Karen M. Czarnecki is a senior advisor to U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. She joined the Labor Department in June of 2001, and in June 2003 she was appointed Director of the Office of the 21st Century Workforce. In addition, she serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Intergovernmental Affairs, giving her responsibility for outreach to state and locally-elected officials.

Ms. Czarnecki carries out the vision put forward by President Bush and Secretary Chao of a prepared workforce to meet the needs of both workers and their employers.

Under Ms. Czarnecki’s leadership, the Office of the 21st Century Workforce works with other DOL program agencies to address the many challenges of improving America’s competitiveness in a dynamic economy. Among its programs, the Office hosts major conferences and workshops and publishes various materials to highlight the strategic workforce initiatives set forth by Secretary Chao.

The Office of the 21st Century Workforce also maintains relationships between the Secretary and several important demographic and social groups that are critical to the Department's mission. Ms. Czarnecki oversees DOL's outreach to many diverse audiences, including small-business owners, women entrepreneurs, Asian Pacific Americans, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans.

Prior to joining the Labor Department, Ms. Czarnecki was the Director of the Civil Justice and Health and Human Services Task Forces at the American Legislative Exchange Council, a bipartisan, non-profit membership association of state legislators. She also held positions focusing on federal-executive branch relations and state and local governments at the Heritage Foundation, served as Director of Lectures and Seminars, and oversaw the Heritage Job Bank, filling vacancies on Capitol Hill, in think tanks, and in the private sector.

Ms. Czarnecki's prior government experience includes service in the Reagan White House, and in the Administration of President George H.W. Bush as a Special Assistant to Vice President Quayle for Domestic Policy and Public Liaison.

In over two decades in public policy, she has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, Canadian Public Broadcasting, and C-SPAN. For almost eleven years, in her personal capacity, she has appeared regularly on To the Contrary, Public Broadcasting System’s women’s public-affairs program.

Karen M. Czarnecki received a Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in World Politics from Catholic University, as well. She is a graduate of the Institute for Comparative Political and Economic Systems of the Fund for American Studies in conjunction with Georgetown University.