Governor Jay Inslee on Feb 22nd, named Marcus Glasper to serve as director of Washington state’s Department of Licensing (DOL). He replaces Teresa Bernsten, who retired earlier this month. Aléjandro Sanchez, DOL’s deputy director and current interim director, will continue leading the agency until Glasper begins on April 1.

Glasper currently serves as the director of Washington’s Lottery, a position he has held since 2017. In that capacity, he created a new strategic roadmap for the organization, established a first-of-its-kind retail space, and implemented a voluntary self-exclusion program and other responsible gambling verification policies. He is a respected and proven leader with 20 years of experience in state government. 

“Marcus has an impressive track record of leadership and success working on behalf of Washingtonians, and I am confident he will lead the Department of Licensing effectively,” Inslee said. “I look forward to continuing to work with Marcus as the DOL continues to promote a culture of respect and trust while meeting the needs of Washingtonians and businesses by providing easy and equitable access to great service. I also want to thank Alé for his ongoing leadership at the agency. He’s been instrumental in helping us through this transition and I deeply appreciate his service.”

Glasper has more than three decades of experience in the public sector. Prior to his appointment with Washington’s Lottery, he served in leadership roles with the state’s Department of Revenue, ending his tenure there as the agency’s deputy director. Before that, Glasper spent a decade working for the United States Department of Energy and began his career as an engineer with General Motors before coming to work for Washington’s Department of Corrections in 2003.

Glasper is a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Leadership in Management and is a volunteer senior mediator with the Thurston County Dispute Resolution Center.  He has been a director on the board of the Washington State Employees Credit Union since 2012, a director on the South Puget Sound Community College Foundation board since 2021, and served on the Tumwater Planning Commission from 2006-2013.

Glasper is a native of Plaquemine, LA. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, and a Master’s in Engineering Management from Washington State University. He has also completed senior executive programs at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government, USDA Graduate School, and the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs. 

Photo of Marcus Glasper.