Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced that Jenney Samuelson and Todd Daloz have been named secretary and deputy secretary of the Agency of Human Services (AHS), respectively.
“Jenney has worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Vermont, helping manage our nation-leading response to the pandemic,” said Governor Scott. “Her experience, work ethic and skills will serve her well as she continues in this role.”
Secretary Samuelson was appointed deputy secretary of AHS by Governor Scott in June of 2020 and has served as interim secretary since January, following the retirement of Secretary Mike Smith. Over the past two years she has played an integral and leading role in coordination of the Agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Working alongside the Vermonters who make up the Agency of Human Services during the pandemic has been the hardest work of my life – and the most inspiring. As we move forward, we will be transparent about the gaps in the system the pandemic exposed, and accountable to those we serve,” said Samuelson. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to harness the lessons we learned these last two years and make strategic investments in our communities. It is a privilege to work in this role with a dedicated, innovative, and collaborative team to address the complex issues ahead of us.”
Prior to her appointment, Samuelson served as deputy commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, with particular focus on the intersection of payment and delivery system reform, the adoption of value-based payments, and organizational performance improvement. She was also a founding leader of the innovative Vermont Blueprint for Health during the development of key health care reforms (e.g., patient-centered medical homes, regional community health teams, complex care models, and the Hub and Spoke system of care). Throughout her career, she has administered numerous community and statewide public health programs, including programs for health care workforce development, tobacco cessation in health systems, lead poisoning prevention, and long-term care. Samuelson holds a Master of Science in Community Health Education from Southern Illinois University.
Deputy Secretary Daloz previously served as AHS general counsel, overseeing legal affairs for the Agency and working closely with the AHS commissioners and their senior staff. As with many others in AHS and across the state, much of his work over the past two years focused on the State’s response to the pandemic, particularly in the areas of testing and vaccine administration, which established close working relationships with partners throughout state government.
“Todd has demonstrated a commitment to service during his time at AHS and beyond,” said Governor Scott. “He has excelled in his time serving as interim deputy secretary, and I’m confident will continue to build on his good work.”
“Vermont is at a pivotal moment as we all begin to recover from the challenges of the past two years—there is much work to be done to revitalize our human services sector, and I am excited to take on this challenge with the AHS team,” said Daloz. “I am honored to be serving in this role and thank the Governor for the opportunity.”
Before coming to AHS, Todd worked in the Attorney General’s Office representing AHS departments in litigation and spent several years on the senior leadership team at the Vermont State Colleges in the General Counsel’s Office. He is originally from the Northeast Kingdom and currently lives in central Vermont.
Their appointments are effective immediately.
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