HELENA—Montana Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Sarah Swanson has been elected chair-elect of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, giving Montana a leadership role in a national organization representing workforce agencies across the country.
Swanson assumed the position Sept. 17 during NASWA’s annual membership meeting at the 2026 NASWA Summit. The chair-elect serves on the organization’s five-member executive committee and is expected to become chair during the following association year.
NASWA represents workforce agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories. The organization works on employment and training programs, unemployment insurance, labor-market information and other workforce issues.
As chair-elect, Swanson will help guide the association’s board as it works to strengthen collaboration among states and develop policies affecting workers, job seekers and employers.
Swanson joins workforce leaders from Missouri, Ohio, Massachusetts and Washington on NASWA’s executive committee.
Her election comes as Montana works to restructure and modernize its workforce-development system. Swanson has been involved in Gov. Greg Gianforte’s 406 JOBS initiative, which seeks to strengthen connections among education, job training, employers and economic-development programs.
The state has also emphasized reducing unemployment-insurance fraud, changing occupational-licensing requirements and expanding pathways from education and training into the workforce.
Swanson said the national position will give Montana an opportunity to share its workforce-development efforts with other states while learning from programs being implemented elsewhere.
Before being appointed labor commissioner, Swanson worked in economic and workforce development and has been involved in efforts to connect employers with training and education programs.
Her new NASWA position will place her in national discussions over how states respond to changing labor markets, employer workforce needs and the development of new approaches to job training.