Posted on 10/15/2020 8:25:07 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
MADISON, WI — The bureaucrat in charge of Wisconsin’s response to COVID-19 was an art teacher before rising through the ranks of the state Department Health Services.
Stephanie Smiley serves as director of DHS’ Bureau of Communicable Diseases and interim administrator of the Division of Public Health. Yet, Smiley does not have degrees in medicine or science, a point state Sen. Steve Nass says should not be lost in Gov. Tony Evers’ constant mantra of “following the science” and relying on the experts in battling the coronavirus.
Smiley holds a Bachelor of Science in Art Teacher Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A few years ago she did earn a Master of Arts in Homeland Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif, according to a 2018 story in the Janesville Gazette.
“Smiley has an important job—she directs the Bureau of Communicable Diseases at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services—but she’s also passionate about art,” the newspaper wrote of the Janesville resident.
Before she jumped into public health, Smiley taught art at a private art school, according to the article. But the job wasn’t “the best fit for her young family.”
She began at DHS around 2000 as an executive assistant, working her way up to communications director and into her role as head of the Bureau of Communicable Diseases.
What fully qualifies Smiley for the position? She and Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm have come under fire for their COVID-19 public health metrics and the use of those numbers to justify strict emergency orders. DHS did not return Empower Wisconsin’s request for comment.
In her position, Smiley “Promotes efforts to prevent and control communicable diseases among Wisconsin citizens. Implements surveillance, control, and prevention measures; assists local health departments, health care providers, and citizens to prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases; maintains a statewide surveillance system; assists in early identification and intervention of communicable diseases; and informs the public about ways to prevent and control communicable diseases.”
In a statement released Wednesday, Nass said Gov. Tony Evers and Palm need to answer serious questions “regarding the personnel at DHS serving in vital roles without appropriate education, training or experience.”
“Ms. Smiley leads the Communicable Diseases Bureau but has no education, training or experiences that would seem to make her qualified to serve in that role,” the Whitewater Republican said. “She is also serving as the overall Administrator for the Division of Public Health and clearly lacks any known basis for serving in that role, as well.”
The Janesville Gazette story notes that Smiley’s thesis was titled, “Finding the Path of Least Antibiotic Resistance through Agricultural Policy.” Perhaps that was helpful in her new role.
Nass has asked DHS to provide greater details regarding Ms. Smiley’s background and the job descriptions and requirements that the Evers Administration is using for these critical positions.
The Evers administration offered no explanation in May after DHS asked State Health Officer Jeanne Ayers to resign. Ayers, who was paid $62.51 an hour, was replaced by Smiley.
Ayers, at least, was a registered nurse and had a Masters in Public Health. She now serves as a senior adviser for VOTESAFE Public Health, a liberal-leaning organization that promotes “COVID-safe voting practices,” particularly vote-by-mail.
“Ms. Smiley leads the Communicable Diseases Bureau but has no education, training or experiences that would seem to make her qualified to serve in that role,” the Whitewater Republican said. “She is also serving as the overall Administrator for the Division of Public Health and clearly lacks any known basis for serving in that role, as well.”
LIBERATE WISCONSIN!
Whole affair gotta be sayin’ something about corrupt democrat leadership being disrepected.
I work for a municipal government (something I never wanted to do, but was unavoidable as they run the major airport that I work for). I see this kind of nonsense all the time. Our previous CFO had only a music degree. Our CEO is an architect by training. From what I have seen over the years, the number one qualifying characteristic, particularly for C-suite executives, is that you must be a loyal democrat. It’s an incestuous, exclusive club of people who connect with each other through democrat political circles who always seem to inhabit those jobs, regardless of sometimes glaring lack of relevant education or experience.
A perfect choice by Governor Schoolteacher.
Well, the one in PA was/is a dead-beat dad before he deliberately cut his junk off after the docs told him he wasn’t mentally stable enough for the procedure.
Libs are insane mental cases.
Nevada state Health Director has NO MEDICAL TRAINING or EXPERIENCE.
Appointed.
The leftist crap is so infuriating. I have an MFA in Creative Writing (don’t laugh, I actually have been quite successful in corporate communications and financial writing.) When I went for my MFA, I was told that it was all I’d need for any kind of teaching job, etc. And since it was a terminal degree, at the time it qualified me for collegiate level teaching.
A few years ago, I contacted an old professor, now a dean, to see if I could get some teaching work at my alma mater. The level of outrage I encountered was shocking.
How dare I? Didn’t I know that colleges went through a pristine and completely above board hiring process, and they NEVER hired former students...
Which was absolute BS, and I told her. Since her daughter was now a dean at the college (and had been a ballerina in NYC for several years... but SUDDENLY was dean material when she came back to Florida...)
Nepotism and insider hiring is all the rage, even though they constantly insist they’re above board.
Scumbags. 100%.
This nitwit is a political operative FRAUD. Yet another “educator” who is a smarmy loser.
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