Press Release - President Donald J. Trump Announces His Intent to Nominate Elizabeth Darling to the Department of Health and Human Services

Elizabeth Darling of Texas, to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. Ms. Darling is President/CEO of OneStar Foundation which was created to support the State of Texas by strengthening the nonprofit sector. Previously, Ms. Darling was Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a Federal agency in Washington D.C. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Secretary for the Maryland Department of Human Resources with oversight of childcare, child support, child welfare, domestic violence and family assistance programs, and eligibility for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps, and Medicaid. Ms. Darling was founding director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she worked across all HHS operating divisions. Before coming to Washington, D.C., she served as vice chair of the board of the Texas Department of Human Services with oversight for welfare reform under PRWORA, the 1996 Welfare Reform Act. Ms. Darling has a BS in education from Baylor University. She is an adoptive parent and has three children and two grandchildren. She lives in Austin, Texas.

-------

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Appoint Personnel to Key Administration Posts

Judith Mayka Stecker of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services (Public Affairs). Mrs. Stecker most recently served as executive director of media relations and strategic marketing at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where she managed the media relations, design services, video production, and editorial services departments and was responsible for AEI's media and marketing strategies across all its research areas. Previously, she served as a senior associate on the communications staff for the Heritage Foundation and as director of communications for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Born and raised in upstate New York, Mrs. Stecker received a B.A. from Syracuse University and an M.A. in communication, culture, and technology from Georgetown University. Mrs. Stecker and her husband, Courtney, live in Northern Virginia.

James McDonnell of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary (Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction), Department of Homeland Security. Mr. McDonnell has served as the Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, and was part of the original executive leadership team at the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, where he was responsible for the initial development and management of today's Infrastructure Protection Office. Mr. McDonnell has also held senior executive positions at the Department of Energy and the White House, as well as in the private sector where he directed security and other risk management functions. He retired from the Navy after twenty years of service in special operations and counterterrorism.