Kierston Howard

Kierston Howard is an accomplished leader in public sector administration, currently serving as the Head of Industry Executives and Executive Lead for Public Sector, Labor at Google since April 2023. Previously, Kierston held various positions at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment from 2014 to 2023, including Deputy Director of Unemployment Insurance, where significant accomplishments included overseeing a 200-employee staff, managing a $100M budget, and leading the organization through a dramatic scaling response during the COVID crisis. Kierston spearheaded a $30M technology modernization project for the Unemployment Benefits System and secured an additional $28M in funding for further system enhancements. With a strong educational background from Dartmouth College, The School for Field Studies, and the University of Scranton, Kierston has consistently demonstrated a commitment to innovation and process improvement across multiple organizations.