Meet Governor Shapiro’s Cabinet

Secretary Jason Kavulich brings 24 years of experience within the human services field to the mission of serving and advocating for Pennsylvania’s 3.4 million older adults aged 60 and over.  He is committed to leading and advocating for an aging network of quality, sustainable programs that support Pennsylvania’s growing older adult population to stay healthy and active, age in their home settings of choice, thrive in their older years with safety and dignity, and contribute to the economic, social and cultural vibrancy of our communities across the commonwealth.

Jason’s hands-on experience at the local human services level provides a critical perspective to supporting a 52-agency aging network covering 67 counties where services are delivered locally across diverse populations and geographies. 

Progressing from a county caseworker through supervisor and administrator positions within the Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services, he was appointed Director of the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging in 2016. 

As a human services professional, he dedicated his efforts to ending food insecurity, homelessness and improving access to services and cultural opportunities to the residents of Lackawanna County. In his capacity as director, Jason worked tirelessly to promote the innovation and expansion of services for older adults and strongly advocated to guarantee their rights and independence.   

In 2021, his efforts to assist older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic were honored by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Later in 2021, he spearheaded a coalition of non-profit, business and education leaders to bring the new federal Elderly Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO) program to Lackawanna County – the first northeast Pennsylvania county to do so. In 2022, under Jason’s leadership, Lackawanna County became an early adopter of the Department of Aging’s Shared Housing and Resource Exchange (SHARE) program. 

He recently served as the President of the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A), Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties and serves on the boards of Lackawanna Pro Bono and Penn State Scranton. He is a graduate of the University of Scranton and a lifelong Scranton resident. 

Cindy Adams Dunn has served as the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources since 2015. 

She has served multiple positions in the agency under three governors during the last three decades. During her tenure, Ms. Dunn has helped position Pennsylvania as a leader in land conservation, outdoor recreation, green practices, and public land management. Under her leadership, the department: Created the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps to connect youth and young adults with job opportunities relating to the outdoors and the environment, advanced water quality initiatives within the Chesapeake Bay and across the commonwealth through investments in conservation, buffer plantings, and restoration, advanced mitigation and adaption best practices related to climate change, managed the highest visitation at state parks and forests, received historical levels of funding to address the growing conservation and recreation needs of the commonwealth.

Ms. Dunn’s non-profit conservation and advocacy roles include serving as the president and chief executive officer of PennFuture, state director of Audubon Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania coordinator for Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and as an environmental educator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. 

Her past DCNR roles includes serving as Deputy Secretary of Conservation and Technical Services from 2007-2013, where she led Conservation Landscape program and oversaw the grant program, which provides $30-$60 million annually for conservation and recreation throughout the commonwealth.  

Her other leadership posts include Director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and Director of the Office of Education, Communications, and Partnerships.

Ms. Dunn first joined DCNR in the mid-1990s as Director of Community Relations and Environmental Education. Over the years, Ms. Dunn has been recognized with numerous awards for her leadership in conservation including:

• Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award

• The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Frances E. Flanigan Environmental Leadership Award

• Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year

• Cumberland County Conservation District Conservationist of the Year

• The Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Local Government Award

• Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals Karl Mason Award

• The National Wildlife Federation Women in History Award

• The Schuylkill River National Heritage Area Legacy Award

Ms. Dunn holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology from Shippensburg University. She and her husband, Craig, reside in Cumberland County.

When not championing the efforts of DCNR, Ms. Dunn enjoys the natural and recreation resources DCNR works hard to protect and promote through hobbies that include birding, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.

For over 25 years, Dr. Khalid N. Mumin has served in various capacities as a teacher, dean of students, principal and central administrator. Most recently, Dr. Mumin served as the Superintendent of Schools at Lower Merion School District. Prior to Lower Merion, Dr. Mumin was the Superintendent of Reading School District for seven years. Beginning as a Secondary English teacher in Scotland, Pennsylvania in 1997, Dr. Mumin rose through the leadership ranks of the education system in Pennsylvania. Dr. Mumin is committed to promoting and sustaining student achievement, equity and access to educational programming for all students, as well as creating plans that are fiscally responsible. He has been recognized nationally as a “School Board Savvy Superintendent,” and is the author of the book entitled Problem Child: Leading Students Living in Poverty Towards Infinite Possibilities of Success. 

Dr. Mumin earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Education in Teaching & Curriculum from Pennsylvania State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English Education from Shippensburg University, and an Associate of Arts in English from Northeastern Christian Junior College. 

Currently serving as the Interim Acting Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), Jessica Shirley plays a pivotal role in the guidance of the department in its mission to protect and preserve Pennsylvania’s environment while fostering sustainable and equitable practices. Jessica arrives to the role of Acting Secretary with extensive experience within the agency. Most recently, Jessica served as the Executive Deputy Secretary overseeing all programs.

As the first appointed Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator at the PA DEP, Jessica oversaw the influx of federal funding supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). She ensured that the Department used all available funds for the betterment of Pennsylvania’s environment, economy, residents, and communities. In this role, she also placed strong emphasis on consideration of the impact of programs in historically underinvested communities.

Jessica’s previous role as Policy Director from May 2016 to April 2022 was marked by her dedication to shaping the environmental and energy policy agenda. In this position, Jessica helped to develop groundbreaking executive orders related to PFAS, climate change, energy conservation and sustainability in Commonwealth operations, and environmental justice. These executive orders established the first greenhouse gas reduction goal for the Commonwealth, set performance goals for state agencies, established the PFAS Action Team to remove silos and address emerging contaminants, and memorialized various processes and opportunities to meaningfully engage and address underserved communities in Pennsylvania. She coordinated the DEP Policy Office’s efforts, while overseeing the finalization of numerous rulemakings and promoting meaningful dialogue with stakeholders. Jessica and her counterpart at PennDOT lead the effort to develop Pennsylvania’s first ever Litter Action Plan which received several awards and national recognition.  Jessica also served on the agency steering committee of DiversEP, the agency’s DEI committee with a mission of actively cultivating a culture of equity and inclusion and establishing a more diverse workforce representative of the population we serve. 

In her earlier role as Executive Policy Specialist, Jessica was a trusted advisor in various policy areas, including oil and gas development, air quality, climate change, energy, waste, clean water, and environmental cleanup. She also demonstrated leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and her representation of the Administration in discussions with key organizations showcased her influence and expertise. She built extensive relationships by serving as the Policy Office liaison to the Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board, Air Quality Technical Advisory Board, Climate Change Advisory Committee, Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee, Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board, Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, Recycling Fund Advisory Committee, Radiation Protection Advisory Committee, Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Sewage Advisory Committee and Storage Tank Advisory Committee. 

Jessica’s educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Thomas Cook has more than 36 years of experience in emergency services, and an extensive background in public and nonprofit administration — having served at the municipal, county, and state levels, with a primary focus on public safety and emergency management. 

Most recently, Cook served as Assistant State Fire Commissioner. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.   

Prior to that, Cook was administrator of the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, with oversight of the firefighter training system for the Commonwealth. 

He retired from active firefighting as assistant fire chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, overseeing the day-to-day operations of a 700-person, metropolitan fire department. He has served as a career company officer in the Mount Lebanon Fire Department, and a staff instructor for Allegheny County Fire Academy. He has held every rank but Chief of Department in the Monroeville Volunteer Fire Department. 

Cook attended the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania State, and National fire academies. He is a Pennsylvania state fire instructor, and has taught extensively for local fire and emergency management training agencies. He is an associate professor for the Point Park University, teaching programs in public administration. 

Prior to pursuing a career in public safety, Cook was employed as a corporate controller for Consolidated Graphics, where he was a turn-around specialist. 

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. He has a second Bachelor of Science degree in fire administration from Columbia Southern University. 

Cook received his Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer designations from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. 

He has received awards as Fire Instructor of the Year, Fire Officer of the Year, and letters of commendation for his work managing various projects within the fire service. Cook has been decorated twice in his career for rescues, earning a unit citation for rescues made from an apartment fire in Mount Lebanon, and the Red Cross Hero Medal for the rescue of a civilian prior to the arrival of suppression units in Pittsburgh. 

Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH, was appointed to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by Governor Josh Shapiro on January 17, 2023 and Dr. Arkoosh officially became Secretary on June 29, 2023. 

Prior to this role, Secretary Arkoosh served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners since January 2015, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Commission. Arkoosh won election to a full four-year term in November 2015 and served as Commission Vice Chair until her election as Commission Chair in November 2016. She was the first woman ever to serve in this role. Arkoosh was re-elected in November 2019 and unanimously chosen by her colleagues to again serve as Chair in January 2020. Montgomery County is the third most populous county in Pennsylvania with over 856,000 residents. The three-member Board of Commissioners oversees a budget of more than $500 million and directs more than 2,800 employees charged with administering and overseeing county functions, including human services.  

As Commission Chair, Secretary Arkoosh was committed to strengthening services for children, veterans, and seniors. She led the efforts to eliminate street homelessness of veterans and streamline delivery of human services. Recognizing the need for a strong, supported workforce in executing these goals, she instituted a $15 minimum wage and gender-neutral paid parental leave for Montgomery County employees. Drawing on her background as a physician, she oversaw a multi-pronged, integrated response to the opioid overdose epidemic, including issuing a standing order in 2015 to enable participating pharmacies in Montgomery County to dispense the overdose antidote naloxone at the request of any member of the public. 

As a physician and public health professional, Secretary Arkoosh was at the center of Montgomery County’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, leading a data- and science-driven approach to the unprecedented challenge. Arkoosh’s leadership was praised during the county’s response, especially her transparency and public communication throughout the pandemic. Secretary Arkoosh is also a staunch advocate for maternal health and reproductive rights, and she serves on the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee. 

Upon obtaining her Master of Public Health in 2007, Arkoosh became deeply engaged in the national effort to achieve comprehensive health care reform. She led the National Physicians Alliance, a national non-profit organization of physicians, who, putting their patients before profits, joined a broad-based nation-wide coalition for reform. During this time, she developed policy and legislative strategy, and promoted public engagement in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and throughout the country. Dr. Arkoosh maintains comprehensive knowledge of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its impact on individuals and the health care system. 

Prior to stepping into public service, Secretary Arkoosh was Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. Arkoosh is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and received a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She performed her residency at Jefferson Medical College in Anesthesiology with a special focus in Obstetrics. She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Northwestern University. 

Secretary Arkoosh lives in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, with her husband and their three children. 

Major General Mark J. Schindler was nominated to continue to serve as the 54th Adjutant General of Pennsylvania and was confirmed by the Senate of Pennsylvania on April 26, 2023. In this Cabinet-level position with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, headquartered at Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, Pennsylvania, General Schindler oversees a combined state and federal budget of over $966 million. He is responsible for the command and control of over 18,000 Army and Air National Guard members (3rd largest National Guard in the nation); a complement of 2,500 commonwealth employees; care of residential Cadets at the Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy; and six state-owned Veterans homes and programs for Pennsylvania’s more than 700,000 Veterans. 

Prior to his appointment, he served as Assistant Adjutant General, PA Army National Guard; Chief of Staff, PA National Guard; and served in a variety of command and staff positions within the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. General Schindler deployed as commander of the 55th Military Engagement Team in Jordan during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012-2013. 

General Schindler was born in Buffalo, New York. He received a two-year ROTC scholarship from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and was commissioned in 1987, earning a bachelor’s degree in communications. He attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania earning a master’s degree in communications in 1989, and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2011. 

His military education includes: Signal Corps Officer Basic and Advanced Course; U.S. Army War College; Harvard University – Leadership in Homeland Security Course; Dual-Status Commander Course; and the Senior Leadership Course, Baltic Defense College. 

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (2nd Award); Meritorious Service Medal (4th Award); Army Commendation Medal (2nd Award); Army Achievement Medal (2nd Award); Air Force Achievement Medal; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (3rd Award); National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal (3rd Award); Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M-Device;  Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (5th Award) 

General Schindler and his wife, Colette, have two adult children, David and Beth Rose. 

Colonel Christopher L. Paris, a native of Lackawanna County, was nominated by Governor Shapiro to lead the Pennsylvania State Police. Colonel Paris enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police in 1999, beginning his career as a Trooper assigned to Troop K, Skippack. As he progressed through the ranks, he served in Troop K, Philadelphia; the Bureau of Training and Education; Troop R, Dunmore; the Department Discipline Office; the Bureau of Integrity and Professional Standards; the Executive Office as the Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Professional Responsibility. Most recently, he served as the Commander of Area III. 

Commissioner Paris is a 1998 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Scranton, a 2004 graduate of Temple University Law School, and a graduate of the 267th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. He has passed the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bar exams and is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar. Colonel Paris exercises command, administrative, and fiscal authority over the Pennsylvania State Police, which is the tenth largest police agency in the United States, serving a population of more than 3.3 million residents over a 36,000 square-mile area. He oversees a budget of more than 1.5 billion dollars and commands a statewide complement of approximately 6,500 enlisted and civilian employees, which includes an authorized complement of 4,740 State Police Troopers.