LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – The Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services has resigned.
On Thursday, Sept. 15, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Cindy Gillespie will resign from the position that she has maintained since 2016.
“Cindy Gillespie has given the state of Arkansas her experience, management capabilities, and the right ideas that have led us in a great direction,” he said. “She is a great friend, and she is truly passionate about making a difference in the lives of Arkansans every day.”
Before joining the department, Secretary Gillespie served as a Principal in the Washington D.C. office of Dentons’ Public Policy and Regulation practice and a leader of the firm’s Health Policy and Health Insurance Exchange Teams.
She also served as a senior advisor to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and oversaw the development and implementation of the Administration’s executive branch initiatives.
Secretary Gillespie issued the following response reflecting on her time serving the state of Arkansas:
“In 2016, when Governor Hutchinson offered me the role of leading the Arkansas Department of Human Services, I could not have imagined all that would happen in the coming years, nor did I realize how quickly Arkansas would become my home and the employees at DHS become my family. The last six years have been the most challenging and rewarding of my career and I am extraordinarily proud of all the incredible DHS team has accomplished over these years. “We care, we act, we change lives” is more than a motto at DHS – it’s truly the mission my co-workers live each day as they go to work in our facilities, our offices, and in the homes of families and individuals in need.
The continuing focus Governor and First Lady Hutchinson have had on the safety, health, and future of children has guided so much of my work here, and I have benefitted from the Governor’s steadfast support, leadership, and the model of servant leadership he set. It has been an honor to be part of his Cabinet.
I am also grateful to the members of the Arkansas General Assembly for their guidance and support over the years. Many of them spent countless hours working with me on policy, legislation, and issues, and I have appreciated their dedication to the constituents they serve and to ensuring Arkansans thrive.
Although it is bittersweet to leave, I appreciate the Governor’s understanding that family must always come first, so I will need to depart in October.”
Gov. Hutchinson will announce a successor to Secretary Gillespie at a later date. Her last day will be Oct. 7.
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