Noem to Appoint Secretary of Social Services

Pat Powers

Noem to Appoint Secretary of Social Services

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem today announced that M. Gregory DeSautel, MD will join her cabinet as Secretary of Social Services. He will officially be appointed February 1.

“Greg is full of new perspectives,” said Governor Noem. “His deep care for people and willingness to serve, work hard, and produce results will be valuable to my team as we work to educate the state about the need for foster families, adoptive families, and safe homes for every child.”

“I’m deeply honored to serve with Governor Noem,” said DeSautel. “As we strive to increase awareness about the issues affecting families in our state, I’m committed to working relentlessly to make sure our families are stronger tomorrow than they were yesterday.”

DeSautel currently works at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls where he serves patients from all walks of life. Additionally, he has taught as an assistant clinical professor at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine since 1997.

DeSautel and his wife, Susan, live in Sioux Falls with their four children.

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11 thoughts on “Noem to Appoint Secretary of Social Services”

  1. This is an impressive and bold decision on the part of Governor Noem as she is determined to bring a new dimension, perspective and leadership to the SD Department of Social Services. This type of strong and decisive leadership by our SD Governor is long overdue, especially when it involves a large and vital state agency such as the Department of Social Services. It makes perfect sense to have a medical doctor overseeing an agency that has been tasked with, among many other things, looking out for the best interest of children and families.

  2. Shirley knows what she is talking about. She lived it. Remember the Metti rape case? She and Brandon lost their jobs to save those children. It also cost them over a quarter of a million dollars to defend those children and themselves. They were all hostages of the state. Check it out. Call me Shirley.

  3. If Kristi and Dr, Desautel truly addresses and fixes the DSS and CPS and let the voices of the people be heard with action taken, well that would be wonderful. Power to the children. There is hope for SD.

  4. Mrs. Volesky, why do you want us to call you Shirley when your name, apparently, is Tara?

    1. I was wondering the same thing. Apparently she left out the comma (,). That aside, if Shirley likes Dr. DeSautel that’s a good thing, since she was the State’s scapegoat in the Mette case. It makes me happy that we don’t have another pencil-pushing female bureaucrat with a hyphenated name in that position.

    1. Quit playing games with my heart- Backstreet Boys 1997

      Tara – how you didn’t become Mayor of Mitchell is a loss for us all.

      1. Indeed. grudznick supported Mrs. Volesky’s attempts at mayorism. I was quite dissapointed. As to the Dahomey Amazons, I have no real understanding of why hyphens are an issue.

      2. Apparently they were not to interested in cleaning Lake Mitchell, lol. Some people do like change. Ok, I should have said…..give me a call Shirley.

  7. Just out of curiosity- just because he is a Doctor of Medicine… how does that qualify him to be an expert or have practical knowledge of the Department of Social Services?

    Has he adopting a child or children? Has he or his family been apart of a DSS program? Does he has sufficient knowledge or working knowledge of the programs offered through DSS?

    Admittedly I know nothing about this man- but being a doctor or lawyer does not equal the best qualified candidate- so I’m asking for other people’s knowledge of him and his background beyond being a medical provider.

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