The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has appointed Cynthia Bauerly as deputy commissioner of workforce development within the state agency that regularly assists Borderland create job training programs and help with new business opportunities and growth.

Bauerly returns to Minnesota after serving in key leadership and management roles in Washington, most recently as a commissioner of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), according to a DEED news release. In 2001, she served as the agency’s chairwoman. The Benton County, Minn., native begins her new position Feb. 25.

“We are incredibly excited to have Cynthia Bauerly join our team as Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Development,” DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben stated. “Cynthia’s leadership ability, and strong commitment to public service and organizational effectiveness, will be invaluable to our work at the department.”

Bauerly also is a lawyer, former U.S. senator’s aide and worked in Minnesota’s private business sector. She also has management and public policy experience, the release said. As a commissioner of the FEC, “she was responsible for directing all substantive and administrative operations of the agency.”

“It is a tremendous privilege to return to Minnesota to join Governor Dayton, Commissioner Sieben, and the staff of DEED in the important work of enhancing economic prosperity through workforce training and readiness,” Bauerly said in a statement.

“Ensuring that hard-working Minnesotans have the training and certification needed to fill the skill gap employers are facing is important to all Minnesotans,” she said.

Bauerly previously served as legislative director for U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York. In her role there, Bauerly developed and implemented a policy agenda that included working with the Joint Economic Committee of Congress to assess and identify solutions for economic and employment challenges. She also coordinated initiatives to improve opportunities for employment and economic development in New York.

In addition, Baurerly worked as an attorney in private practice in both Minnesota and Washington, most recently for Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. Her clients included large and small Minnesota businesses.

Her resume also includes working for her family’s road construction business. She graduated from Minnesota’s Concordia College and the Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington. She also has a Master’s Degree in public affairs from Indiana University’s School of Environmental and Public Affairs.

For more details about DEED and available workforce development programs, go online to www.PositivelyMinnesota.com.