Panhandle Workforce Development Board

The efforts of the Workforce Development programs are overseen by a 25-member board of business and community leaders and a group of seven local elected officials. The Panhandle Regional Planning Commission serves as the administrative and fiscal agent for these two entities and is responsible for over $13 million in annual funding provided by the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Veterans Commission, and local governments.

The Panhandle Workforce Development Board is a business-led group, the majority of which is comprised of employers from the private sector, as well as representatives from community-based organizations, labor, economic development, secondary and post-secondary education, adult and continuing education, literacy, vocational rehabilitation, public employment services, and the State Department of human services. The Panhandle Workforce Development Board is appointed by local elected officials and oversees workforce program services provided in our 26-county region.

Board Members

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Drew Downs

Labor Organizations

Shawna Elliott

Economic Development Organizations

Heather Freeman

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Mike Good

Board Vice Chair

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Michelle Griffin

Private Sector (Area II – Hansford, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Ochiltree and Roberts Counties)

Kristi Hanes

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Jason Henderson

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Laura Lopez

Private Sector (Area V – Childress, Collingsworth, Donley, Gray, Hall and Wheeler Counties)

Lynda McCarty

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Tonya McWilliams

State Department of Human Services

Art Martinez

Private Sector (Area III – Briscoe, Castro, Deaf Smith, Parmer and Swisher Counties)

Matt Parker

Private Sector (Area IV – Armstrong, Carson, Potter and Randall Counties)

Charlie Rivas

Board Chair

Private Sector (At Large)

Valarie Robbins

Vocational Rehabilitation Organizations

John West

Labor Organizations

Lisa White

Literacy Organizations

Michael Wright

Private Sector (Area I – Dallam, Hartley, Moore, Oldham and Sherman Counties)

Magi York

Community-Based Organizations

Francisco Apodaca

Private Sector (At Large)

Irene Arnold

Community-Based Organizations

Jay Barrett

Secondary Education

Kevin Caddell

Private Sector (At Large)

Tamara Clunis

Adult Basic and Continuing Education

Norman Bearden

Veterans Resource Coordinator

Workforce Solutions Panhandle Partner – Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Veterans Staff