Premier Ranj Pillai has announced senior leadership changes in the Yukon government. Pillai was sworn in as the 10th premier of Yukon on Jan. 14.
Jason Cunning is taking over as chief of staff from Jasmina Randhawa, who is leaving the Yukon government.
Major appointments were also made in the departments of Health and Social Services, Tourism and Culture, Education, the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Housing Corporation.
Tiffany Boyd will take over from Ed van Randen as acting deputy minister with the department of Health and Social Services. The announcement says Boyd will serve in this role for six months and will lead the “delivery of health care and services and their integration into a new health authority.”
Ed van Randen will remain with the department as the deputy minister of Health responsible for Social Services.
Mary Cameron was appointed deputy minister for the department of Education. Cameron, who served as the president of the Yukon Housing Corporation, takes over from Nicole Morgan. Cameron will lead the Women and Gender Equity Directorate until May 1.
Sierra van der Meer will serve as deputy minister of the department of Tourism and Culture and the Women and Gender Equity Directorate from May 1 when she takes over from Cameron.
Justin Ferbey was appointed president of the Yukon Housing Corporation in addition to his role as the deputy minister of Economic Development. He continues his role in Tourism and Culture until May 1 when van der Meer takes over.
Dennis Berry, who is currently the president of the Yukon Liquor Corporation, will serve as president and chief executive of the Yukon Development Corporation.
Pillai said the appointments represent gender parity and noted that he will support an “innovative and effective public service that can advance the government’s priorities.”
The announcement said all appointments without future start dates have taken immediate effect.
These leadership announcements follow a flurry of other changes last week.
On Jan. 6, Scott Thompson, the deputy minister for the Yukon’s Finance department, announced his retirement. Thompson would be replaced by Jessica Schultz, who has been appointed as acting deputy minister for a year, starting on Feb. 17.
Jeff Ford, the acting deputy minister for the Justice department, has been given a three-month extension, effective on Jan. 15.
Michael Hale was also appointed deputy minister for the Executive Council Office and Cabinet secretary on Jan. 11.
Hale was previously deputy minister for the department of Health and Social Services.
Hale is taking over from Stephen Mills, who is retiring from the Yukon government.
The release states Mills, who has been the deputy minister of the Executive Council Office since 2019, has worked in the territorial government for close to a decade.
In the release, Sandy Silver said he has “relied heavily” on Mills’ counsel and support for the past four years.
“Stephen exemplifies what it means to be a public servant and I am grateful for his years of leadership and dedication. As a leader, he represented competence and broke down stereotypes,” Silver said in the release.
— With files from Dana Hatherly
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com