Gov. Peter Shumlin announced Tuesday that longtime Department of Corrections employee Cheryl Elovirta will become deputy commissioner.
Elovirta’s appointment marks the first time that an all-female team has headed the state DOC.
Last month, former deputy commissioner Lisa Menard stepped into the commissioner’s office after Andy Pallito left to head up the Department of Finance and Management.
According to the governor’s announcement, Elovirta has worked in human services and criminal justice for two decades. She most recently worked as field services operations manager for the DOC.
Shumlin celebrated Elovirta’s “comprehensive knowledge” of the department.
“Cheryl’s relationships with community partners, breadth of knowledge and solution oriented approach to the work make her a strong asset,” Menard said in a statement.
