DOVER – Governor-elect Matt Meyer has pinged another member of his incoming cabinet – native Delawarean and William Penn High School graduate LaKresha Moultrie.
She was nominated to serve as Delaware’s next Secretary of Labor, bringing her decades of legal experience to the state table including roles such as vice president of legal affairs, general counsel and chief enterprise risk officer at the First State’s only historically black college Delaware State University.
If she is confirmed by the Delaware State Senate, Moultrie will oversee a department that is critical for the thousands of small businesses in the state, as it deals with implementation of policies such as the state paid family and medical leave as well as workplace protections. The Department of Labor is also responsible for labor market research, training resources as well as the state’s unemployment benefits program.
Over the years, she has held several roles with the state of Delaware varying from clerk for the chief judge of Delaware’s family court to entry-level prosecutor to chief deputy attorney general. She served as the deputy attorney general for the Delaware Department of Justice for five years and was later appointed as the director of the Family Division for the department for two years.
Seeking to continue the upward trajectory in her career, Moultrie vied for the state attorney general seat in 2018 after sitting Attorney General Matthew Denn announced that he would not seek re-election after 14 years in office. She was one of four democrats who sought out that seat in 2018, along with accomplished police officer and now Fraternal Order of Police Director of Labor Services Tim Mullaney, Wilmington-based lawyer and now City Councilman Chris Johnson and then New Castle County Chief Administration Officer Kathy Jennings who would go on to win that election against republican candidate Bernard Pepukayi and maintains the seat to this day.
While running for that office, she promised to address transparency at the state level, as well as racial disparities and the culture of prosecution, as evidenced in an interview at the time with the News Journal.
“LaKresha brings a wealth of experience, passion, and a deep understanding of the challenges facing Delaware’s workers. She is a proven leader with a track record of empowering individuals, advocating for workers’ rights, and driving economic growth,” Meyer said in the press release. “Her leadership will be critical in building a Delaware where every worker can thrive, from expanding workforce training to ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions.”
That leadership experience didn’t just stop at the end of the workday for Moultrie – she also has an extensive track record as a volunteer. She served as an elected trustee for ChristianaCare, as well as a member of its Community Engagement Council. She also mentored youth in the YMCA Youth in Government Judicial Competition, Delaware Futures Program and those seeking to take the bar exam in the Delaware Multicultural Judges and Lawyers Section Minority Supplemental Bar Review Course.
Other nonprofits of interest to Moultrie have included Habitat for Humanity and the Food Bank of Delaware for which she sat on the board of directors for years.
The Delaware Business Times recognized the Widener University graduate as a young up-and-coming professional in 2015 by honoring her in that year’s class of “40 Under 40.” She was also recognized in 2021 by Delaware Today Magazine in its top 40 Most Empowering Women in Business.
Moultrie has led a career dedicated to service in the Delaware community. She currently serves as the Vice President of Legal Affairs, General Counsel, and Chief Enterprise Risk Officer at Delaware State University.
“LaKresha is a tremendous leader of people, and I’m more than confident that her knowledge, experience, and sound judgment will serve the state well as she becomes our next Secretary of Labor,” Delaware State University President Dr. Tony Allen said in a prepared statement. “LaKresha also has a unique ability to execute on a vision – to turn ideas into reality. I know she will work tirelessly and effectively to advance Governor-elect Meyer’s priorities, to protect and expand the rights of Delaware workers and their families.”