HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR LIANY ARROYO TO LEAVE CITY
Published on April 03, 2023
HARTFORD, CONN (April 3, 2023) – Today, Mayor Bronin announced that Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Liany Arroyo will be leaving her position with City, effective April 21st. Director Arroyo has been serving as HHS Director since December of 2017, and will soon begin work as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at the Charter Oak Health Center.
“Liany has been a public health leader not just for Hartford but for the entire state, and I’m so grateful for her service,” said Mayor Bronin. “She helped to coordinate a community-wide, all-hands-on-deck response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time continuing to make Hartford a leader on everything from reducing obesity and teen pregnancy to remediating lead paint in homes,” said Mayor Bronin. “Since Liany took this job, she has been relentlessly focused on promoting better health outcomes and improving access to health resources. I am deeply grateful to Liany for her years of service to the City of Hartford, and I wish her the very best as she continues to serve our community in her next role at Charter Oak Health Center.”
As the Director, Arroyo oversaw the Department of Health and Human Services's five divisions, working to improve and protect the health of the city's residents. During the pandemic, Arroyo led the effort to coordinate numerous COVID testing sites, public distributions of masks and test kits, as well as COVID-19 vaccination clinics, door-to-door vaccination drives, and public awareness campaigns. She also became a leader and advocate on the statewide level, participating in the State’s Department of Public Health crafting of their own equity-focused vaccination plan during the pandemic.
During her tenure, Director Arroyo has consistently worked to expand access to healthcare, highlight and address the social determinants of health, and improve health equity, securing numerous grants for the City to advance that work.
“My time with the City of Hartford has been the greatest honor and the most rewarding experience of my 23-year career in public health,” said HHS Director Liany Arroyo. “Public Health is all about serving people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, color, creed, income status, or background, and that is exactly what I have been able to do as Health and Human Services Director. From environmental health work to healthcare for children and mothers to protecting residents from frigid winters to a global pandemic, our HHS team has always been there to serve the residents of Hartford, stepping up to meet every challenge we faced. I am so proud of our HHS team and all that they have done to promote public health, and I could not be more confident that they will continue to build on the progress we’ve made over the last several years. I am excited and grateful to continue to serve Hartford in my new role with Charter Oak Health Center.”
In the weeks ahead, Mayor Bronin, COO Montanez, and Director Arroyo will collaborate on a transition plan for continuity of effort at the Department Health & Human Services and to ensure there are no interruptions in the provision of key public services.
Director Arroyo holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wellesley College, a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University, and is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. She has worked in the non-profit and government sectors for over 20 years.