BOSTON – Tuesday, January 22, 2013 – One day after President Obama’s inauguration for his second term, Governor Deval Patrick officially swore in Andrea Cabral and John Polanowicz as Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and Secretary of Health and Human Services respectively. They were among the four new cabinet members that Gov. Patrick announced in December 2012 for the last two years of his second term as Governor of Massachusetts.
Andrea Cabral, the First Female Sheriff of Suffolk County
Andrea Cabral is a leader in the field of public safety and as the first female in the Commonwealth’s history to hold the position of Sheriff of Suffolk County, she brings an extensive background in criminal justice and public safety to the Patrick-Murray Administration.
Governor Patrick swears-in Andrea Cabral as Secretary of Public Safety (Photo Credit: Eric Haynes/Governor’s Office)
“I am extremely pleased to welcome Andrea Cabral to the Administration as Secretary of Public Safety and Security,” said Governor Patrick. “She has done a truly remarkable job as Sheriff of Suffolk County. The reforms she has enacted and the reentry programs she developed have made our community stronger and safer while giving people the tools they need to find a way forward. I am confident she will serve the Commonwealth with that same creative and accountable leadership.”
|
|
“I am honored by the tremendous confidence Governor Patrick has placed with me. I am excited to join the Administration and look forward to advocating for these critical public safety and criminal justice priorities,” said Secretary Cabral. “As we move forward in the coming fiscal year, I will chair a working group that will focus on identifying efficiencies and creating consistent and uniform funding streams for each Sheriff based on their budget needs and programming.” |
The Governor also announced today that Secretary Cabral will lead a working group between the Administration and the Commonwealth’s Sheriffs to improve the state’s funding structure for Sheriff Departments. Under the current system, there is often inconsistency in funding levels due to varied levels of federal inmate revenue, county population and other factors.
The working group, which will be proposed as part of the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget set to be released tomorrow, will improve Sheriffs’ outdated funding structures, analyze and identify savings from the sentencing reform legislation Governor Patrick signed in August 2012, determine ways to best use existing capacity to reduce overcrowding and prevent unnecessary overbuilding of correctional facilities and develop a statewide strategic plan on how to measure and improve re-entry outcomes for inmates. Governor Patrick’s budget will call for the working group to submit recommendations by July 1, 2013.
Secretary Cabral’s long and distinguished career in public service began in 1986 as a staff attorney in the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. As a prosecutor for the Middlesex District Attorney starting in 1987, she handled cases in both the District and Superior Courts. In 1991, Cabral became an Assistant Attorney General and in 1993 she joined the Suffolk County DA’s Office to become the Director of the Roxbury District Court Family Violence Project prosecuting domestic violence cases. She assumed the role of Chief of the Domestic Violence Unit a year later and, in 1998, became District Courts and Community Prosecutions Chief.
“While Sheriff Cabral’s appointment to Public Safety Secretary is a personal and professional loss to all of the members of the Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association it’s a win for the people of the Commonwealth,” said Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association President Michael Bellotti. “The Governor recognized the talent, innovation and leadership she’ll now share statewide rather than in Suffolk County alone.”
As Public Safety Secretary, Cabral will oversee 13 state public safety agencies responsible for law enforcement, criminal justice, forensic sciences and homeland security. She is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.
John Polanowicz Sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services
“John is an incredible talent and I am pleased to bring him into our Administration at this critical time,” said Governor Patrick. “John will use his expertise as a health care leader to help Massachusetts increase our already nation-leading access to care, while also tackling the issue of costs. John’s compassion and thoughtfulness will make him a strong advocate for our veterans, families and individuals with disabilities across the Commonwealth.”
Governor Patrick swears-in John Polanowicz as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Governor’s Council Chambers at the State House. (Photo credit: Eric Haynes / Governor’s Office)
Prior to his appointment, Secretary Polanowicz served as president of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton since 2011, overseeing the largest hospital in the Steward Health Care System. He brings expertise working in a cutting-edge community health care system, serving tens of thousands of patients and families. He was also instrumental in positioning Steward as an accountable care organization to increase access and decrease cost for patients.
“I am deeply honored to serve Governor Patrick in this capacity,” said Secretary Polanowicz. “I welcome the challenges ahead as we work to implement the Governor’s health care reform law, enhance our public health oversight and strengthen our safety net programs to help our most vulnerable populations.”
|
|
Prior to joining St. Elizabeth’s, Polanowicz served as president and chief executive officer at Marlborough Hospital for eight years. There, he bolstered patient care by establishing new service lines, building relationships with physician groups and investing in emerging technologies. He also led a financial turnaround that resulted in five straight years of positive financial results. Polanowicz previously served as vice president of operations at UMass Memorial Medical Center. |
Polanowicz is a former company commander in the U.S. Army, where he served in a Blackhawk Assault Helicopter Company during overseas military operations. He brings a deep understanding of issues facing our veterans and military families. The Department of Veterans Services (DVS) falls under HHS and Polanowicz will work with the Patrick-Murray Administration and DVS Secretary Coleman Nee to further enhance Massachusetts’ nationally recognized system of veterans benefits and services.
As Secretary, Polanowicz will also be responsible for building on Governor Patrick’s efforts to eliminate youth violence by deepening focus on prevention and intervention through the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative. Polanowicz will also focus on the Governor’s initiative to transform Massachusetts’s Children Youth and Families system to a family-centric model, allowing families in need to access the right services at the right time. Through the vast array of programs at HHS, Polanowicz will empower and support all children, families, veterans, elders and people with disabilities across the Commonwealth.
Secretary Polanowicz is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a MBA from Stanford University. He resides in Northborough.