Gov. Jared Polis, on Thursday, announced he was appointing Gretchen Hammer to serve as acting executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and deputy executive director Stephanie Beasley to become the next commissioner of the Behavioral Health Administration.

Hammer’s nomination will have to be confirmed by the state Senate.

As first reported by Colorado Politics, her predecessor, Kim Bimestefer, resigned earlier this week—just hours before state senators were set to introduce a resolution calling for a “no confidence” vote in her leadership following allegations of mismanagement, waste, fraud, and abuse within Colorado’s Medicaid program.

In a statement Thursday, Polis said he was thrilled to welcome the expertise of both to these important roles.

“Their experience and passion for public service will strengthen Colorado and the people we serve,” Polis said. “Stephanie comes to us from the Department of Early Childhood and Gretchen has previously served with HCPF as the Medicaid Director. I know that both of them will continue the important work of expanding access and reducing costs for the care people need, whether it’s for physical or mental health.”

Hammer was the agency’s Medicaid director for three years, from 2015 to 2018. She is currently a senior fellow at Mathematica, where she leads the company’s state Medicaid policy, program research, and advisory services practice.

After leaving the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, Hammer founded the Public Leadership Group, a consulting and public policy firm.

In the governor’s announcement, Hammer said her career has been dedicated to “expanding access and improving the quality of health care people need to live strong lives.” She added that she is “thrilled to return to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, where I previously served as Medicaid Director, to deliver on Governor Polis’s commitment to high-quality health care services.”

Beasley has been with the Department of Early Childhood since August 2023; she previously served as the director of the Division of Child and Family Services for the state of Nebraska.

She spent 20 years in Indiana, including seven years with Adult & Child Health of Indianapolis, an integrated healthcare provider. She also taught at the Indiana University School of Social Work and with various social service agencies in central Indiana, beginning in 2001.

Beasley said in the governor’s announcement that her career has been devoted to serving the public and strengthening the systems that support individuals, families, and communities. She added, “I look forward to leading initiatives that expand access to services, strengthen community partnerships, and create positive outcomes, ensuring Coloradans have the support they need to thrive.”