Hartford health director stepping down. She’s got a new job.

Hartford’s Health and Human Services Director Liany Arroyo will be stepping down from her position later this month, Mayor Luke Bronin has confirmed.

Her last day on the job will be April 21, according to a press release.

Arroyo has served as director since 2017, and will be leaving her position to be the executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Charter Oak Health Center.

“Liany has been a public health leader not just for Hartford but for the entire state, and I’m so grateful for her service,” Bronin said in the release.  “She helped to coordinate a community-wide, all-hands-on-deck response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time continuing to make Hartford a leader on everything from reducing obesity and teen pregnancy to remediating lead paint in homes.”

Arroyo’s tenure coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which oversaw public distributions of masks and test kits, testing sites, vaccination clinics and drives, and public awareness campaigns.

“My time with the city of Hartford has been the greatest honor and the most rewarding experience of my 23-year career in public health,” Arroyo said. “Public Health is all about serving people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, color, creed, income status, or background, and that is exactly what I have been able to do as Health and Human Services Director.  From environmental health work to healthcare for children and mothers to protecting residents from frigid winters to a global pandemic, our HHS team has always been there to serve the residents of Hartford, stepping up to meet every challenge we faced.”

Arroyo also became a leading voice on the state level, participating in an equity-focused vaccination plan and outreach program through the state’s Department of Public Health.

“I am so proud of our HHS team and all that they have done to promote public health, and I could not be more confident that they will continue to build on the progress we’ve made over the last several years.  I am excited and grateful to continue to serve Hartford in my new role with Charter Oak Health Center,” Arroyo said.

Bronin, Chief Operating Officer Thea Montanez and Arroyo will collaborate on a “transition plan for continuity of effort at the Department Health & Human Services” to ensure public health services go uninterrupted, according to the press release.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com