Kelly Folks

Kelly Folks brings more than 28 years of experience developing programs that serve both job seekers and business customers, with 24 of those years dedicated to the Workforce and Talent Development Ecosystem. She currently serves as Director of the Employment and Training Division and Interim Director of the Office of the Future of Work (OFW) at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, where she leads strategic efforts to strengthen the state’s talent pipeline and prepares Colorado’s workforce for the economy of the future.

In this dual role, Kelly oversees the administration of state and federal workforce programs that connect job seekers, including youth, veterans, underemployed individuals, and special populations, with businesses in need of skilled talent. Simultaneously, she advances forward-thinking workforce policies through the OFW, which focuses on labor market innovation, digital access and literacy, apprenticeship expansion, and cross-sector collaboration. Under her leadership, the OFW manages the State Apprenticeship Agency and drives the growth of high-quality, earn-and-learn programs that meet evolving industry demands.

Previously, Kelly served as Director of the Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Workforce Board-Center. She is widely recognized at local, regional, state, and national levels for her leadership in workforce innovation, human capital development, and economic vitality. She has represented Colorado in national technical assistance initiatives focused on system-building and transformational change.

Her professional affiliations include serving on the Executive Board of the Rocky Mountain Workforce Development Association (RMWDA), the Board of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), and as Vice Chair of the Employment & Training Committee for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA). She also contributes to multiple postsecondary councils and local workforce boards. A native Coloradan and alumna of Metropolitan State University, Ms. Folks began her career in the nonprofit sector, focusing on local community development.