About

Delia Garcia is an award-winning executive servant leader, author, social innovator, and influencer with 25 years of public service & non-profit leadership experience in advocating for economic security & development.  Delia currently serves at the U.S. Department of Labor as the Women's Bureau Administrator for South Central U.S. after serving as an Equity Lead in the Employment Training & Administration in Washington, D.C.  As a national leader in diversity, equity, & inclusion, she also serves as the CEO of Garcia Strategies LLC where she creates business, public affairs, leadership development, executive coaching, legislative and philanthropic initiatives.  For over 25 years, she has trained numerous individuals for public service & civic engagement activities.  Delia is a best-selling author on national women leadership, with her first book titled Latina Leadership Lessons: Fifty Latinas Speak, which launched Spring 2023.

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She made history by being elected the first Latina to the State of Kansas Legislature and youngest female elected in 2004.  She made history again, by being appointed the first Latina Cabinet Secretary of Labor in Kansas in 2019.  As Secretary of Labor, she led the agency during the pandemic and collaborated with counterparts in other states.  Garcia established the Kansas Anti-Labor Trafficking Initiative and worked with the U.S. Department Of Labor on this initiative in partnership with other states.  She continues to lead efforts in workforce development through national activities.

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In Kansas, she managed her family's small business for ten years, which is Kansas' oldest family owned Mexican restaurant since 1963, and her sisters continue to manage it today.  In Washington, DC, she led two national non-profits ReflectUS (national women's coalition) and the National Migrant Seasonal Head Start Association (farm worker families), and served in senior leadership at the National Education Association as Senior Liaison to the Latino community. 

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Secretary Garcia has received numerous awards, some include inducted into the Kansas Historical Museum as the First Latina Elected to the Kansas Legislature, Women’s Foundation Changemaker Profile Award, NALFO National Civic Leader Award representing Kappa Delta Chi Latina Service Sorority Inc, National Latina Trailblazer in Government by the U.S. Hispanic and Latina Chamber of Commerce, MALDEF Matt Garcia Public Service Award, Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award, and Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs Co-Founder of the Latina Legislative Leadership Institute.  Delia has been featured in NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, the Daily Show, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek Magazine, Latina Style Magazine, and the McNair Scholar Program Journal of Research.  

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She continues to collaborate with national and state government entities, with most activity in Kansas, Texas, and Washington, D.C.  She serves on the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project National Board & Planned Parenthood of the Great Plains Board.  Delia serves as the proud co-founder to the National Latina State Legislative Caucus.  She has served in leadership and is a lifetime member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, Board of Latino Legislative Leaders, and National Association State Workforce Agencies.

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Delia earned her Master’s Degree in Political Science at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and Bachelors Degree from Wichita State University.  Garcia is a graduate of the Harvard University Executive Leadership Program.  Delia also received her Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Certification from the University of Southern Florida.  Over the past 25 years, Garcia also has served on several boards and campaigns, allowing her to advocate for economic security and social justice through a variety of national and state platforms, across generations of leaders.