Mayor Mamdani Appoints Rebecca Jones Gaston as Commissioner of the Administration of Children’s Services

 

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Rebecca Jones Gaston as Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS).

Rebecca Jones Gaston is a nationally recognized human services leader with nearly three decades of experience advancing child welfare and family support systems. Most recently, she served as Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2022 to 2025, where she led major federal efforts to expand prevention services, strengthen kinship and foster care, support youth development and reduce family homelessness.

Prior to her federal service, Jones Gaston led child welfare systems in two states under governors from both political parties. As Executive Director of the Social Services Administration in Maryland, she helped reduce the number of children in foster care by 50%, expanded service flexibility and secured early federal approval for the state’s Family First Prevention Plan.

She later served as Director of Oregon’s Child Welfare Program, where she guided a system in crisis through a major turnaround. Under her leadership, Oregon reduced out-of-home placements by more than 2,000 children in just over two years, eliminated out-of-state placements entirely and became one of the few states with a federally approved prevention plan.

The Administration for Children's Services protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children, youth and families through child welfare, juvenile justice and community-based supports.

“I am proud to appoint Rebecca Jones Gaston as Commissioner of ACS. She has dedicated her career to building smarter, stronger systems that keep children safe and families together,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “With her leadership, we will continue building a city where every child is safe, every family is supported and every young person has the opportunity to flourish.”

“I am honored to serve as Commissioner of the NYC Administration for Children’s Services at a moment that calls for us to reimagine how we show up for children, youth, and families across New York City. This is our opportunity to move beyond managing crisis and instead invest in prevention, trust and strengthen families, and ensure every family and child has a real pathway to stability, belonging, and opportunity,” said Rebecca Jones Gaston. “In partnership with communities, providers, and those with lived experience, we will turn intention into action by building a system rooted in connection, accountability, and the unwavering belief that every child and family deserves to be seen, supported, and able to thrive.”

"Protecting the safety and well-being of children and families is one of the most critical services New York City provides," said NYC Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. "Rebecca Jones Gaston brings decades of experience – from her years of direct practice to her leadership at the highest levels of government – in building systems that keep children and families safe. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Mamdani Administration as the new Commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services, and I look forward to working closely with her as she leads thousands of dedicated public servants at ACS to provide New York City's children and families with the assistance they need."