Chamber Business Day Breakfast 2018

The Chamber Business Day Awards Breakfast
Keynote Speaker  - Wendi Secrist

Wendi Secrist is the Executive Director of the Idaho Workforce Development Council overseeing implementation of an industry-led statewide strategic workforce development plan. 

Ms. Secrist came to the Council with a wealth of experience in workforce development, economic development and education.  Immediately prior to joining in 2017, Ms. Secrist built bridges to industry to inform Idaho’s career and technical education system through its secondary, postsecondary and workforce training programs as the Director of Business Outreach for Idaho Career & Technical Education. She also oversaw development of a statewide micro-certification/badging platform, Idaho SkillStack® to improve communication around the skills and competencies Idaho’s citizens’ possess. 

From 2011 to 2014, Ms. Secrist served as Senior Director for ManpowerGroup Public Sector, the world leader in innovative workforce solutions. Ms. Secrist directed the company’s strategy to serve federal, state and local government agencies and leverage ManpowerGroup’s business relationships and cutting-edge assessments, training tools, and staffing methods to improve outcomes through a partnership with the United States’ public workforce system. Prior to ManpowerGroup, she served as Director of Program Planning and Development at the University of Idaho in Boise – building academic and professional development programs, overseeing enrollment management and student services and managing marketing and branding efforts for the University’s graduate, research and professional development center. Before going to the University of Idaho, Ms. Secrist served as Administrator of the Economic Development Division for the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor, where she successfully recruited companies to the state in addition to assisting many Idaho companies to expand. She also administered the state’s community and rural development block grant funds – distributing around $15 million annually throughout Idaho to improve the quality of life of its citizens. Ms. Secrist’s introduction to economic development was in rural Wisconsin, where she served in a key leadership role at two county-wide economic development corporations.

Ms. Secrist served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Workforce Boards and was secretary from 2013-2015.  Ms. Secrist is a past-president of the Idaho Economic Development Association.  She was the vice president of the 2007-2009 Leadership Boise class and also served as the 2009 chair of the Boise Young Professionals. In 2008, Idaho Business Review recognized her as one of Idaho’s “Accomplished Under 40.”  From 2000 to 2003, when she left Wisconsin, Ms. Secrist served on the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, where she chaired the Performance Committee and served on the Executive Committee.



Contact Information
Phone:   208-488-7561
Email:    wendi.secrist@wdc.idaho.gov