On Monday, December 7, 2015, Governor Mark Dayton appointed his Office’s General Counsel Emily Johnson Piper to take the helm of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (“DHS”). Ms. Piper will replace outgoing Human Services Commissioner Cindy Jesson who was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals last week.
Prior to 2011, Ms. Piper worked at a local Minneapolis law firm. In 2011, Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman appointed her to be his agency’s General Counsel and, thereafter, the Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff. She has served as the Governor’s General Counsel for approximately the past year.
From the issues associated with the Minnesota sex offender program, which was recently determined to be unconstitutional by United States District Court Judge Donovan Frank, to the lingering issues associated with the MNsure Health Insurance Exchange, to the day-to-day issues associated with running a state agency that touches the lives of tens of thousands of Minnesotans on a daily basis, Commissioner Piper will have her hands full as the lead of DHS.
Governor Dayton indicated that he only interviewed Johnson Piper for this position, presumably due to his trust in her abilities, as evidenced by her rapid rise throughout his Administration. Ms. Piper is widely regarded as intelligent and well-spoken, a tremendous problem solver, and well-liked by people on both sides of the aisle.
She starts her new position next Monday, December 14, 2015, and we wish her well in this new position.
Governor Dayton appointed Kimberly Slay Holmes to be his new General Counsel. Slay Holmes is coming to the Governor’s office from the Department of Revenue where she has been Assistant Commissioner of Administrative Law and Compliance.
