PCSW: Malloy fails to deliver on pledge to fill half his senior jobs with women

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has named women to 34.4 percent of high-level posts in his administration, falling short of a campaign pledge to fill half the top jobs with women, according to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.

The numbers are similar to the administration of his predecessor, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who named women to 37.7 percent of the paid, high-level jobs measured by the commission.

The commission issued its report card today.

But the Malloy administration said the group missed two high-level appointees.

“Unintentionally, PCSW left two of Gov. Malloy’s key cabinet appointments off their list: Deb Heinrich, the woman Gov. Malloy charged with being the state’s first-ever non-profit liaison, and Jeanette DeJesus, the woman Gov. Malloy appointed as his Special Advisor on Heath Care,” said Colleen Flanagan, the governor’s spokeswoman.

Neither of those posts existed during the previous administration.

“The Governor is extremely pleased with the caliber of appointments he’s made since taking office.  One of the reasons the state is doing more with less is because Gov. Malloy has put together an Administration that is tough, talented, committed to change, and diverse.  Going forward, the governor will continue to be mindful of the importance of having a diverse Administration.”

Malloy’s inner circle of appointees is heavily male: Tim Bannon, chief of staff; Roy Occhiogrosso, senior adviser; and Andrew McDonald, general counsel. But the governor considers Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman a top adviser.

The commission’s Connecticut Goverment Appointments Project, dubbed ConnGAP, gave Malloy resumes of qualified women to consider. The commission gave him credit for accepting some recommendations.

“To be sure, Malloy has appointed (or reappointed) several women to lead State agencies, including:
Dr. Jewell Mullen, Dept. of Public Health; Judge Joette Katz, Dept. of Children and Families;
Catherine Smith, Dept. of Economic Development; Melody Currey, Dept. of Motor Vehicles; Linda
Roberts, Connecticut Siting Council; Elin Katz, Office of Consumer Counsel; Jane Ciarleglio, Office
of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education; Victoria Veltri, Office of Healthcare
Advocate; Patricia Rehmer, Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services; and Linda Schwartz,
Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Both Jewell Mullen and Joette Katz came to the Governor’s attention
through ConnGAP,” the commission said.

The positions rated by the commission:

Banking Commissioner
Board of Pardons & Paroles, Chair
Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology, Chief Information Officer
Bureau of Properties and Facilities Management
Child Advocate
Claims Commissioner
Consumer Council
Consumer Protection, Commissioner
Correction Department, Commissioner
Department of Administrative Services, Commissioner
Department of Agriculture, Commissioner
Department of Children and Families, Commissioner
Department of Developmental Services, Commissioner
Department of Education, Commissioner
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Commissioner
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Commissioner
Department of Motor Vehicles, Commissioner
Department of Social Services, Commissioner
Department of Transportation, Commissioner
Economic and Community Development, Commissioner
Gaming Division of the Department of Consumer Protection, Director
Healthcare Advocate
*Human Rights Referee (Positions unfilled)
Insurance Commissioner
Labor Commissioner
Office of Military Affairs, Director
Office of Policy and Management, Secretary
*Parole Release Panel Member

* denotes multiple appointments