HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont was getting closer Friday in rounding out his administration with his third nomination of day. He nominated Renée D. Coleman-Mitchell to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Public Health.
Coleman-Mitchell worked for the Department of Public Health for 17 years before leaving the state to work as executive director of Cougar Health Services at Washington State University.
“It is truly a blessing to return to my home state and join the Lamont administration and the Department of Public Health team in the collaborative efforts to make a difference in addressing Connecticut’s public health needs – together with our state agencies, community providers, and public-private partnerships,”Coleman-Mitchell said.
She received a bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College, and a master’s degree in public health from the Yale University School of Medicine.
She will replace Dr. Raul Pino, who was the second commissioner to serve in former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration.
Coleman-Mitchell will begin serving as the commissioner-designate on April 1 and her nomination will be sent to the legislature for approval.
Lamont has four more commissioners to appoint to the Department of Social Services, Education, Agriculture, and Motor Vehicles.
Earlier in the day Friday Lamont nominated Andrew Mais of Wilton to Insurance Commissioner and Seila Mosquera-Bruno of Milford to Housing Commissioner.
Lamont also seems to be making a statement about his desire to see a more diverse executive branch. So far Lamont’s administrative picks have come from racially diverse backgrounds.
