Deputy chief administrative officers for land use and human services chosen

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman named twowomen to top posts Wednesday, hiring Lori Rhodes as the deputy chief administrative officer for land use and formalizing Pam Jordan’s position as deputy chief administrative officer forHealth andHuman Services.

Pittman said both Rhodes and Jordan have the experience to deliver on his goals for managing development in an environmentally responsible way and protecting all residents’ health andwellness.

The two are effective in their new roles starting Thursday.

“Both of these women have the experience, the skills, and the determination to deliver on that agenda, and I am honored that they have agreed to serve,” Pittman said in a release.

The hires come three months after Pittman shifted some of his top leadership around, filling the top spot in Anne Arundel County’s Economic Development Corporation with his former Chief Administrative Officer Ben Birge, and thus emptying several other top positions.

He hired Matt Power as the new CAO and moved former Chief of Staff Jennifer Purcell to the director of special projects. Former deputy CAO for Health and Human Services Kai Boggess-de Bruin was promoted to chief of staff. Jordan, former director of aging and disabilities, was tapped to fill Boggess-de Bruin’s role temporarily.

When Pittman made Jordan’s post permanent, interim director of aging and disabilities Karrisa Gouin was permanently promoted, too, according to the release.

Rhodes, who will permanently replace Power as the deputyCAOfor land use, has served as the assistant planning and zoning director since the end of 2018.

She first started with the department as a receptionist in1990 and alsoworked as a planner and a planning administrator during her tenure.

Jordan, who will now permanently serve as the deputy CAO for health and humanservices, hasmore than 40years of institutional knowledge in local government, Pittman said.