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.

TWC and AEDC Present a combined $500,000 in Funding for High Demand Job Training to five local ISDs

Upcoming Meetings

The regular meeting of the Panhandle Workforce Development Board will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis this meeting will be held by videoconference pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.127. The Governor of Texas, in accordance with Section 418.016 of the Texas Government Code, has proclaimed that a state of disaster now exists across Texas and the rules requiring government officials and members of the public to be physically present at a specified meeting location have been suspended until further notice. 

The regular meeting of the Panhandle Workforce Development Consortium’s Governing Body will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 27, 2021. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis this meeting will be held by videoconference pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.127. The Governor of Texas, in accordance with Section 418.016 of the Texas Government Code, has proclaimed that a state of disaster now exists across Texas and the rules requiring government officials and members of the public to be physically present at a specified meeting location have been suspended until further notice. 

Board Members

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Francisco Apodaca

Private Sector (At Large)

Irene Arnold

Community-Based Organizations

Betty Bara

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Jay Barrett

Secondary Education

Norman Bearden

Veterans Resource Coordinator

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

Texas Buckhaults

Post-Secondary Education

Kevin Caddell

Private Sector (At Large)

Tamara Clunis

Adult Basic and Continuing Education

Drew Downs

Labor Organizations

Shawna Elliott

Economic Development Organizations

Heather Freeman

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

Michelle Griffin

Board Vice Chair

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)

Tonya McWilliams

State Department of Human Services

Art Martinez

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

David Parker

Private Sector (City of Amarillo)

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 Roberts

Labor Organizations

Lisa White

Literacy Organizations

Michael Wright

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

Magi York

Community-Based Organizations