department of Enterprise Services leading the Organization Development Services division that provided Lean Transformation Services and Change Excellence Services to DES and Government to Government Lean Consulting to other state and local governments.
She earned a Master of Science in Organization Development from Pepperdine University. She lives in a 102 year old Craftsman home in Tacoma and enjoys drawing for pleasure, cooking for friends and family, exploring foreign cities, and swimming in the Mediterranean.
Lisa McLean
Washington State 2020 Census Coordinator
Office of Financial Management
As the 2020 Census Coordinator for Washington state, Lisa staffs the statewide Complete Count
Committee (and its subcommittees) that launched in October 2018. Working with nonprofit,
philanthropic, and public sector leaders in Washington, Lisa leads the state’s efforts to educate and
build awareness about the 2020 Census—and encourage confidence and participation. She has 25 years
of experience managing nonpartisan grassroots political organizing projects in the Americas, Africa,
Middle East, and Europe.
Washington State 2020 Census Coordinator
Office of Financial Management
As the 2020 Census Coordinator for Washington state, Lisa staffs the statewide Complete Count
Committee (and its subcommittees) that launched in October 2018. Working with nonprofit,
philanthropic, and public sector leaders in Washington, Lisa leads the state’s efforts to educate and
build awareness about the 2020 Census—and encourage confidence and participation. She has 25 years
of experience managing nonpartisan grassroots political organizing projects in the Americas, Africa,
Middle East, and Europe.
Rob Kemp
Senior Forecast Analyst, Forecasting & Research Division
Office of Financial Management
Rob joined the Population Unit of the Washington Office of Financial Management in June of 2017. Rob helps produces population estimates for cities and towns, small areas, and demographic characteristics for small areas. Additionally, Rob helps prepare the state and county forecasts. Areas of specialization are demographic methods, data visualization, and migration. Prior to working at OFM Rob was the Demographer and Data Scientist at the Colorado State Demography Office. Rob has a Ph.D. in Sociology with a Certificate in Demography from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a BA in Communication Studies from the University of Northern Colorado.
Senior Forecast Analyst, Forecasting & Research Division
Office of Financial Management
Rob joined the Population Unit of the Washington Office of Financial Management in June of 2017. Rob helps produces population estimates for cities and towns, small areas, and demographic characteristics for small areas. Additionally, Rob helps prepare the state and county forecasts. Areas of specialization are demographic methods, data visualization, and migration. Prior to working at OFM Rob was the Demographer and Data Scientist at the Colorado State Demography Office. Rob has a Ph.D. in Sociology with a Certificate in Demography from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a BA in Communication Studies from the University of Northern Colorado.