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Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation Welcomes Two New Members

GOWINN helps drive a skilled, diverse, and aligned workforce in the State of Nevada.

Courtesy of Esmeralda Villeda and Katie Gilbertson

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Carson City/Las Vegas, NV – The Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation (GOWINN) announced this week two new additions to the office, Esmeralda Villeda to the position of Policy, Communications, and Community Outreach Manager, and Katie Gilbertson to the position of Program Development, Public Policy, and Community Engagement Manager. Esmeralda and Katie both bring experience and expertise to their positions and will contribute to GOWINN’s mission of strengthening Nevada’s workforce development system.

Esmeralda Villeda

A Nevada native, Villeda was born in Las Vegas and raised in North Las Vegas. She is the proud daughter of immigrant parents, a first-generation Mexican American, a first-generation high school graduate at Rancho, and the first in her family to attend college. Prior to joining GOWINN, she started a small business in real estate becoming one of the top realtors in her field. Her background in real estate, a small business owner, and service on the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals board gives her unique insight to the kinds of policy issues the Nevada labor force and business community face that impacts workforce development. Esmeralda also worked in the hospitality industry where she led successful workforce training and mentoring programs. Her professional experience complimented with her dedication to and deep roots in the community will further GOWINN’s mission, reach, and impact.

Katie Gilbertson

A Nevada native, Gilbertson was born in Reno, raised in Sparks, and moved to Las Vegas to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she earned her degree in economics and minor in Brookings Public Policy. Prior to joining GOWINN, Katie served as an analyst with the prestigious economics firm Applied Analysis. Before that she worked in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and was a policy researcher with esteemed think tanks, such as The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West. Her research background in labor market dynamics, diversification, career-pathway development, state fiscal policy, and comparative analyses will be valuable to GOWINN identifying data-driven solutions and evaluating performance metrics.


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