Thomas Named to 2021 Leadership Tennessee Class

NASHVILLE – The Leadership Tennessee organization named Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) Deputy Commissioner Deniece Thomas a member of its 2021 class. She will join 38 exceptional leaders from across the state as the class engages in a collaborative, non-partisan dialogue on issues of statewide importance.

Each year, Leadership Tennessee chooses a new class of members who represent each geographic region of the state as well as a variety of professional industries, from healthcare, tourism, and education to economic development, government, and agriculture. 

The goal is to bring together leaders with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, thereby helping to ensure members can learn from each other, build new relationships, and foster productive discourse.

This is the eighth Leadership Tennessee class and 2021 may prove to be the most challenging year in the program’s history.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a variety of unforeseen and unprecedented challenges for businesses and communities across Tennessee – challenges that underscore the importance of working collaboratively to solve problems and identify new avenues to address the most pressing issues facing our state,” said Cathy Cate, Leadership Tennessee executive director.

Thomas, named TDLWD Deputy Commissioner in May 2019, oversees three major department divisions; Unemployment Insurance, Workforce Services, and Adult Education.

Before her role as Deputy Commissioner, Thomas served as the Assistance Commissioner for the Workforce Services Division. She worked in various roles within the Department, starting her tenure with TDLWD in 2007 at the American Job Center in Clarksville.

Thomas is a member of the National Association of State Agencies (NASWA) Board of Directors, a member of the National Employment and Training Committee and Veterans and she serves on the National Apprenticeship Workgroup. Additionally, she also serves as the State Workforce Liaison for the National Governor's Association, the National Association of State Workforce Association, the Governor's Economic Development Council, and the Tennessee Workforce Development Board. 

As part of Leadership Tennessee, Thomas will participate in a ten-month, five-session study of the critical issues Tennesseans currently face. She joins an elite group of 267 leaders from across the state who have completed the program and are making a difference in every corner of the state.