Executive Leadership

Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn was born and raised in Seattle. His experiences as a life-long Washington resident and second-generation Vietnamese American make him an ardent champion for investing in Washington families and residents, expanding economic opportunities, and taking bold steps in our fight against the climate crisis.

Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed Joe as Commerce director on Dec. 27, 2024. He took the helm at Commerce on Jan. 15, 2025. Before that, he was a state senator from 2019-2024. In the senate, he chaired the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee and supported legislation for housing affordability, health care, public transit, climate, and education. He is a longtime advocate for working families and community members who are historically left out of the political process.

Joe grew up in White Center, attended high school in Burien and college at Seattle University. He now lives in West Seattle. He’s worked for Expedia and Microsoft, and has volunteered with organizations for homelessness services and law enforcement oversight.

Nicole Lutomski joined the Washington State Department of Commerce in 2025 as Chief of Staff. In this role, she provides strategic leadership and operational oversight to support the agency’s mission of strengthening communities and growing Washington’s economy.

Nicole worked closely with Director Joe Nguyen during his time in the state Legislature, serving as a Legislative Assistant in the Washington State Senate. In this role, she managed complex policy initiatives, budget development, and stakeholder engagement on key issues related to the environment, energy, and technology. She brings extensive experience in legislative processes, multi-sector collaboration, and operational management, all of which support Commerce’s strategic vision.

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Nicole earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in criminal justice from Seattle University. She is also deeply engaged in her community, serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the West Seattle Food Bank. She lives in West Seattle with her husband, two kids, and their two pups.

Sarah serves as the Deputy Director for the Department of Commerce. She supports Commerce’s divisions, programs and the legislative and policy team.

Before joining Commerce, Sarah was the policy director for the Washington State Senate Democratic Caucus, where she led a team of policy advisors, crafted legislative strategies, and fostered partnerships to advance meaningful policies. Her prior leadership roles span a broad range of sectors, all of which underscore her commitment to fostering healthy workplaces where people feel respected, engaged, and valued in the work to create effective public policy.

She holds a Master of Science in earth sciences from University of California Santa Cruz, a Bachelor of Arts in geology from Smith College, and a Certificate in Strategy Execution for Public Leadership from Harvard Business School Online. Beyond her professional endeavors, she’s deeply committed to community service, having served on boards of non-profits focused on language access and addressing domestic violence and sexual assault, and volunteering with her children’s public schools. Sarah lives in Olympia with her spouse, three children, dog, and cat.

Callie Goldsby joined the Washington State Department of Commerce in March 2025 and serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO). She brings 27 years of dedicated public service to the agency. In her CIO role at Commerce, she is committed to leading her technology team in true partnership with business customers to provide exceptional technology support and customer service. She ensures that technology serves as an enabler rather than a barrier in fulfilling the agency’s mission to strengthen communities and grow the economy in Washington.

A graduate of Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, with a degree in business administration – management information systems, Callie has held pivotal technology roles across several state agencies, including the Washington State Library/Secretary of State’s Office, Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Natural Resources, and most recently, 17 years at the Department of Health.

Throughout her career, Callie has been a lifelong technology professional and leader with experience across all technology disciplines and has had the honor of working with amazing state technology teams, agency and vendor partners. She believes that by seeing each other as people who matter and working together collaboratively, amazing outcomes can be achieved.

Callie resides in Tumwater, Washington, with her talented high school-age daughter. Winter is her favorite season; she loves participating in snow sports and taking in the fresh mountain air while skiing through beautiful terrain.

Michelle Gladstone-Wade joined Commerce in 2022 and serves as the Director of the Office of Tribal Relations. She leads agency efforts to develop and strengthen government-to-government relationships. Previously she worked with the Washington State Department of Revenue where she built relationships with tribes in the area of compact administration. Before state service, Michelle spent 10 years at a tribal college in student services, foundation management, with significant contributions as faculty and academic administrator. Her experience spans tribal economic development, tribal governance, business administration, and Indigenous research. Michelle grew up in a Coast Salish family surrounded by traditions old and new. The teachings from her Suquamish Tribe and Shxwhá:y Village lineages have molded her character and values and serve as the foundation of her approach to tribal relations.

Cheryl Smith is director of Community Engagement and Outreach for the Department of Commerce, where her team helps communities address priority needs through technical assistance, navigating funding programs and advocacy. Her team also launches innovative projects and policy development initiatives that advance Commerce’s mission of strengthening communities, including efforts around child care and equity. Cheryl has a long track record of leading collaborative efforts in state and local government to address complex issues and opportunities. Her experience includes local infrastructure financing, environmental protection, community planning and self-help, grant and loan programs, regulatory streamlining and initiatives to advance equity. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Kansas State University, earning a bachelor’s in political science and social sciences and a master’s in public administration. She holds several personal coaching certifications and considers herself a lifelong learner. Cheryl is passionate about being an ally for all. She values working with the talented team at Commerce and is inspired by people from all walks of life whose dedication makes Washington’s communities so vibrant. A Michigan transplant, Cheryl lives in Olympia with her family and has grown to love the Pacific Northwest, rain and all.

Liz Rocca joined Commerce as communications director in 2022. Liz is an award-winning journalist and leader of people, spending much of her career in Seattle newsrooms before transitioning to government service. Before joining Commerce, she worked at the King County Sheriff’s Office, where she served as chief of staff and media relations manager. Committed to public service, Liz is responsible for leading our external communications strategies and efforts as well as our talented Communications Team. Her goal is to showcase the work Commerce is doing, highlight the successes of people and business partners within our communities, and help the agency reach new audiences, particularly in underserved communities. She holds a bachelor’s from Weber State University and a master’s from San Francisco State University, both in political science.

A public servant for more than 10 years, Theresa Burkheimer (she/her) rejoined Commerce in November 2021 to head Human Resources. In her role, she leads a team of 11 who focus on the internal needs of the agency’s more than 500 team members. Human Resources cares for employees through their employment lifecycle with Commerce, including recruiting, hiring, strategic workforce planning, training and development, retention and succession planning. Theresa particularly enjoys helping shape organizational culture to ensure that all team members are set up for success. She graduated from Central Washington University with a bachelor’s in business administration and an emphasis in human resources. She previously served at the Departments of Information Services, Corrections, and Social and Health Services. Theresa loves everything about the Pacific Northwest — except pumpkin spice lattes. When not shuttling around kids or watching their sporting events, she enjoys running, skiing, being on the water and spending time with loved ones.

Kai Matthews (he/him) joined Commerce as chief financial officer in 2023. He leads the Financial Services Division, including the Accounting, Budget, Contracts and Internal Controls teams. Kai has a master’s in accounting and a passion for making a positive difference in communities. In fact, he has worked in public service his entire career, including for the Department of Enterprise Services, Administrative Office of the Courts, School for the Deaf, and Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Originally from the East Coast, Kai came to Washington with his military family in 2008. In his free time, he enjoys gaming and anime.

Dave Pringle joined the agency’s Legislative and Policy Team at the end of 2019 as a policy advisor. His background in public affairs includes communications, legislative and policy development and strategic planning for campaigns, consulting, and government affairs for state, local and federal. He focuses on collaborative work to serve with trust, transparency, and a willingness to listen and learn from the community. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Washington University. He lives in Tacoma with his wife and two children, supporting pro soccer and football, hiking, camping and finding outdoor fun in the northwest.

Mark Barkley has been with the Department of Commerce since 2013 and serves as assistant director for the Local Government Division. Mark’s responsibilities include coordinating with the Public Works Board and Community and Economic Revitalization Board (CERB). He also supports the State Broadband Office, Community Development Block Grants, Building Community Fund, Building for the Arts, Youth Recreations, Early Learning, Child Care Facilities, Behavior Health Funds, Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund, Research Services, Library Capital Funds and Growth Management Services. Mark is also responsible for supporting and implementing the local CARES Act, State and Local Fiscal Recovery and Capital Project, and the Infrastructure Investments and Job Act funds. He has more than 20 years of experience working with both state and federal contracts. After serving 25 years in the U.S. Army, Mark worked for two years at the Department of Transportation before coming to Commerce. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Seattle University and a master’s degree in public administration from Central Michigan University. Mark lives in Rainier with his wife and horses, chickens, dogs and cats.

Cindy Guertin-Anderson (she/her) joined Commerce in September 2022 as assistant director of the Community Services Division, which partners with local governments, Tribes, community based organizations, and nonprofits to provide community assistance, promote individual and family self-sufficiency, address the causes and effects of crime and violence, and increase equity and belonging for all Washingtonians. Its dozens of programs serve communities across Washington by offering economic opportunities such as job readiness and low-income energy and water assistance, crime victim advocacy and services for survivors of DV, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes, firearm safety and violence prevention, improving community safety, and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities and for those reentering the community after incarceration. Cindy combines her passions for social justice, being a trauma-informed healer and providing compassionate, effective leadership to strengthen communities. Before she joined Commerce, Cindy served as assistant director for Workforce Support and Development at the Department of Enterprise Services where she received the 2020 Governor’s Award for Leadership in Management. Prior to joining state government in 2016 as director of the Employee Assistance Program, Cindy worked in the nonprofit and faith-based sectors, primarily with survivors of violence and in support of social change. Cindy graduated with bachelors degrees in biology and religion from Whitworth University and a master’s in marriage and family therapy from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She, her wife and two children live in Olympia and enjoy singing, sailing, hiking and playing games together.

Grace Yoo (she/her) is a strong believer in the power of economic empowerment to unlock better outcomes in the health and safety of our communities, especially those that are underrepresented and underestimated. Grace joined Commerce in September 2024, leading the division’s work to translate Washington’s global competitiveness into local impact, creating jobs and supporting small businesses here at home across all 39 counties. The division’s teams include Industry Sector Development, Circular Economy, Rural and Marketing Services, Small Business Export Assistance, Small Business Finance and Community Support, Finance and Grant Services, and Contracts and Procurement.

Before joining Commerce, Grace was executive director of the Washington State Women’s Commission (WSWC), where she launched a statewide pay equity campaign. Previously, she led a global sustainability program at Starbucks, served as a diplomat with the U.S. Foreign Service and served in a variety of roles at the U.S. State Department, including as an advisor to the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Grace has a bachelor’s degree in East Asian studies from UCLA and a master’s degree in international and intercultural communications from American University. She is based in Seattle and speaks Korean, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.

Away from work, Grace enjoys going for a run around Green Lake in Seattle, reading at local coffee shops and being a doting mom to her ginger cat, Cardamom.

Kennly Asato (she/they) currently serves in a co-leadership role with Tedd Kelleher as the Interim Assistant Director for the Housing Division. The Housing Division partners with local governments, Tribes, housing authorities and nonprofits to develop and preserve affordable housing, promote individual and family self-sufficiency, and reduce adult and youth homelessness. Prior to stepping into this role, Kennly served as the Deputy Assistant Director of the Housing Division since 2022. Kennly has worked in state government for the last 13 years. Kennly has a bachelor’s degree in classical civilizations and a master’s of business administration. She is passionate about helping others and serving her community. Kennly serves as the Mentorship Lead for the statewide business resource group HAPPEN (Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders Promoting an Empowerment Network), the chair of South Puget Sound Community College’s (SPSCC) Office Technology Advisory Committee, and as a committee member for the SPSCC Worker Retraining Advisory Committee.

Tedd Kelleher serves in a temporary shared leadership role with Kennly Asato as the Assistant Director for the Housing Division. For over 20 years he has led implementation of homeless and affordable housing programs, with a focus on performance management contracting informed by improved data collection.  Recently Tedd has led implementation of the Encampment Resolution Program and legislative analysis for the Housing Division.

Jennifer Grove serves as Assistant Director of Energy and leads the Washington State Energy Office, spearheading the state’s transition to a clean and just energy future. With over twenty years of experience in clean energy leadership, she oversees strategic policy development, clean technology investments, and decarbonization initiatives across Washington state. A native Washingtonian and University of Washington business graduate, Jennifer previously served as Executive Director of the regional nonprofit Spark Northwest. Her career has centered on addressing energy inequities by reducing energy burdens for low-income households, ensuring clean energy benefits reach all communities, and positioning Washington as a national model for inclusive clean energy transformation.