LEAN Program
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As the DSS’s indefatigable champion of LEAN, Commissioner Bremby is proud to be an active member of the Process Improvement Steering Committee and of the many successful Lean projects DSS has accomplished in the last 3 years. “LEAN is helping to transform the way we do business. LEAN is a key to our success as an agency.” Commissioner Bremby joined Connecticut state government in 2011 after state and municipal government service in Kansas and Texas. From 2003 to 2010, he served as the Secretary (chief executive officer) of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, that state’s combined public health and environmental protection agency.

Prior to DSS, Cathie was a Utilities Examiner at the Department of Public Utility Control/Department of Energy & Environmental Protection for 15 years. Her educational background is in accounting and Management Information Systems (MIS) which includes design and implementation of procedures, processes, and routines. Cathie loves camping, watching her kids laugh, cooking, gardening, playing card/board games, and her awesome dog, Lenny.

Outside of work, Meiko likes to bake and do cross-stitching. She volunteers as a bookstore clerk at the Buddhist Center in Orange. She is currently attending Charter Oak State College for her bachelor’s degree in business/human resources management.

Dottie is proud to have spent her 20 years of state service at DSS. For her, being on the Process Improvement Steering Committee provides her “a chance to bring about sensible change that will improve agency operations.”
Outside of work, Dottie most enjoys spending time with friends and family. Hobbies include wine making, entertaining and playing drums. She is also active in New Britain community events and sits as Vice Chairman for the New Britain City Plan Commission.

Outside of work, John is active in his hometown of Portland. He is a member of the Board of Assessment Appeals, a church lector, a Knights of Columbus member, and a participant in other local civic organizations. He loves anything outdoors: camping, kayaking, backpacking, fishing, golf, as well as home remodeling. John has a BA in United States history and a BA in public relations/communications.

Wanda has worked at DSS for 25 years, beginning as a Connecticut Careers Trainee and served as an Eligibility Services Worker and Eligibility Services Specialist before becoming a Public Assistance Consultant/Privacy Officer. Being on the Process Improvement Steering Committee affords her “the opportunity to work with individuals from every division of DSS to identify inefficiencies and eliminate waste.”
Wanda is a US Army Reserve Colonel commanding the 1179th Transportation Brigade in Brooklyn, New York, with units in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. She loves to preserve memories by making scrapbooks. She has an MBA and a Masters in Strategic Studies.

Fran feels fortunate to be a part of DSS and continues to seek new personal challenges for growth and ways to contribute to the agency in its vision to provide world class service. Membership in the Process Improvement Steering Committee provides her “the opportunity to work with DSS elite team members to streamline and improve processes.”
Outside of work, Fran loves to spend time at the beach or camping. She is a UCONN graduate.

Outside of work, Dorian enjoys travel and photography. She has experience mentoring youth and would like to do it again. She earned a Masters in Social Work.

Ann has been with DSS for one year. Prior to DSS, she worked for over 29 years in other agencies in fiscal and contract administration. Her personal interests include reading, playing golf and tennis, and spending time by the sea.

Diana enjoys traveling and exploring. Not only has she traveled around the U.S, she has traveled all over the world including Italy, Greece, France, Australia, Monaco, Egypt, Morocco, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Syria, and Jordan.

To Carlene, the Process Improvement Steering Committee provides her the “opportunity to learn how other divisions are leaning their programs, as well as to search for ideas to improve on tasks within OCS and coordinating them with Fiscal Services and Contracts Administration.”
Carlene has been at DSS for 35 years, having begun as a Connecticut Careers Trainee/Field Monitor in Energy. Prior to DSS, she taught middle and high school Spanish. Carlene enjoys travel, sports, and reading. Among her many outside involvements, she is a member of Low Income Energy Advisory Board and serves on the Parish Committee and Chapter at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford. Carlene has a BA in Spanish/French, an M.ED. in secondary education from Boston State College (now UMASS).
Elizabeth Thomas is Social Services Operations Manager in the Greater Hartford field office where she manages the daily operations overseeing a staff of 96. She has been at DSS for 21 years, having served as an Investigator, Lead, Supervisor, and Public Assistant Consultant in the Office of Child Support Services before becoming manager of the Hartford office in 2013.
For Elizabeth, being on the Process Improvement Steering Committee “has provided opportunities to learn, get involved, and promote process improvement and be part of group that is steering DSS towards becoming a world class organization.”
Elizabeth has a master’s degree in statistics. She enjoys gardening, sewing, and walking.
For Elizabeth, being on the Process Improvement Steering Committee “has provided opportunities to learn, get involved, and promote process improvement and be part of group that is steering DSS towards becoming a world class organization.”
Elizabeth has a master’s degree in statistics. She enjoys gardening, sewing, and walking.

Prior to DSS, Rod was a supervisor of case management in the Individual and Family Support Division for 8 years. In addition he supervised the Young Adult Unit in DMHAS for two years. His first experience with DSS was as an eligibility specialist for two years in the Presumptive Eligibility Unit.
Outside of work Rod enjoys hiking, biking, shell collecting and writing. He is heavily involved with the Greater Hartford YMCA, the Footlights Youth Program and Hartford Read to Succeed. He has a BS in Social Work from Barton College, and a M.Ed. Degree in Counseling and an M.S. Degree in Psychology from East Carolina University.