Public Sector Workforce Summit 2026

Laura Ullrich

Director of Economic Research, Indeed

Laura Ullrich is Director of Economic Research in North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab. Prior to joining Indeed, Laura served as a Senior Regional Economist and Senior Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, primarily focused on research related to higher education and workforce dynamics. For over a decade, Laura was an economics professor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Winthrop University. Her research interests include higher education, community college policy, labor participation, and the economic impact of local development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Georgia and a master’s and doctorate in Economics from the University of Tennessee.

Matthew Jensen

Senior Director of Government Relations and Public Policy, Indeed

Matthew Jensen is Global Head of Government Relations and Public Policy at Indeed, focusing on digital and workforce policy including artificial intelligence, platform responsibility, workforce development, and skills-first hiring. He helps shape initiatives that leverage AI and labor market data to inform evidence-based policymaking and improve job matching and worker mobility. Matthew serves as Vice Chair and board member of Internet Works and previously held senior leadership and legislative roles in the U.S. government and at leading technology companies. He holds a Master’s in International Business and Policy from Georgetown University.

Trevor Schechter

Global Client Insights Manager, Indeed

Trevor Schechter is an Associate Manager for Indeed’s Global Client Insights team dedicated to supporting Public Sector employers. He has worked as a data analyst for over 15 years as a consultant and in-house data specialist and has supported a wide range of clients, including Walmart, Montefiore Medical Group, Colgate-Palmolive, Spectrum, PepsiCo, and FedEx. In his current role, he informs and improves hiring strategy at the State level while supporting his team’s analyses for Federal and Municipal clients as part of the Public Sector Strategy organization. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Chicago and a Master’s Degree in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences from Columbia University.

Jacqueline Sandoval

Global Client Insights Senior Strategist, Indeed

Jacqueline Sandoval is a Senior Strategist on the Global Client Insights team at Indeed, where she partners with city and county Public Sector clients to translate labor market data into actionable strategy. She began her career at Indeed nearly 11 years ago as a Client Success Specialist before transitioning to the strategy and insights team, where she has since focused on solving client challenges through data-driven analysis. Jacqueline’s work centers on helping public sector leaders understand hiring trends and market shifts to guide recruitment strategy across their regions and industries. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of San Francisco.

Matt Sargent

Global Client Insights Senior Strategist, Indeed

Matt Sargent is a Senior Strategist on the Global Client Insights team at Indeed, where he leads the Federal side of the Public Sector business. He began his career in Finance before joining Indeed eight years ago. During his tenure, he served as an Account Manager for several years before transitioning into his current role on the Strategy and Insights team. He currently leads strategy for the largest Federal agencies, including the DHS, DOD, DOJ, DOT, and OPM. In this capacity, he leverages data-driven insights to help government partners optimize their talent acquisition strategies and navigate complex hiring landscapes. He holds a B.A. in Accounting and a B.A. in Finance from Fairfield University.

Emily Parmelee

Senior Director of U.S. Public Sector Sales, Indeed

Emily Parmelee is Senior Director of U.S. Public Sector Sales at Indeed, where she leads the teams and strategy serving federal, state, local, and education employers across the country. During her 15+ years at Indeed, Emily has worked with some of the nation’s largest and most complex employers to navigate evolving workforce challenges and modernize how they attract and hire talent.

Emily is passionate about helping public sector leaders navigate a changing labor market and compete for talent. She works closely with government and education organizations to use workforce insights and innovative recruitment strategies to attract talent and build stronger, more resilient workforces.

Traci J. Deshazor

Secretary of Administration, Commonwealth of Virginia

Traci J. Deshazor serves as Virginia’s Secretary of Administration, bringing extensive experience across state and local government and federal intergovernmental affairs. Previously, she served as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services for the City of Richmond, overseeing a six-agency portfolio of more than 1,000 employees, and as the city’s first Chief Equity Officer. Deshazor has also served as Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Virginia. Throughout her career, she has focused on strengthening public institutions, modernizing government operations, and improving how government delivers services to communities across the Commonwealth.

Timothy R. Hogues

Commissioner, New York State Department of Civil Service

Timothy R. Hogues serves as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service and President of the New York State Civil Service Commission. Appointed in 2022, he leads efforts supporting New York’s public workforce and civil service system. Previously, Hogues served as Personnel Commissioner for Erie County, where he oversaw workforce services supporting more than 130 appointing authorities and approximately 24,000 employees. His responsibilities included recruitment, selection, hiring, employee development, and retention across local government and school districts. Hogues has held several other public service leadership roles and brings experience spanning government administration, workforce management, and private-sector operations.

Nicholas Hermes

Deputy Commissioner and Chief Human Resources Officer, Connecticut Department of Administrative Services

Nicholas Hermes serves as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Human Resources Officer for the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, where he leads Statewide Human Resource Management. In this role, he helps oversee the human resources functions that support Connecticut’s state workforce, including talent solutions, HR business partnerships, benefits and leave administration, learning and development, HR information systems, and workforce policy. As part of the Department of Administrative Services leadership team, Hermes supports the state’s efforts to strengthen and modernize workforce management across agencies. His work sits at the intersection of human resources strategy, talent management, workforce operations, and effective delivery of public services.