Acting DSHS Secretary Cheryl Strange retires, recruitment for permanent secretary nearing completion
SEATTLE — Governor Bob Ferguson today appointed Debbie Driver to his Executive Leadership Team as his Legislative Director. He also announced the retirement of Acting Secretary of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Cheryl Strange, and the appointment of Bea Rector as the new acting secretary as the office finalizes the recruitment for a permanent secretary.
New Legislative Director
Debbie Driver has a deep background in working with elected officials. She previously served as Governor Jay Inslee’s Transportation Senior Policy Advisor, the Washington State Department of Transportation Legislative Relations Director, and as a policy and fiscal analyst with the Washington State House of Representatives serving multiple committees, including transportation, appropriations, higher education and energy.
“Debbie brings a broad range of skills and expertise to our Executive Leadership Team,” Governor Ferguson said. “She is well suited to tackle the most consequential issues affecting Washingtonians and I look forward to working with her to improve our state.”
Driver currently serves as the Northwest Division Government Relations Director at HNTB, where she oversees government relations in Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Utah. She earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, where she currently teaches a Legislative Relations course to aspiring public policy leaders.
Driver lives in Olympia, where she enjoys reading, traveling, and mountain biking. Her appointment is effective June 3, 2025.
Congratulations to Cheryl Strange, new Acting Secretary Bea Rector
After more than 40 years of public service, Acting DSHS Secretary Cheryl Strange retires on May 23.
Strange served as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Corrections from 2008-2011, and Secretary from 2021-2025. At DOC, she spearheaded reentry, work release and behavioral health initiatives and implemented a culture of change and innovation that continues today. As a two-time Secretary of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, and as the Chief Executive Officer at Western State Hospital, Strange led the charge to transform the hospital and the way in which all agency services are delivered, never wavering in her commitment to improving the lives of those the agency serves.
“Cheryl has a remarkable gift for cultivating human-centered and equitable organizational cultures and delivering noteworthy results,” Governor Ferguson said. “She has been a public servant in every sense during her distinguished career. I am grateful for her service. Thank you to Bea for stepping in to take the reins as we finalize our search for a permanent secretary.”
Bea Rector is the Assistant Secretary of the Home and Community Living Administration in Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services. She has worked at DSHS for 25 years, holding senior leadership positions for 18 of those years.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington. In 2008 Bea received the Governor’s Award for Leadership in Management.