HARRISBURG, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from Dec. 10.
Governor Tom Wolf has announced that Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam will resign her position with the Commonwealth at the end of 2021, according to a press release.
“I am proud to have worked with Acting Secretary Beam over the past several years, and the Commonwealth has been fortunate to have had the benefit of her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic – especially as the Department of Health oversaw a massive vaccine roll-out over the course of the past year,” Gov. Wolf said in a statement.
Prior to her role as acting secretary, Beam served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Wolf, coordinating initiatives and resources across Pennsylvania’s Departments of Health, Human Services, Drug & Alcohol Programs, Aging and Insurance, as well as the Office of Advocacy and Reform.
She was heavily involved in Pennsylvania's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September, she issued an order declaring that masks were to be worn in all Pa. schools, an action that has continued to garner both approval and disdain. A lawsuit, filed in Commonwealth Court, asserted that she failed to comply with state law when she issued the order. Last month, the court ruled 4-to-1 that Beam did indeed, fail to comply with state law, and over the weekend, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed the Commonwealth Court's decision.
Gov. Wolf also announced that Executive Deputy Secretary Keara Klinepeter will take over as the Department of Health acting secretary next year.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with the tremendous employees at the Department of Health and ensuring public health remains a top priority throughout the Commonwealth," Keara Klinepeter said in a statement. "I am honored for the opportunity to lead public health efforts during this critical time and to serve my fellow Pennsylvanians.”