Waterbury, VT – Today, Commissioner Sean Brown of the Department for Children and Families announced two transitions to the Child Development Division leadership team. Miranda Gray has been appointed as Interim Deputy Commissioner, and Sheila Duranleau is the Child Development Division’s Director of Programs.
Miranda Gray began her role as Interim Deputy Commissioner for the Child Development Division (CDD) in mid-February. She has worked with the State of Vermont for 13 years in the Economic Services Division, Reach Up Program. During the pandemic, Ms. Gray was reassigned to CDD as the Project Manager for the school-aged hub project which set up locations around the state for youth to go to during their school’s remote learning days where they would be supervised and able to connect remotely with their schools. Ms. Gray has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, has graduated the Vermont Leadership Institute with the Snelling Center, and has presented at several national conferences/webinars on the whole family approach and success through coordinated mental health and substance use service. Prior to working with the State, Ms. Gray worked at the Orange County Parent Child Center as a Family Support Worker, then as a contracted Reach Up case manager. She is assuming the position held by former CDD Deputy Commissioner Steven Berbeco.
“My career has revolved around supporting Vermonters and their families and I see this new role as another opportunity to continue doing this important work” stated Ms. Gray. “I have been fortunate to have worked with many professionals from the Child Development Division previously, have worked with many of the same partners within CDD’s network, and I look forward to working with new partners within the state and locally.”
Sheila Duranleau began her role as CDD’s Director of Programs in November 2020. Prior to this, Ms. Duranleau had been reassigned from the Family Services Division to help manage the $12 million Operational Relief Grant program for child care providers in Vermont. For the last seven years, Ms. Duranleau has held an operational leadership position in the Family Services Division. Before this, she was the Director of Child Care Licensing and Financial Assistance in CDD. Her entire career has been in the fields of early child education and child protection. Early in her career, she worked for Head Start as a home visitor and later as the Associate Director, she was a parent educator and playgroup facilitator at the Family Center of Washington County. She holds a bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology. In her new role as the Director of Programs she will provide oversight and guidance to the programmatic side of the Division and sit on the senior leadership team.
“We are very excited to have these new leaders joining the Child Development Division. They have extensive experience with the Department, but also with the struggles Vermont families face” stated DCF Commissioner Brown. “Miranda and Sheila bring expertise to CDD from their work with area partners in their former work experiences, as well as through their recent work with the division managing pandemic projects. I have confidence they will lead our division to new heights and look forward to their leadership.”
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The Vermont Department for Children and Families delivers a wide array of programs and services to Vermonters in areas such as child care, child development, child protection, child support, disability determination, and economic benefits that help meet basic needs.