Somali-American Hamse Warfa Appointed to Biden-Harris Administration

By: Zakariye Ahmed

WASHINGTON – Hamse Warfa, the deputy commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Growth, was appointed as a senior advisor to the State Department of Biden-Harris Administration.

Deputy Commissioner Hamse Warfa said. “I am grateful to Governor Tim Walz and DEED Commissioner Steve Grove who empowered me to build on the vision of One Minnesota and create a more inclusive economy. As I prepare to represent all people of the United States, I am blessed by the colleagues, friends and family who supported my public service. My late father regularly offered a special blessing for me, ‘May you be useful to society,’ and I welcome continued support in my new role protecting and promoting democracy.”

Warfa volunteered as an economic policy committee member on Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Minnesota’s governor Tim Walz appointed Warfa as deputy commissioner in 2019, making him the “highest ranked Somali American official in the executive branch of government.”
“Hamse was an amazing leader, and his legacy will be felt for a long time,” DEED Commissioner Steve Grove said. “He brought true passion to his job, and I’m confident he’ll bring that same heart to Washington as he fights for democracy all across the world”

The History of Hamse Warfaa

Hamse arrived in the United States as a Somali refugee as a teenager in 1994, and in 2014, he wrote his autobiography, America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee’s Quest for Hope. Hamse Warfa received a Master of Arts in Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Diego State University. As part of the Young American Leaders Program, he also completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

Under Warfa’s tenure, he successfully advocated for the largest job bill in state history, providing workforce training to more youth and adults. New workforce training programs were established to support African immigrants, increase Black workers in Tech and provide free online training open to all Minnesotan adults during the height of the pandemic. Warfa implemented a faster, more transparent, and inclusive grant making process to help a greater diversity of Minnesota communities address their workforce needs. As co-chair of the Governor’s committee on the safety, health and well-being of agricultural and food processing workers, Warfa championed workers to be vaccinated and recommended safer housing and workforce policies for migrant workers.

Warfa currently serves as the Deputy Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Additionally, he is the cofounder of BanQu Inc., a blockchain-powered social impact platform designed to expand economic opportunity for people worldwide with the lowest incomes. He served as a 2016 Bush Fellow and an Ashoka Fellow. Warfa earned a Master’s in Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Diego State University. He also completed executive education at Harvard Business School as part of the Young American Leaders Program.