NASWA 2007 Annual Conference
Conference Highlights
OPENING PLENARY SESSION
Veterans Employment: Challenges and Opportunities
Presenter: Honorable Charles "Chick" Ciccolella, Assistant Secretary, Veterans Employment and
Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor 
PLENARY SESSION
Perspectives on the Challenges and Opportunities of Veterans Employment
Moderator: David Houle, Boston Regional Administrator, Veterans Employment and Training Service,
U.S. Department of Labor
Panelists: Roosevelt (Ted) Halley, NASWA President and Executive Director, South Carolina
Employment Security Commission
Maren Daley, Vice Chair NASWA Employment & Training Committee and Executive
Director, Job Service North Dakota
James Campbell, Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, United States Army Infantry, VA
work study student with the Connecticut Department of Labor's Office for Veterans'
Workforce Development
Ray Schreyer, Program Manager, Internet Recruiting, IBM Global Talent
"Salute to Leadership" Awards
Priority of Service for Veterans Workshop
Moderator: Keith Kelly, Commissioner, Montana Department of Labor & Industry
Panelists: George M. (Mike) Parker, Deputy Director of Operations, Veterans Employment and
Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor
Joyce C. Johnson, Director - Field Operations, Colorado Department of Labor & Employment
Building State Consensus on UI Administrative Finance Reform Workshop
Moderator: Jim Garner, Secretary, Kansas Department of Labor
Panelists: Dolores Esser, Commissioner, Virginia Employment
Commission
Larry Temple, Executive Director, Texas Workforce Commission
Jon Gingrich, Chief Financial Officer, Illinois Department of
Employment Security
Joan E. Wodiska, Director, Education, Early Childhood and
Workforce Committee, National Governors’ Association
Workforce Investment Act Issues Workshop
Moderator: Bonnie Elsey, Chair, NASWA Employment & Training Committee and
Director, Workforce Development, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic
Development
Panelists: Maria Flynn, Administrator, Office of Policy Development and Research, Employment
and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
Laura Fortman, Commissioner of Labor, Maine Department of Labor
Larry Jones, Director, Workforce Development Division, Texas Workforce Commission
Transitioning from Military to Civilian Employment Workshop
Moderator: Laurie Warner, Director, Oregon Employment Department
Panelists: George M. (Mike) Parker, Deputy Director of Operations, Veterans Employment
and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor
Ron Cannon, State Director for Veterans’ Employment and Training, Oregon
James H. Booker, Veterans’ Program Coordinator, Oregon Employment
Department
Become a Highly-Valued Partner to Business Worksnop
Moderator: Tom Whitaker, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chairman of
Administration, North Carolina Employment Security
Commission
Panelists: Erik Aamoth, Director, Business Services, Minnesota
Department of Employment and Economic Development
Dawn Busick, Assistant Director, Division of Workforce
Development, Missouri Department of Economic Development
Justin Navarro, Business Relations Group, U.S. Department of
Labor
Workforce Agencies and TANF: Challenges and Opportunities Workshop
Moderator: Maren L. Daley, Executive Director, Job Service North Dakota
Panelists: Alice Frechette-Johns, Welfare to Work Manager, Connecticut Department of Labor
Nicole Verver, Director of Workforce Policy, Texas Workforce Commission
Larry Temple, Executive Director, Texas Workforce Commission
Bruce Madson, Policy Coordinator, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
JobCentral National Labor Exchange and
VetCentral Workshop
Bill Warren, Executive Director,
Direct Employers Association
Chad Sowash, Vice President, Business Development
Direct Employers Association
Ray Schreyer, Program Manager, Internet Recruiting, IBM Global Talent
Employment Assistance for Veterans Workshop
Moderator: Fernando (Butch) Lecuona III, Commissioner of Labor
Nebraska Workforce Development - Department of Labor
Panelists: Barbara Thompson, Deputy Regional Administrator, Boston Region,
Veterans Employment and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor
Kim Pignietello, Employment Coordinator, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Rochelle Webb, Administrator, Employment Administration, Arizona Department of
Economic Security
Steve Horton, Director, Employment Service Division, Alabama Department of
Industrial Relations
NASWA Strategies and Priorities for the Future Workshop
Moderator: Larry Temple, NASWA President and Executive Director,
Texas Workforce Commission
Panelists: Ted Halley, NASWA Past-President and Executive Director,
South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Tom Whitaker, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chairman of
Administration, North Carolina Employment Security
Commission
Bonnie Elsey, Chair, NASWA Employment & Training Committee and
Director, Workforce Development, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic
Development
Making Performance Management Real! Workshop
Presenter: Karen Turner Lee, Commissioner, Washington Employment Security Department
Improving Service for Veterans by Partnering with Veterans'
Service Organizations Workshop
Moderator: Les Range, Deputy Executive Director, COO, Mississippi
Department of Employment Security
Panelists: Richard Brothers, Commissioner, New Hampshire Department
of Employment Security
Theodora (Teddy) Anderson, State Veterans Coordinator,
Mississippi Department of Employment Security
John Driscoll, Vice-President, Operations and Programs,
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
Paul Desmond, Director of Veterans Employment and Training
Service, Massachusetts, U.S. Department of Labor
Lou Kennedy, Director of Veterans Employment and Training
Service, Connecticut, U.S. Department of Labor
Reemployment Services Workshop
Moderator: Larry Temple, NASWA President and Executive Director, Texas Workforce
Commission
Panelists: Dr. Jacob Benus, REA Study Project Director, IMPAQ International
Andrea C. Archer, Area Director, WorkSource Operations, Washington State
Employment Security Department
Larry Temple, NASWA President and Executive Director, Texas Workforce
Commission
Changing the Organizational Culture Workshop
Moderator: Karen Turner Lee, Commissioner, Washington Employment Security Department
Panelists: Tommye Dale Favre, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of
Employment Security
Rick Maher, President, Maher and Maher, Inc.
CLOSING PLENARY
Presided over by Larry Temple, NASWA President and Executive Director, Texas Workforce
Commission
Leading Your State in Serving Veterans Making the Transition to Civilian Employment
Presenter: Jan Trunce, Training Manager, National Veterans Training Institute