Mayor Johnson appoints Galderma U.S. leader and Polsinelli shareholder to Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas board
DALLAS — Mayor Eric Johnson has appointed Head of Galderma U.S. Diane Gomez-Thinnes and lawyer Harry D. Jones, a Dallas-based shareholder at international law firm Polsinelli, to the board of directors for Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, a large nonprofit organization devoted to providing competitive solutions for employers and workers.
Mayor Johnson has made workforce development a top priority of his administration. Earlier this year, the mayor appointed Lynn McBee as his workforce development czar to help lead an effort to better coordinate and scale workforce development programs across the city. Those efforts will be guided by the landmark report, Upskilling Dallas: How to Modernize the City’s Workforce for the Jobs of Tomorrow, which was commissioned by the mayor and funded by a grant by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The mayor envisions Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas — which receives funding from private and governmental sources — as a major player in an eventual formal agreement between key entities in Dallas. He believes Gomez-Thinnes’ and Jones’ appointments will help shape that agreement.
“Diane Gomez-Thinnes is a dynamic leader who understands the importance of building a stronger workforce that is prepared for the jobs of tomorrow — not only for Galderma, but for employers across the city of Dallas,” said Mayor Johnson, who met with Gomez-Thinnes in December to discuss priorities for the city. Galderma U.S. recently announced its intention to relocate its headquarters to downtown Dallas in 2022.
“Harry Jones brings to Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas tremendous enthusiasm, doggedness, and attention to detail,” Mayor Johnson said. “And his decades of experience working with employers on major issues will make him an invaluable asset to our efforts.”
“I am excited to work with Diane, Harry, and all of our extraordinarily qualified and talented Workforce Solutions board appointees to make Dallas the top city for talent in the United States.”
Gomez-Thinnes holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Princeton University, where she also earned a Certificate in Latin American Studies. She joined Galderma in March 2021 after a 17-year career at Johnson and Johnson across various specialty areas in its medical devices sector, most recently serving as Worldwide President, Mentor. Gomez-Thinnes has extensive leadership experience in both Global and U.S. roles across commercial and operational functions in healthcare.
“The opportunity to serve on the Workforce Solutions Board of Directors is an incredible honor for me, given my lifelong commitment to engaging in the communities where I live and work,” said Gomez-Thinnes. “Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas unites leaders across educational, philanthropic, nonprofit and business sectors to accelerate opportunities to create impact that will benefit the city and the families of Dallas for generations to come. I am deeply grateful to Mayor Johnson for his leadership in this space and excited to take an active role in creating positive change as a part of this important initiative.”
A National Merit Scholar, Jones earned his bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian University before obtaining a J.D. from Texas Tech University. Jones has three decades of experience in global workforce counsel, scandal management, C-suite and board legal investigations, and unfair competition, among other high-stakes issues. He is now part of Polsinelli’s national Labor and Employment Department and has represented companies and institutions throughout various industries, including financial services, healthcare, education, construction, payment processing, transportation, property management and energy. With a national and international focus in his practice, Jones also guides general counsel and Human Resources departments through multi-state and complex cross-border issues, particularly in Europe, Africa and Latin America. He has advised and defended employers in numerous cases before the National Labor Review Board and the Department of Labor, has led the defense of national class and collective action wage and hour cases, and fought to protect business interests from unfair competition.
“It is an honor to be appointed by Mayor Johnson to the Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas board of directors,” said Jones. “For three decades, I’ve worked daily with employers, large and small, and their human resources teams on every step of the decision to start up, hire, grow, manage, train and develop workforces here, across the state, the nation and the globe. I hope to be an asset to this organization by bringing deep practical knowledge and common sense in furtherance of our vital mission and the region’s continued economic development success.”
As part of the board, Gomez-Thinnes and Jones will work with Workforce Solutions President & CEO Laurie Bouillion Larrea.
“Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas is honored to have Diane Gomez-Thinnes and Harry Jones join the cause for a more accomplished workforce in Dallas,” said Larrea. “We know they bring a wealth of information and passion to the challenges, and they are welcomed additions to our board.”
