About the Deputy Cabinet Secretary

Alison McGonigal

Deputy Cabinet Secretary
Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF)

Alison McGonigal has served as Deputy Secretary of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF) since 2023. In this role, she provides administrative oversight of department operations including child welfare, juvenile justice, prevention and behavioral health, student education, and management support services. In partnership with the Cabinet Secretary and department leadership, she works to align operations, staffing strategies, budget and legislative policy with the Governor’s initiatives and state and department priorities. She also leads the development and implementation of the department’s continuous quality improvement processes to ensure the safety and well-being of children and youth.

With more than 28 years of experience in human services, Alison’s work has focused on juvenile justice reform, program and facility improvements, strategic planning, workforce development and operational excellence. She began her career with the DSCYF’s Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) in 1997 as a case manager at the New Castle County Detention Center, becoming supervisor of the case management unit in 2001.

In 2006, Alison was promoted to an Administrator for DYRS in the Office of the Director, where her primary responsibility was leading a system-wide effort to create broad-based policy and reform of Delaware’s juvenile justice system. She later served as Superintendent of the DYRS Residential Cottages, initiating and leading an aggressive program and facility improvement plan focusing on effective rehabilitation and transition services for youth in custody. She was appointed to DYRS Deputy Director in 2013.

Alison transitioned to the Division of Management Support Services (DMSS) as Deputy Director in 2015 and was appointed Division Director in 2017. While leading DMSS, Alison was responsible for the department’s budget development, capital budget oversight, and workforce administration. She led several department initiatives including an internal review of student education services and the centralization of key support units. She oversaw major capital improvement projects, including the renovation of the Cleveland White Building and the transformation of the historic Wharton Hall into the John E. Stevenson Youth Center. She also led critical staffing strategies focused on position management, recruitment, and retention.

Throughout her career, Alison’s work has remained focused on improving services to best support Delaware’s children, youth, and families.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services from the University of Delaware.