Gov. Chris Gregoire announced the appointment of Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams as the new director of the Governor’s Executive Policy Office.
As policy director, Arnold-Williams will serve as a member of senior staff and supervise the policy advisors to the governor. The executive policy office is responsible for developing the governors policy agenda, which involves working closely with state agencies, legislators, local government and stakeholders. Arnold-Williams will work directly with Larisa Benson, the director of the state’s Office of Government Management Accountability and Performance. Her transition to the position will begin in early January.
Arnold-Williams has led Washington’s largest state agency — with nearly 20,000 employees and $9 billion budget — for almost four years. Arnold-Williams will replace Laurie Dolan, who has served as policy director since Gregoire took office in January 2005. Dolan announced her retirement last week.
Before joining Gregoire’s Cabinet, Arnold-Williams spent eight years as executive director of the Utah State Department of Human Services, where she worked for 24 years. She served three years as chairwoman of the National Council of State Human Services Administrators and in that capacity, provided congressional testimony on human service policy issues.
Arnold-Williams holds master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from the University of Utah, in addition to a graduate certificate in gerontology.
