Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Tuesday that Valarie Moseley will serve as the next director of the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Moseley's appointment will become effective Oct. 1 upon Director Trevor Foley's departure to serve as the new state budget director. Her appointment awaits Missouri Senate confirmation, according to a news release from the governor.
Moseley has served as the DOC deputy director since December 2023, managing responsibilities including strategic planning, operational efficiency, crisis prevention and management, stakeholder engagement and the development and implementation of department policies and procedures, according to the news release.
"We are proud to welcome Valarie to our Cabinet and appreciate her willingness to serve in this critical leadership role," Kehoe said in the news release. "Valarie's years of experience and proven leadership at DOC position her to continue the department's nationally recognized work in improving lives for safer communities."
Previously, Moseley was the director of the Division of Offender Rehabilitative Services for the DOC, a role in which she and her team launched Reentry 2030, making Missouri the first state in the U.S. to join the national initiative. Reentry 2030 is an initiative helping those who leave prison to find employment, according to previous reporting.
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Moseley also previously served as the assistant division director for employee health and safety in the department’s Division of Human Services. During her time as assistant division director, she played an instrumental role in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic in developing the Prevent-Respond-Support model for employee care and trauma response, according to the news release.
"I look forward to leading the DOC team in our efforts to move the department forward by supporting our workforce, improving engagement with external stakeholders and working to reduce risk and recidivism for the safety of our communities," Moseley said in the news release.