Yvette Donosso Diaz Selected for Governor's Cabinet

2 chosen for Cabinet
Huntsman selects female attorneys for top posts

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has selected two prominent female attorneys to join his Cabinet.
Yvette Donosso Diaz is Huntsman's choice for executive director of Community and the Arts; and Lisa-Michele Church will be executive director of Human Services.

Both positions require legislative approval, as does the creation of a community and arts department, out of the current Department of Community and Economic Development.
Jason Chaffetz, Huntsman's chief of staff, said that both appointees would bring a fresh look to their departments.

Church's "big compassionate heart" and legal background will help her successfully lead Human Services, which is facing ongoing lawsuits and negative legislative audits, Chaffetz said.

Chaffetz said Diaz has "great experience and unbelievable energy."

Diaz, a Utah State Bar commissioner, replaces Sylvia Haro, who resigned after being appointed by the governor. She left before she was scheduled to start work, citing family concerns.

Diaz, who will be Utah's first Hispanic woman to hold a Cabinet-level position, said she wants to elevate the role of arts and bolster the role of ethnic affairs offices in economic development. Diaz said she'll welcome community feedback to improve the offices when she starts Jan. 31.

Teamwork seems to be the key for Diaz. She'd like to bridge departments such as libraries and museums; in ethnic affairs, she'd like to see the ethnic offices pool their resources.

"We want to establish a very healthy relationship with the (ethnic) communities," she said. "And establish good communication and alliances between the groups as well. The high school dropout rate isn't a Hispanic issue. It's an issue that affects everyone . . . "

Church, who starts Feb. 15, said her first item of business will be to get to know the staff and budget.

"My background as an advocate will come in handy as I'm dealing with these issues," she said. "A lot of people need to be advocated for in this community."

Church said she's interested in child welfare, elderly and foster care, but she's not going to overlook anything in her broad-reaching department.

"There's lots to focus on," she said.

Some members of the state's ethnic communities have said they felt left out of the decision-making process regarding who will fill vacant ethnic affairs positions.

Chaffetz told one such group from the Pacific Islander community Friday that Diaz will work on re-focusing the ethnic offices, from so-called token positions, to real economic development and community-building offices.

"We think she's going to be a superstar," Chaffetz said of Diaz. "She's got a great vision . . . I think you'll see an elevation, an increased dialogue with these roles."

Three of the five ethnic affairs offices — Pacific Islander, Hispanic and black — remain without directors after they were among several governor-appointed positions Huntsman decided to replace. Diaz said she hoped to fill the positions within the next two weeks.

Chaffetz said those from ethnic communities still had a chance to submit recommendations to the governor's office. The deadline is Wednesday at 5 p.m.

"We're 18 days into this, we'll work together," Chaffetz said. "When we misstep, or don't step in the right place, that's a great part of the process, we need to hear from you."

After the announcement on Friday, the Department of Workforce Services directorship remained the only vacant Cabinet position.

Utah Minority Bar Association
c/o Utah State Bar, Law & Justice Center
645 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-3834
mailto: umbalaw@utahbar.org