Besio Appointed Director of the Office of Vermont Health Access

Waterbury, VT (November 21, 2008) - Secretary of Human Services Rob Hofmann Announces the Appointment of Susan W. Besio, Ph.D., as Director of the Office of Vermont Health Access.
Newly appointed Secretary of Human Services Robert D. Hofmann announced today the appointment of Susan W. Besio, Ph.D., as the new Director of the Office of Vermont Health Access (OVHA), effective December 8, 2008. She replaces Joshua Slen, Director at OVHA since August 2003, who is leaving state government.
Secretary Hofmann stated, "We thank Joshua for his dedicated service and commitment to the health care of our most vulnerable Vermonters, and his role in bringing our Medicaid program to the national stage. I am also delighted that Susan will be returning to the Agency of Human Services in this very critical role. She is a very hard worker and a quick study; her extensive knowledge of the health care system, strong relationship with the legislature, and operational experience in state government make her the ideal candidate to take on this important challenge at this time."
Dr. Besio, who currently serves as Director of Health Care Reform Implementation under the Agency of Administration, will continue to serve as the single point of accountability for all state health care operations in her new role.
Governor Douglas stated, "Susan has proven herself time and again to be a versatile and highly capable health care leader in my administration, and I am very pleased that she has accepted this latest challenge at such a critical juncture. Her portfolio of work on health care reform will move with her to her new position at OVHA, and will complement the essential work on Medicaid reform that needs to be fostered and supported here in Vermont and on a national level."
Prior to joining the Agency of Administration, Dr. Besio served as Commissioner of the former Department of Developmental and Mental Health Services, and then Director of Operations and Planning for the Agency of Human Services. She was responsible for the development of Vermonts first comprehensive five-year mental health plan in the early 1980's, the Vermont Agency of Human Services 2005 and 2006 Strategic Plans, and was a primary architect of the Douglas administration's Global Commitment to Health Medicaid 1115a demonstration waiver.
Dr. Besio holds a B.A. in Psychology from Emory University in Atlanta GA, an M.A. in Experimental Psychology from San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Vermont.
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