DWD Leadership
DWD Commissioner
David J. Adams
DWD Commissioner, David J. Adams
David J. Adams serves as the Commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development. He returns to work for the State of Indiana where he was Executive Director of the Indiana Public Retirement System from 2005 to 2007 under Governor Mitch Daniels.
Most recently, Mr. Adams was the first Chief Innovation Officer at the University of Cincinnati and the architect of the Cincinnati Innovation District. The district connects the economic engine of the university to global, mid-sized and small companies with a focus on growing, attracting, and retaining talent. The innovation district became the model for the state of Ohio and was instrumental in securing the recent $20 billion Intel investment, including the development of the future workforce.
Adams has deep experience in industry, higher education, and public service. In addition to his efforts at the University of Cincinnati, he was Chief Administrative Officer at the University of Louisville and served as the CEO of the Institute of Product Realization. He was also a founding member of the leadership team that rapidly grew a software firm that established the supply chain marketplace.
He was a founding member of the Enlace Academy in Indianapolis and is a member of the board of directors of the Purdue Research Foundation. He has also served on numerous private and not-for-profit boards.
Adams is a graduate of the Speed Scientific School of Engineering at the University of Louisville and has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in industrial engineering.
Executive Director of Applied Data Services
& Legislative Affairs
Josh Richardson
Executive Director of Applied Data Services & Legislative Affairs, Josh Richardson
Josh Richardson serves as the Executive Director of Applied Data Services & Legislative Affairs with the Department of Workforce Development. He returned to DWD in March of 2018, having previously served the agency in various capacities in the administrations of Governors Mitch Daniels and Mike Pence. Mr. Richardson has also served as Chief of Staff & Chief Administration Officer prior to moving into his current role.
Most recently, Mr. Richardson worked for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies Integrity Center where advised state agencies on various methods to reduce fraud and improper payments in their unemployment insurance systems. Previously, he served as the Director of Indiana's Unemployment Insurance System, and in Governor Mitch Daniels administration as a Policy Director.
Mr. Richardson was raised in Blackford County, Indiana and graduated from Ball State University, and the McKinney School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Indiana.
Chief Administrative Officer
Richard Paulk
Chief Administrative Officer, Richard Paulk
DWD Chief Administrative Officer Richard Paulk is a strategic leader with broad experience in finance, administration, operations, corporate development, and mergers and acquisitions. He has held leadership roles in companies spanning Fortune 30 publicly traded firms to startup companies, including a firm that focused on valuing health care services and entities, which he co-founded.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan before moving back to his original hometown of Chicago. Eventually, after spending six years in northern VA, Paulk and his wife, Nicole, moved to Indianapolis in 2021. The couple has two daughters.
Prior to joining DWD in early January 2023, he worked as chief financial officer (CFO) for a community redevelopment nonprofit organization that provided employment opportunities for ex-offenders. Paulk also served as CFO of a $1 billion division of Sears, Roebuck and Company and a $150 million subsidiary of the Washington Post Company. Additionally, he was a one-time CFO of a closely held communications company; leading all finance and treasury activities along with federal regulatory compliance efforts while helping position the company for sale.
During his spare time, Paulk, an avid sports fan, enjoys exercising, biking, hiking, spending time with family, reading and learning new things.
General Counsel
Beth Green
General Counsel, Beth Green
As General Counsel for the Department of Workforce Development, Elizabeth Green leads DWD’s Legal Division in providing agency-wide legal advice and representation. Beth also serves as the Ethics Officer for DWD and was the 2021 recipient of the Inspector General’s Award for Excellence.
Prior to joining DWD, Beth spent 12 years in private practice at Riley Bennett Egloff LLP focusing on transactional work and commercial litigation. Beth was a candidate for an Indiana Supreme Court vacancy in 2016 and was named a semi-finalist for vacancies on the Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Court of Appeals in 2017 and 2021, respectively.
Born and raised in eastern Canada, Beth received her B.A. in Psychology from Marshall University and graduated cum laude from Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Beth is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association and Indianapolis Bar Association. In 2017, Beth was recognized as an Indianapolis Bar Foundation Distinguished Fellow and served on the IndyBar Professionalism Committee for several years.
Chief Information Officer
Chris Henderson
Chief Information Office, Chris Henderson
Chris Henderson serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Department of Workforce Development. He joined DWD in September of 2022 after serving the Indiana Office of Technology (IOT) as the Deputy CTO for Enterprise Architecture, Business Relationship Management, and Public Cloud Operations. He began his public service in 2002 and started his career with the State of Indiana in October of 2003.
During his time at IOT, Chris helped build out and formalize the State’s approach to adopting public cloud technology services from both Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, advocating for and supporting transitions to cloud native development. He built out the business relationship management (BRM) program that engaged technology and business leaders from across the largest state agencies to foster strategic planning and collaborative decision-making. Prior to joining IOT, Chris served as the IT Director for both the Indiana State Park Inns and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority as well as systems analyst and systems administrator roles for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Department of Education.
Chris Henderson was born in Beech Grove and raised in Morgan County. He is an alumnus of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities in Muncie. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Indiana University and a Master of Science from the Center for Information and Communications Sciences at Ball State University. His wife, Rachael, also serves in state government as the Webmaster for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and they reside in Lawrence on Indy’s Northeast side. In his free time, Chris enjoys reading, tabletop gaming, and exploring Indiana’s State Parks. Chris volunteers and supports both technology and gifted education, supporting both Rooted School Indy and the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities.
Chief Financial Officer
Deanna Oware
Chief Financial Officer, Deanna Oware
Deanna Oware is a results-driven, consensus building public servant with over 20 years of financial experience in state government. Deanna currently works as the Chief of Administration and Chief Financial Officer for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development where she oversees the Finance, Facilities, Communications, and Human Resources areas for the department.
Deanna manages over $200 million in federal and state funding for the Department. In her years of experience with the State of Indiana, she has played key leadership roles in the financial management of Federal grant awards, the General Fund revenue forecast, analyzing fiscal policies and legislation, and implementing structural changes to programs designed to create efficiencies.
Deanna serves on the Indiana Deferred Compensation Board, was a former member of the Indiana Public Retirement System Board of Trustees, and has held memberships with the Association of Government Accountants, the Government Finance Officers Association, the National Association of State Budget Officers, and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.
She has a BS in Bioenvironmental Science from Texas A&M University and an MPA from Indiana University’s O’Neil School of Public and Environmental Affairs in Bloomington.
Chief Unemployment Insurance Officer
Noah Shelton
Chief Unemployment Insurance Officer, Noah Shelton
Noah Shelton serves as DWD’s Chief Unemployment Officer. He arrived at the agency in April 2022 from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, where he spent 17 years in several different roles, most recently as Deputy Commissioner of Policy & Programs.
Noah was a key contributor to the BMVs transformational change from cutting long customer wait times in license branches to an average of below 15 minutes.
During his time at the BMV he gained valuable experience in the areas of program management, data analysis and organizational development, and became an operations specialist in multiple disciplines.
Noah was born in Chicago and raised in South Bend. He earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and also completed the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators Leadership Academy and the Indiana Department of Correction Experienced and Emerging Leaders Program.
He and his wife have been married for 10 years and have three daughters. Outside of work, Noah enjoys spending time with his family, in addition to swimming, biking and running.