Governor-elect Maura Healey said she plans to present a message of "hope and optimism" when she is inaugurated Thursday.
Healey said she will talk about teamwork, getting things done and delivering for people. She also acknowledged it's been a really hard few years for many residents of the Commonwealth.
"This is an opportunity with the start of a new year, the start of a new administration to really look forward and I want people to be left with that spirit of optimism, also of actionable goals because we are about action and urgency of action," she said during a visit to Springfield earlier this week.
Healey participated in an event with area elected officials, where gifts were handed out to children ahead of Three Kings Day on Friday. She was accompanied by incoming Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.
Healey also said she plans to spend a lot of time in western Massachusetts while she's in office.
"We're talking north Berkshire, southern Berkshire, Hampden County, Franklin County, Hampshire County. Each region unique, each region special," she said. "And we're going to be an administration that is looking to find ways to deliver for everyone across this state in partnership with all of you."
Healey continued to make Cabinet appointments a day before her inauguration. She is splitting the existing Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development into two distinct cabinet posts, and on Wednesday tapped Yvonne Hao to lead the Office of Economic Development. She becomes the first woman and person of color in that position. Healey has yet to name her secretary of housing, a major platform of her campaign.
She also named Jason Snyder to head the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security. Major Cabinet posts that remain unfilled include health and human services, public safety and security, and labor and workforce development.
This report includes information from Colin A. Young
of the State House News Service.
