Manufacturer's Exchange

Join us for an Economic and Workforce Development Roundtable exploring the evolving challenges and opportunities shaping Georgia’s labor market and business climate. Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes will share insights from the Georgia Department of Labor’s statewide perspective, including workforce trends, employer engagement strategies, and initiatives supporting both job seekers and businesses.

Bárbara Rivera Holmes - Commissioner of Labor for Georgia

Bárbara Rivera Holmes was sworn in on April 4, 2025, as Georgia’s 11th Labor Commissioner and the state’s first Latina constitutional officer. In this role, she leads the Georgia Department of Labor — a key agency responsible for administering unemployment insurance, re-employment services, workforce data, and child labor oversight — and is committed to driving innovation, strengthening employer-employee partnerships, and advancing Georgia’s workforce competitiveness.

Prior to her appointment, Commissioner Rivera Holmes brought more than two decades of experience and a demonstrated track record in economic and workforce development, public policy, and community leadership:

• She served as President & CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce (Southwest Georgia), where, under her leadership, the Chamber achieved Five-Star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — placing it among the top 2% nationally.
• Previously, she served as Vice President of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, overseeing business retention/expansion programs and leading strategic marketing and workforce talent initiatives.
• Earlier in her career, she worked as a business reporter for The Albany Herald, earning multiple awards from the Georgia Associated Press for excellence in journalism.

Commissioner Rivera Holmes has also been tapped for several high-level appointments:

• Appointed by former Governor Nathan Deal to serve on the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, overseeing the state’s public higher-education institutions.
• Served as Co-Chair of the Georgia Innovates Task Force, which helped craft Georgia’s technology and innovation blueprint.
• Appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to the Georgia Rural Development Council, underscoring her commitment to strengthening Georgia’s rural economies.

A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Commissioner Rivera Holmes is fluent in Spanish and holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Spanish from Florida Southern College, with additional study at Estudio Sampere Internacional in Spain.

She resides in Albany, Georgia, with her husband, David, and their daughter, where she remains grounded in community engagement even as she leads one of the state’s most critical agencies.