Emily O'Brien named deputy commissioner | North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
Emily O'Brien named deputy commissioner | North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
Emily O’Brien has been appointed as the new deputy commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with her term set to begin on August 20, 2025.
O’Brien’s background includes serving in the North Dakota Legislature since 2017, representing District 42 in Grand Forks. She was a member of the Human Resources Division of the Appropriations Committee during the last two legislative sessions, which is responsible for overseeing the HHS budget. Additionally, she held the position of chief operation officer at the Bioscience Association of North Dakota.
As deputy commissioner, O’Brien will be tasked with aligning HHS programs and services to support the agency’s strategic goal for North Dakota to become one of the healthiest states. She will also implement a performance measurement system across agencies to monitor financial flows within HHS. Furthermore, O’Brien will act as a legislative liaison to improve communication and collaboration between HHS and the North Dakota Legislative Assembly.
"Emily O’Brien will join the agency as deputy commissioner, effective Aug. 20."
"O’Brien brings extensive experience in health and human services and a deep understanding of HHS operations. Since 2017, she has served in the North Dakota Legislature representing District 42 in Grand Forks. During the past two legislative sessions, she served on the Human Resources Division of the Appropriations Committee, which oversees the HHS budget."
"In addition, O’Brien served as chief operation officer at the Bioscience Association of North Dakota. Her background provides valuable insight as she steps into the deputy commissioner role."
"As deputy commissioner, O’Brien will focus on aligning HHS programs and services with the agency’s strategic vision for North Dakota to be the healthiest state in the nation. She will lead a comprehensive cross-agency and inter-agency performance measurement system that tracks the flow of dollars coming into and going out of the agency. In addition, O’Brien will serve as the legislative liaison within HHS, facilitating effective communication and collaboration between HHS and the ND Legislative Assembly."
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