January 24, 2013
January 24, 2013 -- Patrice Botsford as accepted the position of director of the DHS Developmental Disabilities Program. A collaborative leader, Botsford has been working in the field of developmental disabilities for more than 20 years, and is passionate about serving and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, according to Erinn Kelley-Siel, director of the department. Starting Feb. 1, Botsford will direct the agency’s programs serving over 21,000 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout their life span. The majority of individuals with developmental disabilities, approximately 67 percent, are served in their own home or their family’s home. Botsford is committed to advancing Oregon's progressive vision of high quality, accountable, community-based and sustainable services, and embraces a "systems perspective" and is anxious to partner with self advocates, families, brokerages, county programs, providers, and advocates to further advance Oregon's ambitious agenda focusing on the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in their communities, improving access to supported employment services and creating a financially sustainable system that can support families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to have the best quality of life possible, Botsford said. Since 2006, Botsford has served as the director of the Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services, where she led a staff serving 4,400 people – including case management for children and adults, quality assurance, program monitoring, finance and business services, eligibility, abuse investigations and crisis services. Prior to that position she served as Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services’ Deputy Director, Program Manager, Administrative Analyst and Lead Case Manager. Meanwhile, Liesl Wendt has accepted the position of director of the DHS Self Sufficiency Program, and will direct the agency’s programs designed to help families achieve economic security with temporary supports for their most basic needs, such as food, health insurance coverage and child care, while working to meet their employment goals. In her new role, she’ll be leading the discussion for DHS with the 2013 Legislature about the future of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families programs. She will also be involved in the DHS Modernization effort, working closely with staff, the Oregon Health Authority and the Health Insurance Exchange project to help lead the transformation. In addition, she'll be working across programs and services -- like Child Welfare and Vocational Rehabilitation -- to move individuals and families from poverty to prosperity. Since 2009, Wendt has served as the Chief Executive Officer of 211Info, where she led its statewide expansion initiative. Prior to that position she was the Vice President of External Relations at the Chalkboard Project, Director of Neighborhood Engagement in the Office of Portland Mayor Tom Potter, Initiative Coordinator for United Way of the Columbia Willamette, Education Program Manager for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and an advocate for the Oregon Food Bank and the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in sociology from Portland State University and also attended Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
