Madeleine (“Maddy”) Aroney Thompson has been at the forefront of strategic planning to meet Washington state’s current and future workforce and education needs leading key initiatives in executive and legislative branches over the last two decades.  As Senior Education Advisor in Governor Inslee’s Executive Policy Office, Maddy advises on education and higher education policy and budget issues. Maddy led the charge to develop Inslee’s statewide free college program, the Washington College Grant, that provides tuition and fees to more than 110,000 low and middle income students to attend college, including two-year and four-year degree programs, certificates, and apprenticeships. This proposal passed the state Legislature in 2019 and was acclaimed in Forbes.com as “one of the smartest financial aid packages in the country.”   Maddy drafted successful legislation for Inslee’s Career Connect initiative, that aims to dramatically expand opportunities for youth to gain both academic skills and paid work experience.


Prior to working in the Governor’s Office, Maddy led the development of six statewide strategic plans for workforce development and higher education, collaborating with industry and education partners in all regions of the state. At the Office of Program Research in the Washington State House of Representatives, Maddy developed legislative proposals for Representatives of both parties and shepherded bills through the process to become law.


Maddy’s work has focused on both meeting the needs of the workforce for jobs and careers, and the needs of the economy and employers for a qualified workforce. She has been an instigator and champion for major initiatives including I-BEST (integrating basic skills with workforce education) and applied baccalaureate degrees at community and technical colleges, the expansion of high employer-demand degrees, innovations in education delivery, and improving educational outcomes for all youth and returning adults.


Prior to moving to Washington, Maddy was as a member of faculty at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, specializing in developing English Language curricula and workforce programs for the Asia-Pacific Headquarters of American Express. She produced news for 2SER public radio, in addition to film and video, working extensively with youth, and immigrant / refugee populations. Maddy majored in Arts and Law at the University of Sydney and has a Master’s in Public Administration from TESC.