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Connecticut State Capitol Credit: Shahrzad Rasekh / CT Mirror

Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that Amy Porter, a veteran state administrator, will become the acting commissioner of the Office of Health Strategy, replacing Deidre Gifford, who revealed plans to retire in May.

Porter will continue in her current position as the commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

“I appreciate Amy for agreeing to serve at OHS on an acting basis while we explore the future leadership of this agency,” Lamont stated in a press release. 

Lamont also complimented Gifford, who was a senior advisor to Lamont during the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as the acting commissioner of the Department of Public Health while maintaining her responsibilities as commissioner of the Department of Social Services. She took over as OHS commissioner in 2023. 

Lamont praised her service in all three state departments.

“I appreciate all that she has provided our state, and I wish her the best on this well-earned retirement from a career filled with significant accomplishments in the service of the people of Connecticut,” said Lamont.

Lamont also praised Porter, who has served at ADS and its predecessor agencies since 2012.

“Amy Porter has served in leadership roles in Connecticut state government for well over a decade, and she is intimately familiar with our state’s health and human services needs, especially the needs of the most vulnerable populations that depend on access to affordable, quality health care.”

Gifford announced her resignation from OHS last month as The Connecticut Mirror was preparing to publish a story demonstrating her involvement in the state’s audit of Helen Zervas, owner of Family Eye Care in Bristol, in the days before DSS officials cancelled the audit in 2020. 

Zervas was charged with conspiring to have the audit of her Medicaid overpayments cancelled. Zervas pleaded guilty in February. DSS officials canceled the audit after Zervas offered to pay the overbillings, according to emails obtained by CT Mirror between Gifford and John McCormick, who was then head of the state’s Medicaid audit division. 

Zervas was engaged to former Democratic state Rep. Christopher Ziogas, who was charged with allegedly paying former state deputy budget director Konstantinos Diamantis $95,000 to pressure high ranking state officials to drop the probe in 2020. 

Ziogas and Diamantis were indicted on federal corruption charges by a grand jury weeks after Zervas pleaded guilty. They were released on bail and are awaiting trial.

Gifford did not face criminal charges but will likely be an important witness for the trial, Diamantis’ attorney said.

Janhavi is a rising junior at Wesleyan University, where she double-majors in Government and the College of Letters, with a minor in Human Rights Advocacy. At the University’s newspaper, the Wesleyan Argus, Janhavi has served as Photo and Features Editor, and is the incoming Managing Editor. She has covered the international student news beat, along with long-form profiles, campus protests, and contractual developments at Wesleyan. Currently, Janhavi handles social media for the College of Letters and has worked as a Research Partner at Wesleyan’s Center for Prison Education.