State employee happenings

Roy Kemp has been named deputy administrator of the Quality Assurance Division of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. He will provide leadership and direction for the division's licensing and certification bureaus. Kemp has worked for DPHHS for 15 years. For the past decade, he has been the chief of the Licensing Bureau.

Gerald Foley has been hired as chief of the Operations Bureau of the Addictive and Mental Disorders Division of DPHHS. He has worked in the private sector for the past 20 years. Before that, he worked for the department's predecessor, Social and Rehabilitation Services, in auditing and fiscal manager roles. Foley has a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Montana and a certificate in health care financial management. He is a certified public accountant.

The Technology Services Division of DPHHS has hired Alicia Pichette as chief of its newly created Business Operations and Strategy Bureau. She previously worked as a deputy insurance commissioner in the State Auditor's Office. She also has served as a Lewis and Clark County commissioner.

Attorney Bernie Jacobs has been hired by the DPHHS Office of Legal Affairs to replace Kim Kradolfer, who retired last year. Jacobs graduated from the University of Montana Law School in 1997. He also has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in public administration from UM. He most recently worked for the Department of Labor and Industry, primarily in the Business Standards Division.

Peggy Probasco, an attorney with the Butte office of the Child Support Enforcement Division of DPHHS, is the new president and CEO of the State Bar Association. She is a 1983 graduate of the University of Montana Law School. She joined the department in 1991 after practicing law in Hamilton and Missoula.

Ray Rashleigh, a psychiatric aide at the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder, has been honored by the Governor's Office for his long and exceptional career working with people who have developmental disabilities. He has worked at MDC for 36 years.

Leslie Howe has been hired as services coordinator for the Disability Services Division of DPHHS. She replaces Daphne Crosbie, who retired in December after 22 years with the department. Howe previously was a quality improvement specialist for the Region II office of the Developmental Disabilities Program in Great Falls.

The DPHHS Office of Human Resources has hired Sabrina Brott to be a recruitment assistant.

The Public Health and Safety Division of DPHHS has seen a number of staff changes lately:

Joel Felix has taken a new position in the state environmental laboratory as chemical terrorism coordinator, replacing Mary Simmons, who is now biomonitoring coordinator.

Deen Pomeroy is the new food security and safety coordinator for DPHHS. He joins the department from the Cascade County Health Department in Great Falls, where he was an environmental health specialist.

Carolyn Parry has joined the DPHHS Immunization Section as a CDC field staffer, bringing with her about 10 years of immunization experience. She will work with the Vaccines for Children Program, as well as adolescent and adult immunizations.

Drenda Carlson is the new adolescent health and youth suicide prevention consultant in the Family and Community Health Bureau of DPHHS. She has a bachelor's degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis in social work from the University of Great Falls. She formerly was the drug demand reduction assistant for the Montana National Guard Counterdrug Program.

Tana Meeds has joined DPHHS as a clinical laboratory specialist. She was once co-owner of the Helena Medical Laboratory and most recently worked at Helena Physicians Laboratory.

Amy Mays is the new office manager for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma Systems. Gail Hatch is the new EMS data and information coordinator.

Kim Logan has been named contracts manager for the Public Health and Safety Division of DPHHS. Lori Rowe has joined PHSD as executive assistant to the division administrator.

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