Agency leadership

Commissioner Kate Perushek

Kate Perushek was appointed DLI commissioner in July 2026. DLI’s mission is to ensure Minnesota’s work and living environments are equitable, healthy and safe. The department serves employees, employers and the public by regulating buildings and workplaces through education and enforcement.

Prior to assuming the role of commissioner, Perushek served as DLI's deputy commissioner since August 2022 and directed the work of Apprenticeship Minnesota, the Construction Codes and Licensing Division, Dual-Training Pipeline, Labor Standards, Legislative Services, the Office of Combative Sports and Youth Skills Training. She also previously served as an assistant commissioner and began work at DLI in 2019 as director of legislative affairs.

Before joining DLI, Perushek served as senior policy advisor to Gov. Mark Dayton, responsible for policy initiatives related to DLI and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and worked at the Minnesota House of Representatives for nine years, including a role as legislative director to the Speaker of the House. While working for the Speaker, she helped develop and pass the Women’s Economic Security Act in 2014, an effort that first drew her to the work of DLI.

Perushek earned a master’s degree in both public policy and social work from the University of Chicago.

Deputy Commissioner Maureen Ramirez

Maureen Ramirez serves as DLI's deputy commissioner and oversees the work of the Minnesota OSHA Compliance and Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation divisions, the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, and the Office of Combative Sports. She first joined the agency as Chief of Staff in 2023.

Previously, Ramirez worked at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development as the director of the Office of Public Engagement, leading outreach and community relations activities with nonprofit partners, community leaders, small-business owners and job seekers.

Ramirez served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents from 2007 to 2013 and also served on the ISD 197 West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan school board from 2017 to 2021, including as vice chair.

Ramirez earned a master's degree in advocacy and political leadership from the University of Minnesota – Duluth and an MBA from the University of Minnesota.

Assistant Commissioner for Workers' Compensation Jessica Stimac

Jessica Stimac is DLI's assistant commissioner for workers' compensation. Stimac has 20 years of workers' compensation experience, both in the public and private sectors. She oversees DLI's Workers' Compensation Division, Office of Workers' Compensation Ombudsman and Office of General Counsel.

In February 2024, Stimac was named a DLI assistant commissioner. Prior to her work as assistant commissioner, Stimac served as chief general counsel of the agency, leading DLI's Office of General Counsel since 2018. Before leading the Office of General Counsel, Stimac was a Workers' Compensation Division director from 2012 to 2018, a supervisor in the Special Compensation Fund from 2010 to 2012, and a mediator in Alternative Dispute Resolution from 2006 to 2010. Before joining DLI, Stimac worked as a litigator, practicing in the area of workers' compensation.

Stimac earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Notre Dame and her law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Assistant Commissioner Kristy Swanson

Kristy Swanson is DLI's assistant commissioner for operations. She oversees Enterprise Business Technology, Facilities Management, Financial Services, Human Resources, and Projects and Planning. In addition, she is the liaison between DLI and Minnesota IT Services.

Swanson led the Financial Services unit at DLI since 2016 and has helped lead DLI initiatives, such as Work Comp Campus, building-renovation projects and agency sustainability efforts.

Prior to working at DLI, Swanson was a project manager for the Early Learning Scholarship program’s IT system at the Department of Education. Before that, she was an executive budget officer at Minnesota Management and Budget, focusing on education funding and project managing the development of the enterprise-wide budget system.

Swanson earned a master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.