ONE DAY BEFORE she is slated to be sworn in as governor, Maura Healey continued to fill out her cabinet roster, naming a business veteran to helm economic development and tapping Harvard’s top technology official to serve in the same role in state government.
Healey announced that Yvonne Hao will serve as secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development, while Jason Snyder will be secretary of the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security.
Hao is a co-founder of the Boston private equity firm Cove Hill Partners, with an extensive background in the investment sector and on corporate boards. In addition to her role with Cove Hill Partners, Hao has served as an operating partner at Pillar Ventures and as COO and CFO at PillPack, an online pharmacy acquired in 2018 by Amazon. She is also a former partner at Bain Capital, has served on the board of several companies, and serves as vice chair of the board of Beth Israel Lahey Health.
“Yvonne Hao has a proven record of growing businesses and turning ideas into results. We can count on her to drive Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness, innovation and entrepreneurship,” Healey said in a statement.
“Massachusetts is a national leader in the innovation economy, and the next secretary of economic development has an opportunity to not only maintain that leadership role, but also grow our economic competitiveness,” Hao said in a statement released by Healey’s office. “I’m honored that Governor-elect Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Driscoll have placed their faith in me to capitalize on this moment, support our businesses and expand economic opportunities in every region of the state.”
Hao will be the first person of color to serve in the state’s top economic affairs position. In a press release announcing the two new cabinet appointments, the Healey campaign said Hao would also be the first woman in that role, but Gloria Larson served as secretary of economic affairs under Gov. William Weld in the 1990s.
Hao is a graduate of Williams College and the University of Cambridge and lives in Williamstown and Cambridge.
Snyder currently serves as the chief technology officer at Harvard University. He has worked at Harvard for nearly a decade, previously serving as program director for identity and access management and as managing director of architecture and engineering. He was chief of technology for Gov. Deval Patrick’s entire two terms and, before that, worked for 13 years in the private sector at CSC Consulting Group.
“Jason has decades of experience building strong teams and implementing best technology practices in government, in higher education and in the private sector,” said Healey. “We’re confident that he will make sure the Commonwealth’s digital information is high quality and secure, and that the people of Massachusetts have access to the services they need.”
Snyder is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and lives in Reading.
Economic development was formerly part of the portfolio of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, but Healey has vowed to create a separate cabinet post focused solely on housing. Healey is also creating a new cabinet-level position overseeing climate policy.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcements, Healey had filled five cabinet posts, naming Matt Gorzkowicz as secretary of administration and finance, Patrick Tutwiler as secretary of education, Gina Fiandaca as transportation secretary, Rebecca Tepper as secretary of energy and environmental affairs, and Melissa Hoffer as the state’s first climate chief.
Healey has yet to fill three cabinet positions: secretaries of health and human services, housing, and labor and workforce development.