Governor-elect Evers and Lt. Governor-elect Barnes Announce Cabinet Members

MADISON – Governor-elect Tony Evers and Lt. Governor-elect Mandela Barnes announced the appointment of secretaries for the Departments of Children and Families, Revenue, Safety and Professional Services, Workforce Development, and Health Services.

Emilie Amundson will serve as the Department of Children and Families secretary; Peter Barca will serve as the Department of Revenue secretary; Dawn Crim will serve as the Department of Safety and Professional Services secretary; Caleb Frostman will serve as the Department of Workforce Development secretary; and Andrea Palm will serve as the Department of Health Services secretary.

“This talented group of leaders will help our administration address the issues Wisconsin residents asked us to focus on,” Tony Evers said. “They will help make sure our policies support the success of Wisconsin kids and their families, our tax policy is fair to middle-class families, our economic policies support Wisconsin business growth while valuing the skills all Wisconsinites bring to our state, and we expand access to affordable health care.”

“Our budget listening sessions reinforced that Wisconsin residents want a voice in their government, and I look forward to traveling the state with our new team members as we continue to listen and build policies reflecting the will of the people,” said Mandela Barnes.

“I look forward to strengthening the collaborations between the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Public Instruction,” said Emilie Amundson. “We will work with Wisconsin legislators to advance and prioritize solutions for families.”

“I’ve worked to achieve bipartisanship on many issues as a legislator and I look forward to joining a team dedicated to this vision,” said Peter Barca.

“I look forward to working with Governor-elect Evers to connect the dots alongside other secretaries on the important issues facing our state,” said Dawn Crim. “We will help do this by valuing the skills Wisconsinites bring to professions across the state.”

“I believe under Governor-elect Evers’ leadership this team’s potential is truly greater than the sum of its parts,” said Caleb Frostman. “I share his vision of a prosperous Wisconsin for all and look forward to putting our collective shoulder to the wheel to ensure Wisconsin’s economy works for both its employees and its employers.”

“I’m proud to be here with a strong team committed to working with Governor-elect Evers and Lt. Governor-elect Barnes to improve healthcare coverage and address costs,” said Andrea Palm. “These are among the most pressing issues that Wisconsin families face.”

Emilie Amundson, Department of Children and Families

Emilie Amundson is currently chief of staff at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). She previously served as Director of Literacy and Mathematics. Amundson also served as English Language Arts Consultant for the DPI and, before that, as an English educator and school founder in New York City.

Amundson received her undergraduate degree from UW-Madison, her Master of Education Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Literacy Studies at UW-Madison.

Peter Barca, Department of Revenue

Peter Barca currently serves as the state representative for the 64th Assembly District in Wisconsin. A lifelong citizen of Kenosha and Somers, Barca has previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives and as the Midwest regional administrator of the Small Business Administration during the Clinton Administration. He also served on the WEDC board, where he helped advance several major business developments, including the two new Amazon distribution centers in Kenosha.

Representative Barca received his undergraduate degree from UW-Milwaukee and a graduate degree from UW-Madison.

Dawn Crim, Department of Safety and Professional Services

Dawn Crim is currently the assistant state superintendent for the Division of Student and School Success at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Before joining DPI, Crim spent two decades working within the University of Wisconsin System and first arrived on the UW-Madison campus in 1996 to work as an assistant coach with the Badger women’s basketball team. Crim later served as the business development manager for UW-Extension’s UW-Learning Innovations program before becoming UW-Madison’s assistant to the director for community relations from 2004-07 and director from 2007-11.

Crim received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, her Master of Education from Penn State University, and is currently pursuing a PhD from UW-Madison in Educational Leadership and Administration.

Caleb Frostman, Department of Workforce Development

Caleb Frostman currently serves as the state senator for the 1st Senate District in Wisconsin. He previously served as executive director for the Door County Economic Development Corporation. Frostman, a Wisconsin native from the Green Bay area, served on the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, the Door County Visitor Bureau and the Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center. He currently serves on the board of Sunshine House, an organization that serves adults with disabilities, and the Advisory Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Door County.

Frostman has an undergraduate degree from UW-Madison’s School of Business.

Andrea Palm, Department of Health Services

Andrea Palm most recently served as senior counselor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Obama where she oversaw the agenda for the public health and human services agencies, encompassing more than 60,000 staff. Her executive career spans more than two decades, with key leadership positions for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Senator Hillary Clinton, and Congressman Robert Matsui. She was a senior advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council during the implementation and rollout of the Affordable Care Act.

Palm received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a graduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Office of Governor-elect Tony Evers

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.