GOVERNOR O’MALLEY APPOINTS ANNE SHERIDAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNOR’S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor O’Malley today announced the appointment of Anne Sheridan as Executive Director of the Governor’s Office for Children.

“I am pleased that Anne has chosen to step up and lead the Governor’s Office for Children,” said Governor O’Malley. “In our State, we believe in our children growing healthy, growing educated, and growing strong. We know that Anne’s wealth of knowledge and expertise will help us protect the priorities of Maryland’s children and improve their quality of life so together, we can give them the tools they need to build a better, stronger future.”

The Governor set an aggressive strategic goal for Maryland to become the first state to end childhood hunger within its borders by 2015. The Governor’s Office for Children serves as an integral partner in the Administration’s plan to eradicate childhood hunger, works to promote health and wellness among youth, and seeks to address the priorities of Maryland’s children. Sheridan's experience with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign and other partners will help the Administration meet its goal to end childhood hunger in Maryland by 2015.

Sheridan replaces Rosemary King Johnston who led the coordinating office until June 2012. Since King’s departure, Kim Malat has served as interim executive director. The Governor added, “I’d also like to thank Rosemary and Kim for all of their hard work in putting the Office for Children on a path to success, and for their remarkable dedication to Maryland’s children throughout the years.”

“As the Director of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign in Maryland for the past three years it has been my privilege to work closely with Governor O’Malley and his team in making significant progress towards our shared goal of ending childhood hunger in our state,” said Sheridan. “I have seen his commitment to investing in children through coordinated prevention, early intervention and community-based services, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to continue this important work.”

As manager of the Maryland No Kid Hungry Campaign at Share Our Strength, Sheridan served as co-chair of the Maryland Partnership to End Childhood Hunger and helped to implement a statewide plan to meet partnership goals. Sheridan has years of community relations and field operations experience, working as Corporate Director for Community Relations at Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., as well as with the Kerry-Edwards Campaign in 2004, and as principal of the Dewey Square Group.

Sheridan is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She received her B.A. in Economics and Government from Simmons College in Boston, MA.