Deniece Thomas

Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Thomas started her career with the state of Tennessee in 2007 at the Clarksville American Job Center. Over the years, she has risen through the ranks of the department as a director, assistant administrator, assistant commissioner, and deputy commissioner. Thomas is a member of the National Association of State Agencies, a previous chair of the Employment and Training Committee, and a past member of both the Veterans Committee and the National Apprenticeship Workgroup. She also serves as the State Workforce Liaison for the National Governor’s Association and as a member of the Tennessee Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations. A 2014 graduate of LEAD Tennessee Alliance 5 and Leadership Tennessee Class VIII, she holds a master’s in civic leadership from Lipscomb University and a bachelor’s from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.