GOVERNOR NAMES ACTING COMMISSIONER OF DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

TRENTON – Governor Jon S. Corzine today announced the appointment of Eileen Crummy as Acting Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, effective Monday, March 17, 2008. Ms. Crummy, a 33-year veteran of the Division of Youth and Family Services, will assume the responsibilities of departing Commissioner Kevin Ryan while a search for his permanent replacement continues.

“Eileen has been a tremendous asset in transforming the culture of the Department of Children and Families,” said Governor Corzine. “Her unwavering commitment to the process has brought much credibility to the aggressive reforms that have been implemented to protect our children and create strong families.  There is nothing more important to me than building upon these achievements and I am indeed pleased that Eileen has agreed to serve in an acting capacity to continue that momentum.”

Ms. Crummy currently serves as the director of the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), New Jersey’s public child protective and welfare agency. She previously was senior administrator in both DYFS’ child protection and adoption services programs. Ms. Crummy is only the second DYFS director to have begun her career as a DYFS case worker and the first to rise through the ranks to become commissioner overseeing New Jersey’s child welfare system.

“I appreciate Governor Corzine’s confidence and support, and I remain deeply committed to improve the lives of children and families across New Jersey by leading the child welfare reform effort,” said Director Eileen Crummy.

“Given her experience, Eileen brings enormous credibility and commitment to the large task at hand. She has been a primary architect of our reforms over the past several years, and I have enormous and unequivocal confidence in her ability to move the reform forward,” said Commissioner Kevin Ryan.

Ms. Crummy is the recipient of numerous national awards including the prestigious Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute's Angels in Adoptionaward. She is a member of the National Advisory Workgroup of the Collaboration to AdoptUS Kidsand has served as Vice President of the National Association of State Adoption Programs.

Ms. Crummy, a graduate of St. Francis University, resides in Cranford, New Jersey.

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Photos from Governor Corzine's public events are available in the Governor's Newsroom section on the State of New Jersey web page, http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/