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    About Us

    Leadership

    Meet the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs' leadership.

    Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones

    Secretary

    Dr. Latika Davis-Jones

    Latika D. Davis-Jones, Ph.D., MPH, MSW is the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP). She was nominated to the position in January 2023 by Governor Josh Shapiro, and unanimously confirmed by the General Assembly in June 2023.

    Prior to serving as DDAP’s Secretary, she was the Senior Director of Behavioral Health at Highmark Wholecare, formerly Gateway Health Plan. Over the past 25 years, Secretary Davis-Jones’ work has focused on the physical and behavioral health needs of vulnerable populations.

    She provided leadership and administrative oversight of Highmark Wholecare’s behavioral health program and oversaw the program development including the development of operations within new markets/business initiatives and the implementation and evaluation of utilization management, case management, and disease/condition management programs impacting the health of members.

    She served as administrator for the Allegheny County Drug and Alcohol Services from 2011-2020 and was an adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh for ten years starting in 2007. 

    From 1999-2011 she was Director of Satellite Services at Tadiso, Inc., which is one of PA’s largest medication-assisted treatment facilities, where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of their outpatient drug treatment/prevention program. 

    More about the Secretary
    Deputy Secretary Sarah Newman Boateng

    Deputy Secretary

    Sarah Newman Boateng, MHA

    Sarah Newman Boateng, MHA, serves as Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), overseeing the department’s administrative and programmatic operations, including county program oversight, licensure, grant administration, and operational excellence initiatives.

    A lifelong Pennsylvanian, Deputy Secretary Boateng is an accomplished public health leader with experience at the federal, state, and private-sector levels. Prior to joining DDAP, she served as a Principal at Health Management Associates, advising public health and healthcare leaders on system transformation and strategic partnerships.

    Previously, Deputy Secretary Boateng served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped lead behavioral health, opioid response, and telehealth initiatives. She also served at the Pennsylvania Department of Health from 2015 to 2021 as Special Assistant to the Physician General and later as Executive Deputy Secretary, working closely with DDAP and other partners on the Commonwealth’s response to the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Throughout her career, Deputy Secretary Boateng has been recognized for her collaborative leadership, commitment to public service, and focus on improving health outcomes for individuals and communities.