Marlena Sessions began serving as Executive Director of NOVAworks, the Silicon Valley region’s workforce development system, in November of 2021. She previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County.

Marlena currently serves on the Executive Committee of the California Workforce Association. She also serves on the National Advisory board for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. Regionally, she serves on the San Mateo County Shared Prosperity Coordinating Council and the THRIVE Alliance Workforce Development Steering Committee. She is a Silicon Valley Journal of Business 2024 “Woman of Influence” honoree.

Marlena has long advocated for career pathways and self-sufficiency for all and strategic talent pipeline development for all industries. She has testified in front of congress on multiple occasions on these issues.

Marlena holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Whitworth University and a Masters of the Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.