Former Town Manager Sarah Stanton is the new undersecretary of economic strategies in the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
The appointment was announced late last week by department’s secretary, Yvonne Hao. The position is part of a realignment of the office “to better focus on key sectors of the economy and ensure continued economic support for all Massachusetts communities and residents.”
According to a spokesperson for the agency, Stanton’s first day on the job was last Tuesday in a Government Center office.
Stanton informed the Select Board of her plans to step down as town manager on March 13 and shared the news publicly on March 28. But she never revealed her destination, allowing the announcement to come from the state agency.
According to an announcement from Hao’s office, Stanton’s portfolio will be replete with responsibilities, particularly:
- The state’s tourism and international trade sectors through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment;
- The cross-secretariat Workforce Skills Cabinet;
- “New growth initiatives that build upon the work of the Economic Development Foundations team;”
Stanton also will “help coordinate federal opportunities such as CHIPS and Science Act Funding, ARPA-H, and climate tech investment,” according to the announcement.
During the Bedford Select Board meeting on April 10, Board Chair Bopha Malone said Stanton “offered to stay full-time through mid-April and part-time through June to ensure a successful transition.” She also said Colleen Doyle, Assistant Town Manager for Human Resources and Administration, volunteered to serve as interim town manager during the search process.
Deadline for applications for at-large members of the upcoming town manager search committee is next Monday.
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