Honorable Delia Garcia

Delia Garcia serves as the Regional Administrator for the Women’s Bureau’s Southcentral U.S. region in the states of TX, CO, LA, NM, UT, OK, AR, and WY. Previously, Garcia served as the Co-Lead Equity Expert for the Employment & Training Administration with the Central Response Division (ETA CRD) at USDOL.   Delia continues to leverage her 25+ years in state & national partnership building in her public service career.   

Delia made history by being elected the first Latina to the State of Kansas Legislature and youngest female in 2004 where she served six years in the House of Representatives, including during the Great Recession.  She was senate confirmed as the Cabinet Secretary of Labor in Kansas in 2019.  As Secretary of Labor, Delia established the Kansas Anti-Labor Trafficking Initiative and worked with USDOL and partner states on this. She also led their translation initiative of the UI website and important documents.  In 2011, Garcia moved to Washington, DC. Delia led two national non-profits- ReflectUS to increase women representation in elected/ appointed leadership and the National Migrant Seasonal Head Start Association with farm worker families and served at the National Education Association as Senior Liaison to minority communities.  Delia serves as faculty for national trainings to prepare women for elected/ appointed leadership positions.  She recently wrote her first book on national women leadership.  Delia has served in many state and national leadership roles, including the Executive Board of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), Board of Latino Legislative Leaders, Co-Founder of the National Latina State Legislative Caucus, and Kappa Delta Chi Latina Service Sorority Alumni Association. 

Delia earned her Master’s Degree in Political Science at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and Bachelor’s Degree from Wichita State University in Kansas.  Garcia is a graduate of the Harvard University Executive Leadership Program and Aspen Institute of Executive Leadership, and received her Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Certification from the University of Southern Florida.  She lives in Austin, Texas and loves being the favorite aunt to her nieces and nephews.