Release Date: May 4, 2007
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Summary:
Montgomery County Commissioners Hire Permanent Job and Family Services Director

Montgomery County Commissioners are appointing Christy Norvell, a 30-year veteran of Children Services to be the permanent director of the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services (MCDJFS). 

"She is absolutely the right person at the right time to lead the department through the successful completion of the merger and to achieve integrated client centered services that our new mission statement envisions," said County Administrator Deborah Feldman.

Job and Family Services combined with Children Services last year to better serve, in many cases, the same clients. Across Ohio, 59 counties have departments that are combined, providing the functions of Job and Family and Children Services.

"I am very excited to be selected and as a team, we can achieve great things," Norvell said following the announcement to MCDJFS staff.  She will oversee the county's largest department of over 900 employees and a budget of $160 million.  Norvell has been serving as the Interim Director of the county's  department of Job and Family Services since Helen Jones-Kelley vacated the position to become the Ohio Director of Job and Family Services. 

Norvell began her social service career as a social worker and later served as a supervisor, manager and director of six departments within Children Services including Child and Family Centered Services, which directs the delivery of child welfare services and monitored the programs for quality control.  Norvell has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate degree from Central State University.  She is a member of the Miami Valley Child Development Board.