Status of Gov. Evers Appointments

UPDATED: 2/20/20

After Gov. Tony Evers’s inauguration in January, the governor began appointing cabinet secretaries and staff for his new administration. The appointments are still making their way through the Senate for confirmation. While none have been confirmed by the full Senate, most have been voted out of committees. Below is an update on the status of each acting appointee:

 

Department of Natural Resources, Secretary – Preston Cole CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Sporting Heritage, Mining & Forestry on March 7, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 5-0 on Oct 1, 2019; on Senate floor Feb. 19, 2020; confirmed 33-0.

Cole was previously a commissioner of the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services and a member of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board.

 

Department of Children & Families, Secretary – Emilie Amundson CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Universities, Technical Colleges, Children & Families on March 6, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 5-0 on Aug. 27; on Senate floor Feb. 19, 2020; confirmed 32-1.

Amundson was previously Evers’s chief of staff at the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

 

Department of Workforce Development, Secretary – Caleb Frostman CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Local Government, Small Business, Tourism & Workforce Development on March 20, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-0 on Sept. 10, 2019; on Senate floor Jan. 21, 2020; confirmed 33-0.

Frostman won the June 2018 special election for Senate District 1 but lost in November to Sen. Andre Jacque (R-DePere). Before running for Senate, Frostman was the Door County Economic Development Corp. executive director.

 

Commissioner of Insurance, Secretary – Mark Afable CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Insurance, Financial Services, Government Oversight & Courts on Sept. 19, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-0 on Oct 3, 2019; on Senate floor Nov. 5, 2019; confirmed 33-0.

Before joining the administration, Afable worked at American Family Insurance as chief legal officer and vice president.

 

Public Service Commission, Chair – Rebecca Cameron Valcq CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Utilities & Housing on March 12, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 5-0 on March 21, 2019; on Senate floor Nov. 5, 2019; confirmed 33-0. 

Valcq was previously a partner at Quarles & Brady and previously worked as attorney for WE Energies.

 

Department of Trade, Agriculture & Consumer Protections, Secretary – Brad Pfaff NOT CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Agriculture, Revenue & Financial Institutions on Feb. 19, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 9-0 on Feb. 22, 2019; on Senate floor Nov. 5, 2019; not confirmed 14-19. 

Pfaff was most recently deputy chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse).

Gov. Evers named DATCP deputy secretary Randy Romanski interim secretary after the Senate rejected Pfaff.

 

Department of Revenue, Secretary – Peter Barca CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Agriculture, Revenue & Financial Institutions on Feb. 19, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 9-0 on Feb. 22, 2019; on Senate floor Oct 8, 2019; confirmed 33-0.

After the announcement of his appointment, Rep. Barca (D-Kenosha) resigned his seat in the state Assembly.

 

Department of Administration, Secretary – Joel Brennan CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Government Operations, Technology & Consumer Protection on Feb. 19, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 5-0 on Feb. 26, 2019; on Senate floor Oct 8, 2019; confirmed 33-0.

Brennan was most recently CEO of Discovery World in Milwaukee.

 

Department of Financial Institutions, Secretary – Kathy Coltin Blumenfeld CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Agriculture, Revenue & Financial Institutions on Feb. 19, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 9-0 on Feb. 22, 2019; on Senate floor Oct 8, 2019; confirmed 33-0.

Blumenfeld was most recently the executive vice president for Total Administrative Services Corporation and had previously worked for CUNA.

 

Department of Veterans Affairs, Secretary – Mary Kolar CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Transportation, Veterans & Military Affairs on Feb. 20, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-0 on Aug. 8, 2019; on Senate floor Oct 8, 2019; confirmed 33-0.

Kolar is a veteran and served on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. Previously, she worked as the director of public operations at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and as the president for the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Place Condominium Association.  

 

Department of Corrections, Secretary – Kevin Carr CONFIRMED

Confirmation hearing in Senate Judiciary & Public Safety on Feb. 20, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-0 on March 20, 2019; on Senate floor Oct 8, 2019; confirmed 33-0.

Carr is a U.S. Marshal and previously worked with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. 

 

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Secretary & CEO – Missy Hughes

Appointed by Gov. Evers on Sept. 4, 2019; confirmation hearing in Senate Economic Development, Commerce & Trade on Oct. 22, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 5-0 on Feb. 19, 2020.

Hughes was formerly chief mission officer and general counsel for Organic Valley cooperative. She has also served as president of the Organic Trade Association and on the USDA Advisory Committee on Biotechnology & 21st Century Agriculture.

 

Department of Tourism, Secretary – Sara Meaney

Confirmation hearing in Senate Local Government, Small Business, Tourism & Workforce Development on March 20, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-0 on Sept. 10, 2019.

Meaney was formerly chief marketing officer for Milwaukee Film.

 

Department of Health Services, Secretary – Andrea Palm 

Confirmation hearing in Senate Health & Human Services on Feb. 27, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-1 on Aug. 21, 2019. 

Palm was senior counselor to the federal Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) under President Barack Obama. Prior to working at HHS, Palm worked for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York) and U.S. Rep. Robert Matsui (D-California). Palm also was senior advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

  

Department of Transportation, Secretary – Craig Thompson

Confirmation hearing in Senate Transportation, Veterans & Military Affairs on Feb. 20, 2019; confirmation recommended by committee 4-0 on Aug. 8, 2019.

Thompson was previously executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Development Association.

  

Department of Safety & Professional Services, Secretary – Dawn Crim

Confirmation hearing in Senate Public Benefits, Licensing & State-Federal Relations on March 13, 2019. 

Crim joins the administration from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and previously worked at UW-Madison.

 

Read more about Evers appointees.