Governor Carney Announces Leadership Changes at Department of Health and Social Services
Delaware Health and Social Services | Governor John Carney | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Delaware Health and Social Services | Governor John Carney | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2020
WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced that Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker will leave her current role as the head of the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) this summer to join Nemours’ National Office of Policy and Prevention in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Walker, who has served as Secretary of the largest agency in Delaware’s state government since February 2017, is
leaving her position to fulfill a desire to pursue health care policy work at the national level. She will serve in Nemours’ Washington office as Senior Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer. In addition to leading the Department of Health and Social Services’ ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary Walker has led work at DHSS to:
“Since the day I took office as Governor, Dr. Walker has been a central part of the most qualified and diverse cabinet in Delaware’s history,” said Governor Carney. “Over the last several years, she has managed our health and social services programs with grace, poise, and with a steadfast focus on helping the Delawareans who are most in need. Kara’s compassionate leadership has been so incredibly important this year, as Delaware has grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership during this difficult time has saved lives, and helped Delaware respond successfully to this disease. Now we all need to do our part. Stay socially distant. Wear a face covering. Kara’s voice and leadership will be sorely missed in Delaware, but I’m confident she will continue to do great things at Nemours.”
“It was an incredible honor to be chosen by Governor Carney to lead the team at DHSS and to be entrusted with meeting the needs of the people of Delaware,” said Dr. Walker. “It has been one of the highlights of my life to come back to my home state and lead the dedicated team of women and men here at DHSS. During the pandemic, I witnessed our team come together as never before and figure out new ways of meeting the health and social service needs of the people we are sworn to serve. I am grateful to the Governor’s office, our fellow state agencies, the legislators, community partners and residents of Delaware for the faith they had in me and our entire Department. While I know that we advanced many health and social service policies during my tenure, I will always wish that I had more time, because there is more work to address health equity, health care costs and access to care up and down our state, but particularly for vulnerable populations.”
Governor Carney will nominate Molly Magarik, who currently serves as Deputy Secretary of DHSS, to serve as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services.
The agency, with 11 divisions and more than 4,000 employees, is responsible for meeting the health and social service needs of Delawareans by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency and protecting vulnerable populations.
The Delaware Senate is expected to consider Deputy Secretary Magarik’s nomination later this month.
“Molly is a proven leader, a problem solver, and a committed public servant who has been second-in-command at DHSS for the last three and a half years,” said Governor Carney. “Throughout her career, and especially as Deputy Secretary, Molly built important relationships and trust with members of the General Assembly, our health care systems, agency staff, and Delawareans throughout the state. As we continue to fight COVID-19, I’m confident Molly will be able to lead this department without missing a beat, while continuing our work to make Delaware a stronger and healthier state. I look forward to the Senate considering her nomination.”
“I am truly humbled and incredibly honored to be nominated by Governor Carney as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services,” said Deputy Secretary Magarik. “I am grateful to the Governor for the trust and faith he has in me to lead this agency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to serve in his Cabinet. I thank Secretary Walker for her leadership and guidance, and for the inspiring way she had led our Department for more than three years with an innovative spirit, a caring heart and an incredible commitment to improving the quality of life for Delawareans.”
Magarik has served as Deputy Secretary since February 2017, directing and managing key priorities for DHSS, including health care financing, payment and delivery system reform; budget administration and management; and early childhood education. She also served as the Department’s chief strategy officer, and developed and maintained critical partnerships with Delaware cabinet agency leaders, the legislature, the federal delegation, advocates, and health care system leadership throughout the state.
Before joining DHSS, Magarik served as State Director for then Congressman John Carney and Political Director for Beau Biden’s campaign for Attorney General. She also worked as a strategic advisor across nonprofits and government, including as Executive Director of the Delaware Democratic Party. She is a candidate for a Master’s of Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth College, and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Delaware. She and her husband, Josh, have two daughters and live in Middletown.
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Related Topics: Cabinet, Cabinet Members, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, DHSS Cabinet Secretary, governor, Governor Carney, nominations
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
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Delaware Health and Social Services | Governor John Carney | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Tuesday, June 16, 2020
WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced that Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker will leave her current role as the head of the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) this summer to join Nemours’ National Office of Policy and Prevention in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Walker, who has served as Secretary of the largest agency in Delaware’s state government since February 2017, is
leaving her position to fulfill a desire to pursue health care policy work at the national level. She will serve in Nemours’ Washington office as Senior Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer. In addition to leading the Department of Health and Social Services’ ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary Walker has led work at DHSS to:
“Since the day I took office as Governor, Dr. Walker has been a central part of the most qualified and diverse cabinet in Delaware’s history,” said Governor Carney. “Over the last several years, she has managed our health and social services programs with grace, poise, and with a steadfast focus on helping the Delawareans who are most in need. Kara’s compassionate leadership has been so incredibly important this year, as Delaware has grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership during this difficult time has saved lives, and helped Delaware respond successfully to this disease. Now we all need to do our part. Stay socially distant. Wear a face covering. Kara’s voice and leadership will be sorely missed in Delaware, but I’m confident she will continue to do great things at Nemours.”
“It was an incredible honor to be chosen by Governor Carney to lead the team at DHSS and to be entrusted with meeting the needs of the people of Delaware,” said Dr. Walker. “It has been one of the highlights of my life to come back to my home state and lead the dedicated team of women and men here at DHSS. During the pandemic, I witnessed our team come together as never before and figure out new ways of meeting the health and social service needs of the people we are sworn to serve. I am grateful to the Governor’s office, our fellow state agencies, the legislators, community partners and residents of Delaware for the faith they had in me and our entire Department. While I know that we advanced many health and social service policies during my tenure, I will always wish that I had more time, because there is more work to address health equity, health care costs and access to care up and down our state, but particularly for vulnerable populations.”
Governor Carney will nominate Molly Magarik, who currently serves as Deputy Secretary of DHSS, to serve as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services.
The agency, with 11 divisions and more than 4,000 employees, is responsible for meeting the health and social service needs of Delawareans by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency and protecting vulnerable populations.
The Delaware Senate is expected to consider Deputy Secretary Magarik’s nomination later this month.
“Molly is a proven leader, a problem solver, and a committed public servant who has been second-in-command at DHSS for the last three and a half years,” said Governor Carney. “Throughout her career, and especially as Deputy Secretary, Molly built important relationships and trust with members of the General Assembly, our health care systems, agency staff, and Delawareans throughout the state. As we continue to fight COVID-19, I’m confident Molly will be able to lead this department without missing a beat, while continuing our work to make Delaware a stronger and healthier state. I look forward to the Senate considering her nomination.”
“I am truly humbled and incredibly honored to be nominated by Governor Carney as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services,” said Deputy Secretary Magarik. “I am grateful to the Governor for the trust and faith he has in me to lead this agency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to serve in his Cabinet. I thank Secretary Walker for her leadership and guidance, and for the inspiring way she had led our Department for more than three years with an innovative spirit, a caring heart and an incredible commitment to improving the quality of life for Delawareans.”
Magarik has served as Deputy Secretary since February 2017, directing and managing key priorities for DHSS, including health care financing, payment and delivery system reform; budget administration and management; and early childhood education. She also served as the Department’s chief strategy officer, and developed and maintained critical partnerships with Delaware cabinet agency leaders, the legislature, the federal delegation, advocates, and health care system leadership throughout the state.
Before joining DHSS, Magarik served as State Director for then Congressman John Carney and Political Director for Beau Biden’s campaign for Attorney General. She also worked as a strategic advisor across nonprofits and government, including as Executive Director of the Delaware Democratic Party. She is a candidate for a Master’s of Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth College, and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Delaware. She and her husband, Josh, have two daughters and live in Middletown.
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Related Topics: Cabinet, Cabinet Members, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, DHSS Cabinet Secretary, governor, Governor Carney, nominations
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.