FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 11, 2005
Contact: Sherry Hill: (907) 465-1618, Ross Soboleff: (907) 465-1611
OCS Deputy Commissioner resigns to take another post
Marcia Kennai to leave in March .
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(Juneau, Alaska) – Marcia Kennai, Deputy Commissioner of the DHSS Office of Children’s Services today announced that she is leaving Alaska for personal and family reasons. Kennai has accepted a position as Director of Social Services with Anne Arundel County, Maryland, which will allow Kennai to be near an aging parent and her daughters. Kennai’s last day is March 8. “During her year and a half with the Department, Marci has demonstrated her leadership and expertise initiating vast improvements to the child protection system," said Joel Gilbertson, Commissioner of Health and Social Services.
“Marcia Kennai has not only made a difference in child welfare, she also helped change the Alaska child protection system — for the better — since starting this position,” Commissioner Gilbertson said. “Although I am sad to accept her resignation, I wish her the best in her move. I thank her on behalf of our staff and the many Alaskans she served while she was deputy commissioner.”
Kennai was named Deputy Commissioner of the newly-formed Office of Children’s Services in spring 2003, and she began her work for the department in September. Commissioner Gilbertson said that during Kennai’s tenure, the Office of Children’s Services responded to a 2002 federal audit by submitting and implementing a Program Improvement Plan which put measurements in place to improve the child protection system. Under Kennai’s watch, a new child protection data management system was developed and initiated. The Online Resources for the Children of Alaska (ORCA) system is now nearly operational.
“I am very pleased to announce that OCS deputy director Tammy Sandoval will take over in an acting capacity the responsibility for OCS, effective when Kennai leaves in March,” Gilbertson said. “Tammy has already brought to this Department exceptional qualifications and experience on the national level.”
Sandoval has an extensive social services career spanning 20 years. Before coming to work for DHSS in early 2004, Sandoval worked for the National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment and assisted child welfare agencies across the nation with child protection planning and programming.
“Tammy is well qualified to continue implementing reform of the child protection system for Alaska,” Commissioner Gilbertson said.
Sandoval has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University.
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For more information, please contact
Sherry Hill
Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Juneau Office: (907) 465-1618
Anchorage: (907) 269-7800
Cell: (907) 321-2838
Email: sherry_hill@health.state.ak.usJeff Kasper
Project Director
Juneau Office: (907) 465-8194
Email: jeff_kasper@health.state.ak.us
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