PHOENIX — Governor-elect Katie Hobbs has announced who she wants to run state agencies that have been subjected to public scrutiny in recent years for allegations of mismanagement.
On Tuesday, the Democrat released the names of cabinet members who will oversee the departments of Economic Security, Child Safety, Housing, Health Services, and the state's Health Care Cost Containment System.
Auditors have recently criticized DES for how the state agency allocated millions of dollars in federal funds. The Arizona Ombudsman Citizens' Aide has also faulted DES for not answering phones and responding to consumer complaints.
The Department of Child Safety has had its own share of criticism after auditors discovered some of the agency's caseworkers allegedly didn't follow documentation practices.
DCS employees and the state of Arizona were sued in 2018 after the agency allegedly placed a foster child in a home where a registered sex offender lived.
There have also been cases of DCS investigating reports of child abuse and not taking custody of the child before the juvenile ended up dead.
In a statement, Hobbs said the people she's picked to oversee the state agencies are "the best minds Arizona has to offer."
Hobbs' cabinet picks are listed below:
- Department of Economic Security -- Angie Rodgers, president and CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network.
- Department of Health Services -- Dr. Theresa Cullen, current director of the Pima County Public Health Department.
- Department of Child Safety -- Matthew Stewart, a child safety specialist who has "worked his way up in the Department," according to Hobbs' office.
- Department of Housing -- Joan Serviss, the current director of the Arizona Housing Coalition.
- Health Care Cost Containment System -- Carmen Heredia, the current CEO of Valle del Sol, a community health center.
- Department of Environmental Quality -- Karen Peters
- Department of Water Resources -- Tom Buschatzke
- Department of Residential Utility Consumer Office -- Cynthia Zwick
- Department of Forestry and Fire Management -- Tom Torres
- Arizona State Parks and Trails -- Bob Broscheid
- Department of Arizona Game and Fish -- Ty Gray
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.