Val Arkoosh
Arkoosh in 2020
Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Assumed office
January 17, 2023
Acting until June 29, 2023
GovernorJosh Shapiro
Preceded byMeg Snead (acting)
Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
In office
November 17, 2016 – January 17, 2023
Preceded byJosh Shapiro
Succeeded byKenneth E. Lawrence, Jr.
Member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
In office
January 2015 – January 17, 2023
Preceded byLeslie Richards
Succeeded byJamila H. Winder
Personal details
Born (1960-09-22) September 22, 1960
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children3
EducationNorthwestern University (BA)
Johns Hopkins University (MPH)
University of Nebraska (MD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Valerie A. Arkoosh is an American anesthesiologist, politician, and academic who is the current secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, serving since 2023. Arkoosh was formerly the chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and the first female chair.[1]

Early life and education

Arkoosh earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Northwestern University in 1982. She earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1986, a earned a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University in 2007.[2] Arkoosh is an anesthesiologist. She performed her residency at Jefferson Medical College in Anesthesiology, with a focus on obstetrics.

Academic career

Arkoosh was a professor of clinical anesthesiology and clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.[3] From 1999 to 2004, she was chair of the department of anesthesiology at the Drexel University College of Medicine. She also taught at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.[3]

In 2007, Arkoosh joined the board of the National Physicians Alliance.[4] She served as its president from 2010 to 2012.[3]

Political career

Arkoosh ran for Congress in 2014 for Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district when Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz vacated the seat to run for governor. Arkoosh was unsuccessful in the Democratic primary.[5]

Montgomery County commissioner

Arkoosh was appointed to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners in January 2015, filing a vacancy left by Leslie Richards, who left her position after being confirmed as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (and who currently serves as general manager of SEPTA). She won a four-year term in November 2015, earning 28.27% of the vote, and again in 2019. In 2016, she was unanimously elected to serve as chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Arkoosh was the vice chair until she was elected as chair. Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is located in southeast Pennsylvania and is the third most populous county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She was preceded by Josh Shapiro, who stepped down to become attorney general. She is the first woman to chair the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. In 2019, she won re-election to a second four-year term, earning 32.29% of the vote.[6]

According to Montgomery County, the “Board of Commissioners oversees a budget of $400 million and directs more than 2,400 employees. The Commission manages human services for more than 100,000 residents, the county court and criminal justice system, Voter Services, over 130 county bridges, 75 miles of roads and other infrastructure, seven county parks and nearly 100 miles of trails.”[7]

Arkoosh's resigned from the Montgomery County Commission on January 17, 2023.[8]

2022 U.S. Senate campaign

On April 5, 2021, Arkoosh launched her campaign for the Democratic nomination for the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania and filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.[9] She ran for the open seat left by U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, who is retiring.[10] Arkoosh dropped out of the race in February 2022.[11]

Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

In January 2023, Arkoosh was nominated by governor-elect Josh Shapiro to serve as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.[12] She automatically became full Secretary on June 29 after the Pennsylvania State Senate failed to act within the constitutionally prescribed 25-legislative-day period to confirm her nomination.[13]

Personal life

Arkoosh lives in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Jeff Harbison. She has 3 children.

Electoral history

2014 United States House of Representatives Democratic primary election, PA-13[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brendan Boyle 24,775 40.61
Democratic Marjorie Margolies 16,723 27.41
Democratic Daylin Leach 10,130 16.60
Democratic Val Arkoosh 9,386 15.38
Total votes 61,014 100.00
2015 Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Democratic primary election[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Josh Shapiro (incumbent) 30,645 54.12
Democratic Val Arkoosh (incumbent) 25,864 45.68
Write-in 111 0.20
Total votes 56,620 100.00
2015 Montgomery County Board of Commissioners election[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Josh Shapiro (incumbent) 97,212 30.90
Democratic Val Arkoosh (incumbent) 88,958 28.27
Republican Joe Gale 65,740 20.90
Republican Steven Tolbert Jr. 62,644 19.91
Write-in 64 0.02
Total votes 314,618 100.00
2019 Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Democratic primary election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Val Arkoosh (incumbent) 48,599 46.09
Democratic Kenneth E. Lawrence, Jr. (incumbent) 46,998 44.58
Democratic Ray Sosa 9,836 9.33
Total votes 105,393 100.00
2019 Montgomery County Board of Commissioners election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Val Arkoosh (incumbent) 127,089 32.29
Democratic Kenneth E. Lawrence, Jr. (incumbent) 124,247 31.57
Republican Joe Gale (incumbent) 74,023 18.81
Republican Fred Conner 68,176 17.32
Total votes 393,535 100.00

References

  1. ↑ "DHS Leadership". Pennsylvania Department of Human Service. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Chair | Montgomery County, PA - Official Website". www.montcopa.org. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Burns, Caitlin (March 29, 2019). "Drs. Arkoosh, Brown to Receive Honorary Degrees at Arcadia University Commencements, May 16 & 17". Arcadia University. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  4. ↑ McCrystal, Laura (November 27, 2016). "Valerie Arkoosh takes the reins of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ Lachman, Samantha (February 24, 2014). "Philadelphia Doctor Touts Obamacare In Campaign For Congress". HuffPost. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Polls close in Pennsylvania, New Jersey". Philly Voice. November 3, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Chair | Montgomery County, PA - Official Website". www.montcopa.org. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ Ravina, Rachel (January 11, 2023). "Montgomery County president judge to oversee appointment process to fill Arkoosh's seat". Mainline Media News. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ Terruso, Julia (April 5, 2021). "Montco Commissioner Val Arkoosh is running for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  10. ↑ Tamari, Jonathan; Steele, Allison (October 5, 2020). "Toomey announces he won't run for reelection or for Pennsylvania governor". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  11. ↑ Chinchilla, Rudy (February 4, 2022). "Montco Commissioner Val Arkoosh Drops Out of U.S. Senate Race". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  12. ↑ Levy, Marc (January 11, 2023). "Arkoosh to lead Shapiro's sprawling human services agency". Associated Press. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  13. ↑ McGoldrick, Gillian (June 29, 2023). "Al Schmidt, Philly's former top Republican elections official, is now officially Pa. secretary of state". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ "2014 General Primary Tuesday, May 20, 2014 Official Returns PHILADELPHIA". electionreturns.pa.gov. Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  15. ↑ "2014 General Primary Tuesday, May 20, 2014 Official Returns MONTGOMERY". electionreturns.pa.gov. Pennsylvania Department of State. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  16. ↑ "MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS PRIMARY ELECTION MAY 19, 2015" (PDF). Montgomery County, PA. June 5, 2015. pp. 1–2. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  17. ↑ "MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2015" (PDF). Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. November 20, 2015. p. 1. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  18. ↑ "MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS Primary Election May 21, 2019" (PDF). Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. June 14, 2019. p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  19. ↑ "MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS General Election November 5, 2019" (PDF). Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. December 5, 2019. p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
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