Leadership shuffle in Government of Yukon departments

Premier Sandy Silver has made changes to the leadership positions in the Executive Council Office, the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, the Department of Community Services and the Yukon Liquor Corporation.

Stephen Mills will move from his role as Deputy Minister with the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources to the role of Deputy Minister with the Executive Council Office and Cabinet secretary. Mills is replacing Jim Connell who is retiring from government.

Paul Moore will move from his role as Deputy Minister with the Department of Community Services to the role of Deputy Minister with the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.

Matt King will move from his role as President of the Yukon Liquor Corporation to the role of Deputy Minister with the Department of Community Services.

Paul McConnell will move from his role as assistant deputy minister with the Department of Highways and Public Works to the role of President with the Yukon Liquor Corporation.

Nicole Morgan, who has been acting Deputy Minister at the Department of Education, has now been made permanent.

All appointments are effective on February 5.

I would like to thank Jim Connell for his leadership and dedication to public service over these many years. As Deputy Minister with the Executive Council Office and Cabinet secretary he has helped our government fulfil many priorities aimed at improving the lives of Yukoners. He has mentored and guided me through these last two years and for that I am incredibly grateful.

I look forward to continuing to work with a very strong senior leadership team in the public service and I am confident that Stephen Mills, Paul Moore, Matt King, Paul McConnell and Nicole Morgan will continue to exhibit the skills and expertise that have made them all valuable assets to our organization.

Premier Sandy Silver

Quick facts 
  • Deputy Ministers are the most senior public servants in Government of Yukon departments. They are responsible for the department’s budget, day-to-day operations and program development.

  • Deputy Ministers serve at the pleasure of the Premier and take direction from the Minister responsible for their department.

  • The Deputy Minister for the Executive Council Office also serves as the cabinet secretary. The cabinet secretary supports the cabinet decision-making process and ensures that decisions are implemented in the public service.

Backgrounder 

Biographies

Stephen Mills

Stephen J. Mills is a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation from Old Crow, Yukon, and remains active in traditional activities including trapping and hunting. Mills has extensive leadership and management experience with First Nations, the territorial government and with private enterprise. He worked for many years as a negotiator with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, the Council of Yukon First Nations and numerous other Yukon First Nations. In June 2014, Mills joined Aboriginal Relations in the Government of Yukon’s Executive Council Office as the director of Implementation and Reconciliation, and served as assistant deputy minister from March to November 2015. He has been the Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources since November 2015. Mills holds a Master's of Environmental Practice through Royal Roads University.

Paul Moore

Paul Moore has many years of public service experience with municipal, First Nation and territorial governments including director of the Human Resource and Education department for the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation government, and the chief administrative officer for the City of Dawson. Moore joined the Government of Yukon in 2008 as director of community affairs and then became assistant deputy minister of community development. Since November 2015, he has been the Deputy Minister for the Department of Community Services. Moore holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Victoria and a master of arts in conflict analysis and management from Royal Roads University.

Matt King

Matt King has 10 years of senior leadership experience in the Government of Yukon public service including director of communications with the Department of Community Services, director of housing operations and vice president of operations for the Yukon Housing Corporation. Since April 2016, King has served as president of the Yukon Liquor Corporation where he was part of the team leading the development of Yukon’s cannabis legislation, while overseeing the implementation of retail sales of cannabis following legalization in October 2018. He holds a bachelor of social science from the University of Victoria and a master of business administration from Royal Roads University.

Paul McConnell

Paul McConnell has many years of leadership experience in law enforcement and the Government of Yukon public service. During his 25-year RCMP career, McConnell performed a wide range of roles throughout western and northern Canada and was the Criminal Operations Officer for Yukon from 2010–2015. Since August 2015, he has held several senior leadership positions in the Department of Highways and Public Works, including assistant deputy minister of the property management division and assistant deputy minister of the transportation division. He was acting deputy minister of the department from November 2016 to December 2017. McConnell has a degree in criminology from Simon Fraser University.

Nicole Morgan

Nicole Morgan has extensive leadership in the education field and has been acting deputy minister for the Department of Education since April 2018. She started her career as an educator in secondary schools and has also worked as a school counsellor. Morgan has held successively senior positions with the Department of Education including assistant deputy minister for the public schools division. She led the implementation and development of both French and English Kindergarten to Grade 12 curricula and educational resources. Morgan has a bachelor of education from the University of British Columbia and a master of education from the University of Calgary.

Media contact 

Lisa Wykes
Public Service Commission
867-667-5250
lisa.wykes@gov.yk.ca

News release #: 
19-008