Shapiro appoints Montgomery Co.'s Dr. Val Arkoosh to cabinet
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro has appointed Montgomery County's Dr. Val Arkoosh to serve on his cabinet.
Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, has been named Shapiro's Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
CBS Philadelphia obtained a statement from Arkoosh following the announcement.
I am extremely honored to accept the nomination as the next Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. I look forward to serving alongside Governor-Elect Josh Shapiro and supporting his vision to create a government reflective of the Commonwealth. I thank Governor-Elect Shapiro for his support and trust in me to continue my track record of delivering equitable, efficient, and data-driven programs and services to the people of Pennsylvania.
Shapiro also named four other cabinet members in the Wednesday announcement. Dr. Debra L. Bogen will be the Secretary of Health, Dr. Latika Davis-Jones will be the Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Jason Kavulich will be the Secretary of Aging and Mike Humphreys will be Insurance Commissioner.
Shapiro says he will continue to build a diverse cabinet.
The health and safety of our communities is of the utmost importance, and I'm proud to nominate tested leaders like Dr. Val Arkoosh, Dr. Debra Bogen, Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, Jason Kavulich, and Mike Humphreys to key cabinet posts in my Administration – they are well qualified public servants who are passionate about public health and ready to get to work on day one.
With today's announcement, we continue to build our diverse, hard-working team with leaders who will bring decades of public health experience to their roles. Every Pennsylvanian deserves access to quality, affordable health care and a social safety net that is there for them in times of need – and I'm confident these five leaders will help us deliver that for communities all across our Commonwealth.