Longtime public relations strategist Whitney Ertel has been named executive director of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Friday.
Ertl will take the job May 31, succeeding Patrick McGrew, who stepped down in January after nearly three years in the position.
Most recently Ertel was chief business officer and chief communications officer for the Department of Workforce Development. She has worked in numerous public relations roles in Indianapolis—and in London, New York City and San Francisco—since starting her career as an account executive at locally based PR firm Caldwell VanRiper in 1994. She spent more than five years (2012-2017) as director of public relations at Indiana University Health.
The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, formed in 2018, is tasked with strengthening the Indiana economy by aligning state and federal resources to develop training and education programs for Hoosiers.
“Whitney’s skills in leadership, strategy and communications will drive greater coordination throughout the state as we grow the talent pipeline to meet the current and future needs of Indiana businesses,” Holcomb said in written remarks. “With Whitney as the new executive director and Ryan Kitchell as the newly appointed GWC chair, the cabinet will seize the opportunity to build upon our progress and reinvigorate our strategic efforts.”
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A tremendous choice! Whitney is bright and talented and will bring great energy to the role!
Nice to see a dedicated citizen chosen for this role.