Beto Yarce will join the Washington State Department of Commerce as the new assistant director of Community Engagement and Outreach on Jan. 12. He succeeds Cheryl Smith, who will retire in February after 18 years with the agency and 37 years in state government. Yarce brings extensive experience in community and economic development from various sectors, most recently serving as the Small Business Administration’s Region 10 Pacific Northwest administrator.

Yarce aims to continue the agency’s commitment to equity-centered community engagement. The Community Engagement Division focuses on enhancing access to resources for underserved communities, particularly in child care and equity initiatives. Yarce has been active in local entrepreneurial and immigrant communities since moving to Seattle in 2003 from Mexico. He founded Beto Yarce Consulting and has served on multiple civic boards, including the Washington LGBTQ Commission.

As Commerce prepares for this leadership change, it honors Smith’s legacy of promoting equity in various programs. The agency is also responding to feedback from over 4,000 participants in a statewide survey to improve support for small and rural communities. Yarce’s leadership will be crucial in advancing these efforts.