2 chosen for Cabinet

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has selected two prominent female attorneys to join his Cabinet.

Yvette Donosso Diaz is Huntsman's choice for executive director of Community and the Arts; and Lisa-Michele Church will be executive director of Human Services.

Both positions require legislative approval, as does the creation of a community and arts department, out of the current Department of Community and Economic Development.

Jason Chaffetz, Huntsman's chief of staff, said that both appointees would bring a fresh look to their departments.

Church's "big compassionate heart" and legal background will help her successfully lead Human Services, which is facing ongoing lawsuits and negative legislative audits, Chaffetz said.

Chaffetz said Diaz has "great experience and unbelievable energy."

Diaz, a Utah State Bar commissioner, replaces Sylvia Haro, who resigned after being appointed by the governor. She left before she was scheduled to start work, citing family concerns.

Diaz, who will be Utah's first Hispanic woman to hold a Cabinet-level position, said she wants to elevate the role of arts and bolster the role of ethnic affairs offices in economic development. Diaz said she'll welcome community feedback to improve the offices when she starts Jan. 31.

Teamwork seems to be the key for Diaz. She'd like to bridge departments such as libraries and museums; in ethnic affairs, she'd like to see the ethnic offices pool their resources.

"We want to establish a very healthy relationship with the (ethnic) communities," she said. "And establish good communication and alliances between the groups as well. The high school dropout rate isn't a Hispanic issue. It's an issue that affects everyone . . . "

Church, who starts Feb. 15, said her first item of business will be to get to know the staff and budget.

"My background as an advocate will come in handy as I'm dealing with these issues," she said. "A lot of people need to be advocated for in this community."

Church said she's interested in child welfare, elderly and foster care, but she's not going to overlook anything in her broad-reaching department.

"There's lots to focus on," she said.

Some members of the state's ethnic communities have said they felt left out of the decision-making process regarding who will fill vacant ethnic affairs positions.