Governor Tony Evers has appointed Kirsten Johnson to lead the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Johnson’s appointment as DHS Secretary fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Karen Timberlake in December.
Johnson, who served as Milwaukee Health Commissioner for two years until resigning last month, will be the third DHS Secretary for the Evers administration. Andrea Palm left in January 2021 to take a post in the Biden administration.
Both Palm and Timberlake served as secretary-designee, as neither was confirmed by the Republican controlled state Senate. Johnson will assume the role effective February 27th. Prior to her service in Milwaukee, Johnson led the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department for more than a decade.