Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer announced the appointment of Gina Meier-Hummel, of Lawrence, Kansas, as the new Secretary of the Department for Children and Families (DCF) at a press conference on Wednesday. Meier-Hummel will replace out-going Director Phyllis Gilmore, who announced her retirement earlier this month.
Gina has had an impressive career dedicated to child welfare and human service administration. She brings to the job a tremendous breadth of experience and institutional knowledge gained during her two decades of experience in the field,” said Lieutenant Governor Colyer. “It is critical that the leader of DCF is not only a professional with a demonstrated passion for these issues but also an individual who will challenge the status quo and demand excellence at every level of the agency’s work. Gina is that person.”
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| Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer, Official Photo |
Gina Meier-Hummel has served as the executive director of the nonprofit, The Shelter Inc., since 2015. Before that, she worked as the Commissioner of Community Service and Programs at the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. She also served as the Director of Children and Family Services, Prevention and Protection Services. Meier-Hummel has served on a variety of boards and task forces, including as a member of the Child Welfare Task Force, Commissioner of the Governor’s Mental Health Task Force, Chair of the Governor’s Subcabinet on Behavior Health, a member of the Social Services Policy Council as well as on the steering committee for KanCare.
In 1998, Kansas moved from an entirely state-run foster care system to a privatized system that relied on contractors to perform certain roles. Meier-Hummel has experience in nearly every facet of children and family services, having served, on the state, non-profit, oversight and contractor sides.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as the new Secretary of the Department for Children and Families here in Kansas,” said Meier-Hummel. “My career has been dedicated to helping the most vulnerable citizens of our state and I am ready to bring that experience to DCF to ensure that we face all challenges head-on. We must provide a voice for the children of our state and vigorously fight to guarantee them a fulfilling life full of love and the promise of a bright future. I intend to do what is right for the children and families of our state. I will take an active role in all levels of this department, making certain that policies are followed and our children’s health and safety is the top priority.”
Representative Dan Hawkins, Chair of the House Committee for Health and Human Services said, “Lieutenant Governor Colyer’s pick of Gina Meier-Hummel proves to me that he means business and that he is serious about solving the problems at DCF. I think it’s going to go a long way to proving to Kansans that he is going to assemble the best team possible to lead our state forward and get us back on the right track.
“Gina Meier-Hummel has extensive previous experience with DCF and KDADS. She is highly respected for her private practice work leading a Social Service agency in Lawrence.
“With her vast experience and incredible leadership skills, she will be able to step in and immediately take corrective action in an agency that has experienced significant problems. I look forward to seeing the impact her leadership has in shaping the agency as they work to handle some of our most complex situations.”
Meier-Hummel has a Master’s degree in Social Welfare from the University of Kansas. Her official start date is December 1, 2017.
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