Texas Governor Greg Abbott has placed Joe Esparza at the helm of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) as Chair, while also bringing Brent Connett into the fold as Commissioner Representing the Public, a long-term appointment that won't see its conclusion until February 1, 2031
Esparza, a man with a storied career including a stint as the Commissioner Representing Employers since 2023, climbs yet another rung on the state's bureaucratic ladder, his previous roles encompass a breath of governmental service from Texas Deputy Secretary of State to senior appointments manager in the Office of the Governor; he also has grassroots experience as a clerk for the City of Lubbock, and he has even touched the land as a field technician for the Texas General Land Office, he boasts an honorable service record of eight years with the United States Marine Corps, on top of civilian pursuits such as volunteering with the Native Prairies Association of Texas and active membership in the Knights of Columbus at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Marble Falls, He is a proud alumnus of Texas Tech University, holding a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications. according to a recent press release.
Brent Connett, the current deputy director of Appointments in the Office of the Governor, accepts this new challenge, bringing with him extensive experience in senior staffing roles in the Texas Senate, as well as a decade plus of leadership in various policy research and legislative bodies offering him a substantial breadth of insight into the workings of state governance, coupled with his community service endeavors, like his volunteer work at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Austin and his involvement with Meals on Wheels, his background is further bolstered by over a decade and a half of service in the Texas State Guard where he achieved the rank of Sergeant First Class, with an academic grounding in Government courtesy of The University of Texas at Austin.
