Secretary Polanowicz Announces Stacey Monahan as Interim Commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance

BOSTON — Secretary of Health and Human Services John Polanowicz today announced HHS Chief of Staff Stacey Monahan as interim commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) effective immediately.

Monahan has served as chief of staff at HHS since 2011, managing the operations of the largest state secretariat which employs nearly 22,000 staff with a budget of more than $15 billion.

“Stacey is a strong and effective manager and I’ve tasked her with immediately addressing the operational issues at DTA,” said Secretary Polanowicz. “I’ve given Stacey a mandate to make necessary changes to the Department’s policies and procedures, and she will report back to me soon with a plan that ensures precious taxpayer resources are used only as intended. Our DTA employees are incredibly dedicated to their mission and Stacey will give them the resources and support they need to be successful.”

DTA ensures that the emergency and transitional needs of the individuals and families of the Commonwealth are met through a combination of federal-and state-funded benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and cash assistance.

DTA has many successful initiatives, including internship programs that lead to career success, partnerships with other agencies to promote healthy lifestyles and a nationally-recognized emergency SNAP assistance program that helped residents in Western Mass affected by the devastating tornadoes.

Monahan has extensive experience working with non-profit organizations, community groups and stakeholders that support DTA’s mission. She is a former executive director of the Democratic Party of Massachusetts and has served Governor Deval Patrick in numerous capacities since 2005. She has also served as vice president for business development at Sage Systems in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of Boston College.

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