Dana Westgren supports CSW’s Federal State & Local Systems Change team as a Senior Policy Associate. Dana brings a decade of experience in workforce development policy and governance, across federal and state systems. Her priority has always been making the economy and workforce system accessible for historically marginalized populations.
She began her tenure as a Job Developer for Academy of Hope, an adult education provider in Washington, DC, which cemented her community-based view of policy development. After working at the National Governors Association and Pew Charitable Trusts, Dana most recently worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, where she served first as a policy analyst focused on Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult and Dislocated Worker Program policy and performance outcomes. She then led the WIOA Governance unit, overseeing state plan reviews, waivers, and state/local board policy. During her time at DOL, Dana earned two Secretary of Labor Awards for her work on job quality and DEI initiatives.
Dana holds a Master of Public Administration from Cornell University’s Brooks School of Public Policy, where she focused on public and nonprofit management. She also earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, graduating with honors from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.