LWDA Deputy Secretary Abby Snay Honored for Championing Workforce Equity and Innovation in California
Blog post: April 2, 2026
Abby Snay, the Labor & Workforce Development Agency’s (LWDA) Deputy Secretary for Workforce Strategy recently received the 2026 Founder’s Circle Award from the National Skills Coalition (NSC).
This recognition highlights Abby’s lifelong dedication to workforce development and her leadership in advancing skills training, promoting workforce equity, and fostering economic growth.
The Founder’s Circle Award recognizes leaders who have effectively used their influence to champion inclusive policies and broaden opportunities for both workers and businesses.
“Recognition from an organization I respect so highly is very meaningful to me,” Abby shared about receiving the award. “But I do this work because I just really believe in the basic dignity of work. That people have a right to meaningful work and a right to work at jobs that enable them to support their families.”
During her tenure, LWDA has advanced several major statewide priorities, including:
- Expanding high-quality apprenticeships across emerging and essential industries, including healthcare and education.
- Aligning training with sector needs: the Healthcare Workforce Initiative, in partnership with the California Health and Human Services Agency, expanded training in emergency medical services, nursing, and allied health, with a special focus on English Language Learners.
- Targeting equity populations with investments in training and employment programs designed to build skills for quality jobs and career advancements. Funding has supported farmworkers, opportunity youth, immigrants, refugees, and adults and youth with disabilities.
These initiatives reflect a comprehensive approach to workforce strategy, one focused on economic mobility, inclusive growth, and partnerships that meet both worker and employer needs.
Working at the Labor Agency has enabled Abby to bring together different aspects of her career and experience to enhance state-level strategies, partnerships, and funding initiatives.
“When joining the Labor Agency, I was excited to bring everything that I had been doing at the local program level and scale it for a greater statewide impact,” Abby shared.
At this year’s National Skills Coalition Summit, over 250 workforce policy advocates came together to discuss workforce systems, policies, and initiatives, including the NSC’s new initiative, “The New Promise of Work.” This forward-thinking approach encourages a broader and deeper perspective on the definition of workforce development.
Reframing workforce development in the broader context of economic security is a perspective that aligns with California’s work to help people maintain their benefits and advance education and training so they can move forward in their careers and lives.