Gov. Stitt appoints Deborah Shropshire to cabinet as Secretary of Human Services

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES DR. SHROPSHIRE AS HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY, THANKS SECRETARY BROWN FOR HIS SERVICE

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 11, 2023) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt announced his appointment of Dr. Deborah Shropshire to serve as Secretary of Human Services.

“Dr. Shropshire is a true public servant as well as an experienced and trusted physician. She has helped make Oklahoma one of the best states in the country for families,” said Governor Stitt. “Her willingness to serve her state in this capacity is admirable. I am grateful that she has accepted this role and I look forward to having her as a member of my cabinet.”

Dr. Shropshire was the first woman in Oklahoma history to serve as director of the Department of Human Services. She has spent her career serving the children and families of Oklahoma, as a pediatrician, Deputy Director then Director of Child Welfare Services, and in January being appointed by Governor Stitt and confirmed by the Senate as the Director of Oklahoma Human Services.

Governor Kevin Stitt extends his heartfelt thanks to Secretary Justin Brown for his service. Secretary Brown has served in Governor Stitt’s administration since 2019.

In addition to roles in Oklahoma government, in 2022, Secretary Brown served as Chairman of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) Leadership Council and as a member of the Governing Board of Directors, as well as a member of the National Governor’s Association’s (NGA) Core Advisory Board for Children and Families.

“Secretary Brown’s dedication to the people of Oklahoma is inspiring. He has streamlined bureaucracies and made sure services were accessible for some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable populations,” said Governor Stitt. “I am grateful for the wise counsel he has given me over the last four years, and I wish him the best on his next pursuit.”

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside the thousands of dedicated public servants in Oklahoma’s Human Services agencies,” said Secretary Brown. “I am forever grateful for the partnership of Governor Stitt and the legislature in building a nationally respected human services system that is human-centered, outcome-driven, relationship-focused, and hope-centered.”