Mischa Martin, a Department of Human Services attorney in child welfare case, will be interim director of the Division of Children and Family Services. Cecile Blucker is leaving the job after seven years. Martin becomes interim director April 1, but has begun working with Blucker on the transition, according to a news release.

From that release:

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“Mischa has an extensive background in both child welfare and as a team leader, and I’m confident she will be an asset to the Division of Children and Family Services during this transition,” said Cindy Gillespie, who was chosen by Governor Asa Hutchinson to be DHS Director. “Not only does she have a strong relationship with many people in the child welfare system, but she also has a passion for working with our most vulnerable children.”

Gillespie said she hopes to continue to work to end generational cycles of abuse, reduce the number of children in foster care and find and retain good workers.

Martin has a bachelor’s degree in political science, a law degree and a master’s in public administration from UALR. She joined DHS in 2008, because assistant deputy counsel in 2013 and an attorney supervisor in the office of chief counsel in 2014. In 2015, Martin was named deputy counsel of county legal operations and also became Assistant Director of the Compliance and Monitoring section of the Department’s Division of Developmental Disabilities Services. 

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