Mayor Mike Duggan made an announcement today appointing Terri Weems as the Group Executive of Workforce and Detroit at Work. Weems will assume part of the responsibilities previously held by Nicole Sherard-Freeman, who served as the Group Executive of Jobs, Economy & Detroit at Work, as well as the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Workforce Development Board since 2019.
According to Mayor Mike Duggan, “Nicole has made remarkable contributions to the City of Detroit and its residents, and her impact will be felt for generations to come. We have decided to divide the role to allow Terri to solely focus on workforce development. I am confident that Terri, with her extensive experience and knowledge, will approach this position with a strong dedication to addressing the needs of the people of Detroit.”
In her new role, Weems will concentrate on developing an economic mobility strategy aimed at reducing poverty, increasing employment opportunities, and equipping Detroiters with the skills necessary to adapt to a changing economy.
Before her recent appointment as the Group Executive of Workforce and Detroit at Work, Terri Weems served as the President of the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC), a nonprofit organization that serves as the workforce agency for the City of Detroit and Michigan Works Agency. Weems joined DESC in 2017 as the Chief Financial Officer, where she focused on developing metrics and utilizing data to inform the organization’s decision-making process. Over the past few years, she has been instrumental in executing the city’s workforce strategy and facilitating the growth of the organization.
Since 2019, Detroit’s workforce development team has succeeded in securing employment for over 40,000 Detroiters, with nearly 10,000 placements resulting from priority hiring agreements with major companies like Stellantis. The city experienced a rapid recovery from the pandemic, with unemployment reaching a 30-year low in April 2023, and over 228,000 Detroiters gainfully employed.
Speaking about her new position, Weems expressed her enthusiasm for preparing Detroiters for the future workforce economy in the next five to ten years. She believes that the community possesses strong and versatile talent, and her role is to support their innovation. Weems stated, “Our strategy is to provide all Detroiters with the opportunity to acquire advanced skills and compete in an ecosystem that ensures financial stability and generational wealth for residents and their families.”
Weems, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a diverse background, has over 15 years of experience in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers. She worked with the company’s largest clients in the United States and abroad, leading transformative initiatives and contributing to major projects. Additionally, she serves on several boards and is an active member of professional organizations such as the American Institute of CPAs, Michigan CPAs, and the National Association of Black Accountants. Weems also actively participates in her community through various volunteer and fundraising activities.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science in Accounting degrees from Ohio University.
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