Much like the woman she succeeds, Amy Porter will serve as acting commissioner of one state department while leading another.
Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced that Porter, commissioner of the state Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS), has agreed to serve as interim commissioner of the state Office of Health Strategy (OHS).
She takes over for Dr. Deidre Gifford, who announced last month that she plans to retire from state service.
Gifford, 66, is retiring after six years in Lamont’s administration. She began in June 2019 as the commissioner of the state Department of Social Services, and took on a dual role as commissioner of the state Department of Public Health (DPH) in 2020, after the public health commissioner was fired, serving as a key adviser to Lamont during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lamont said Porter will serve in her dual roles for an interim period while decisions are made about the agency’s next leader.
“Amy Porter has served in leadership roles in Connecticut state government for well over a decade and she is intimately familiar with our state’s health and human services needs, especially the needs of the most vulnerable populations that depend on access to affordable, quality health care,” Lamont said.
He thanked Porter for taking on the additional role, and thanked Gifford for her “exceptional services.”
Porter has led ADS and its predecessor agencies since January 2012. She has spent her entire career working in rehabilitative services and advocating for the independence and well-being of individuals with disabilities and older adults.
Before ADS was formed, she worked for the state Department of Social Services (DSS). She has a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling from Boston University and is a certified rehabilitation counselor.
ADS is the state agency responsible for delivering services and advocating for older adults and people with disabilities.
