DRA executive appointed to state workforce development board

The Delaware Restaurant Association recently announced Carrie Leishman, its president and CEO, has been appointed by Gov. Matt Meyer to serve on the newly restructured Delaware Workforce Development Board.

Reinvigorated under Executive Order No. 10, the board’s aim is to align workforce training with Delaware’s fastest-growing, high-need industries, while increasing equitable access to opportunity and long-term employment across the state.

Leishman brings more than 25 years of executive leadership in Delaware’s dynamic restaurant and hospitality sector, which employs more than 53,000 people at 2,300 locations statewide. Under her leadership, the DRA has become a state and national model for career training and workforce innovation.

Leishman also serves as vice chair of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, helping to shape national workforce development strategies.

“I’m honored to represent the restaurant and hospitality industry — a true engine of opportunity,” said Leishman. “Restaurants provide real pathways to careers and entrepreneurship, and I look forward to expanding access to training and advancement for Delawareans of all backgrounds.”

Leishman’s appointment ensures one of Delaware’s most essential and opportunity-rich industries has a strong voice in shaping the future of the state’s workforce.