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Before her appointment to this position, Nazario was associate commissioner for child care in the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, also within ACF. In that capacity, she was responsible for providing leadership and management direction to the Child Care Bureau on various initiatives, including the issuance of final regulations, policy direction, technical assistance and research. Her priorities were to increase investments in child care, improve quality and reduce unmet need.

"I'm very proud of Carmen Nazario's work here at the department to help support America's working families by promoting quality child care that also prepares children to succeed in school," said Secretary Shalala. "I am very excited that her proven leadership, expertise and success at both the federal and state level will be broadened to the diversity of children and family programs administered at ACF."

Nazario's career in public service began in 1968, when she was a social worker in the Puerto Rico Department of Social Services. She was Local Director of Social Services in Puerto Rico, and in Virginia, where she also worked for the state Department of Social Services as Regional Licensing Supervisor and Chief of Locally Administered Programs for the Northern Virginia region. During her tenure as Director of Social Services in Loudoun County, Va., Nazario's initiatives gained state and national recognition in the areas of reduction and prevention of foster care services and adolescent pregnancy prevention. Nazario also received a state meritorious service award for her leadership in planning and directing the implementation of repatriation efforts during Operation Desert Storm. Later, she worked with the American Public Welfare Association as Director of Member Services, Conference Manager and Policy Associate.

In 1989, Nazario became Deputy Secretary for the Puerto Rico Department of Social Services. She earned praise and recognition from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for her successful leadership of disaster recovery efforts for the department during the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, which at the time was the biggest disaster in the history of FEMA.

Nazario came to the Department of Health and Human Services from Delaware, where she served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services from 1993 to 1997. She was awarded The Order of The First State, the highest honor the governor of Delaware can bestow, in recognition of her accomplishments during her tenure. Among them, overseeing Welfare Reform and Medicaid Managed Care, the creation of a new Division of Aging and Services to Persons with Physical Disabilities, and multiple management improvements, especially in residential and community-based services to persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

"Children across the country have benefited from Carmen Nazario's vision of a safe, healthy and learning environment for children in child care," said Olivia A. Golden, HHS assistant secretary for children and families. "She will contribute even more to families and their children in her new position."

Nazario has held a number of national leadership roles, including Vice President of the Board of Directors of the American Public Welfare Association, President of the National Council of Local Public Welfare Administrators and Secretary of the National Council of State Human Service Administrators.

Nazario is from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She received a Bachelor of Arts with honor, in sociology, from the University of Puerto Rico in 1967, and was awarded her Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work in 1973. She is married to Alexis Nazario who practices law in Northern Virginia.

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