DSS Veteran, First Appointed in 2021, Will Continue Work to Revitalize Westchester’s Largest Agency
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins has announced the reappointment of Leonard G. Townes as Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Social Services (DSS).
Townes, who was first appointed commissioner in February 2021, brings more than 36 years of experience within the department, where he began his career as an Eligibility Examiner before rising through the ranks to Deputy Commissioner in March 2018 and ultimately Commissioner.
The Department of Social Services is Westchester County’s largest department, operating with an annual budget of approximately $750 million and a workforce of nearly 1,000 employees. The agency provides critical services including food assistance, housing support, medical assistance, child care, child support enforcement, and child and adult protective services to hundreds of thousands of county residents each year.
Announcing the reappointment, Jenkins praised Townes’ leadership, noting that he assumed the role during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has since modernized the department through a data-driven approach emphasizing customer service, staff development, innovation, and technology.
“The Department of Social Services provides crucial services for the county’s most overlooked residents,” CE Jenkins shared with Black Westchester. “As we face new economic challenges and uncertainty surrounding federal support for vulnerable populations, Commissioner Townes is the right person to continue leading the department.”
Townes thanked Jenkins for the opportunity to continue serving Westchester residents, saying the department’s mission is centered on protecting vulnerable individuals, strengthening families, and helping people regain stability during difficult times.
“I want to thank County Executive Jenkins for the opportunity to continue to serve the people in Westchester who need our help the most. Our work is about protecting the vulnerable, strengthening families, and supporting people in need so they can get back on their feet, and I am grateful to the Department’s tireless, dedicated employees for the commitment to that mission that they display every day,” Townes said.
He also emphasized his commitment to continuing the department’s modernization by expanding innovation, embracing new technology, strengthening leadership, and implementing best practices throughout the agency.
“As Commissioner, my work also is to build a resilient, efficient, 21st-century organization focused on innovation and best practices, fostering new ideas, efficiently using the newest technology, and building robust leadership across the whole department, and I’m grateful for the chance to continue the process of revitalizing the department.”
In addition to leading DSS, Townes serves as president of the Board of Directors of the New York Public Welfare Association, is an Elder on New York State’s Fatherhood Steering Committee, and mentors young people through Blue Nile Rights of Passage of Harlem and Westchester.
A lifelong Westchester resident, Townes is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and holds a Master of Public Administration from Pace University. He graduated from Woodlands High School in Hartsdale and currently resides in Dobbs Ferry.
“Leonard took the reins during one of the most difficult times the Department has faced, the COVID crisis, and has worked to revitalize the Department with a data-driven approach focusing on service, staff development, and innovative and efficient use of technology. Today we face new challenges stemming from both the economic environment and uncertainty about federal support for the vulnerable. Commissioner Townes is the right person to continue to lead DSS through the coming challenges and opportunities,” CE Jenkins added.
