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CHFS names Howard Commissioner of Dept. for Public Health; announces additional changes


The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) has made the following announcement regarding key leadership positions in various departments.

Dr. Howard

Dr. Jeffrey Howard, M.D. is now Commissioner for the Department for Public Health (DPH). Dr. Howard has been acting Health Commissioner since November 2017. Dr. Howard attended Union College, University of Louisville School of Medicine and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Howard is dedicated to combating the opioid epidemic as well as improving access to medical and surgical care, healthcare policy and surgical approaches. Howard is a native of eastern Kentucky and now resides in Louisville with his wife and two children.

Medicaid Commissioner Steve Miller is retiring effective June 15, 2018. Miller has served as Medicaid commissioner during the past two and one half years of the Bevin ministration. As Commissioner, Miller oversaw an $11 billion annual budget in a program that provides healthcare coverage to 1.4 million Kentuckians. Commissioner Miller was also pivotal in the Kentucky HEALTH 1115 Medicaid waiver’s development and approval by the federal government.

Jill Hunter has been appointed acting Commissioner for the Department for Medicaid Services. Hunter has more than 16 years of state government service, most recently serving as a Deputy Commissioner within the department concentrating on the redesign of home and community based services waiver programs. She previously served as Medicaid’s director of healthcare facilities reimbursement and provider and enrollee services. Additionally, Hunter worked in the Personnel Cabinet as Deputy Executive Director for the Office of Public Employee Health Insurance.

Anne-Tyler Morgan who was a Deputy Commissioner in Medicaid is now a Senior Adviser to the Secretary for administrative hearings. The division handles all hearing and appeals of programs and benefits administered by the Cabinet. In this new role, Morgan will provide executive leadership to the division of administrative hearings and advise the Secretary’s Office on legal matters pertaining to the division. Morgan is an attorney with healthcare and health policy expertise.

LaToya Payne is the Director of the Administrative Hearings Branch. Payne has served in various leadership roles within the Cabinet since 2007. She has a strong background in the social service and family support programs that are within CHFS.

Shannon Gadd is the new commissioner for the Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL). Gadd most recently served as the Senior Director of Programs at ElderServe in Louisville. A Fulbright scholar, Gadd has an understanding of guardianship, conservatorship and senior home services issues as well as an understanding of Area Development Districts operations.

“CHFS, and the Commonwealth, are fortunate to have so many qualified individuals stepping into key leadership roles at this important time,” concluded CHFS Secretary Adam Meier.  “I also want to thank Steve Miller for his dedicated service as Medicaid Director.  His steady leadership will certainly be missed but we wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

The appointments are effective June 1, 2018.

Cabinet for Health and Family Services


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