MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced that Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Emilie Amundson will be leaving the Evers Administration, effective Sept. 11, 2024. Before being appointed DCF secretary, Secretary Amundson previously served as chief of staff to Gov. Evers as then-state superintendent of Public Instruction.
“Emilie truly embodies our motto of ‘doing what’s best for kids is what’s best for our state,’ and she has lived those values every day during her time at the Department of Children and Families and at the Department of Public Instruction,” said Gov. Evers. “Having worked alongside Emilie for years now, it has been a privilege to watch her serve and support kids, families, and communities all across our state, and I know her work has directly and positively impacted the lives of so many in Wisconsin. I could not be more grateful to Emilie for her years of tremendous service, leadership, and friendship, and Kathy and I wish her and her family the very best.”
“I have been fortunate to have worked with Gov. Evers for nearly 15 years, so I already knew that we shared the same core value that what is best for our kids is what is best for our state. In service to that vision, I’ve worked to make Wisconsin better for kids and their families; from early childhood programming to prevention services and job programs for working families, this administration advanced policy that has made a real difference for families like mine,” said DCF Secretary Amundson. “I am grateful to countless partners across the state who work in child care, Tribal and local government, and human and community services who inspired me to think big. I am also thankful to have had the privilege of leading an agency of the smartest, kindest, and most compassionate civil servants who helped me translate those community conversations into meaningful change. Despite my best efforts, I know our work around child care access and affordability is not done, and I know Gov. Evers will continue to be a great champion of this work. He is and will always be my friend and trusted mentor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve my state. I have worked side by side with Jeff Pertl, and I know he will not miss a beat in advancing vital priorities for families. I will be cheering for Jeff and the Evers Administration as a fellow Wisconsinite.”
For more than five years, Secretary Amundson has successfully led DCF in transforming the state’s child welfare system, stabilizing and growing the early care and education field, and building stronger, innovative partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels. Accomplishments from her time as secretary include:
- Child Care Counts: Launched the successful, well-established Child Care Counts payment program, which has delivered over $750 million in upstream support to child care providers to increase wages, provide benefits, expand access, and more. Since its inception in 2020, it has helped more than 5,314 child care providers keep their doors open, ensuring the employment of 64,533 child care professionals and allowing providers to continue care for more than 364,280 kids.
- Family First: Drove efforts to transform the state’s child welfare system, resulting in screened-in referrals decreasing 21 percent from 2018 to 2022 and removals dropping below 4,000 for the first time in a decade.
- Operation Allies Welcome: Served as a critical partner to federal, state, and local agencies to welcome nearly 850 Afghan individuals and families to communities across Wisconsin and temporarily house over 12,000 Afghans at Fort McCoy as part of Operation Allies Welcome.
- Jeanine B. Settlement Agreement: Exited a 30-year court-ordered settlement agreement in Milwaukee County by improving practice and outcomes, resulting in far fewer removals, safer and more consistent out-of-home care placements, and greater timeliness in reaching permanency.
- Reduced Agency Footprint: Right-sized physical office spaces, resulting in a 29 percent decrease in rent costs between state fiscal year 2019 and 2023, and ultimately reducing budget authority by $2 million starting in 2024.
Today, the governor also announced Jeff Pertl will succeed Secretary Amundson as secretary of DCF.