Gov. Heineman Names John Wyvill
to Developmental Disabilities Post at DHHS
(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman announced the appointment of John Wyvill of Little Rock, Ark. to serve as Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities within the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). He will begin Monday, Sept. 17.
“Having John on board as part of the Health and Human Services leadership team will provide the department with a new level of insight and expertise on issues affecting people with developmental disabilities,” Gov. Heineman said. “He has spent most of his career working to provide better opportunities for people with disabilities, especially those who lack a strong support system.”
Wyvill, 41, will head a division charged with managing the Beatrice State Developmental Center (BSDC), a 24-hour intermediate care facility for those with developmental disabilities and publicly funded community-based developmental disabilities services.
Last month, the Governor outlined the top 10 priorities for the DHHS as the new management structure is put in place. In the area of Developmental Disabilities, the Governor pointed to one overriding challenge, which is ensuring that residents at the receive quality care.
Wyvill currently serves as vice president and general counsel for AMS Consulting, Inc. He served for more than a year as director of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education, which is responsible for addressing the changing workforce training needs of adults and young people.
Prior to becoming director, he was the commissioner of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services from 1999 to 2005, overseeing an agency with 19 field offices, as well as a rehabilitation hospital and training facility. He managed programs designed to provide vocational and independent living services to those with physical, sensory and mental disabilities.
After completing his law degree, Wyvill practiced law in the private sector before becoming the Assistant Legal Counsel in the Arkansas Governor’s Office, where he worked from 1996 to 1999.
Wyvill said, “I want to thank Governor Heineman and Chris Peterson for this opportunity. I am committed to improving individual lives, and one of my first goals as head of this division will be to put my experience in helping others lead more productive lives to use in helping improve the quality of care for BSDC residents.”
Wyvill’s leadership has received national recognition. He was recently appointed by President Bush to serve on the United States Access Board, a federal agency created to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It has been charged with developing design criteria for transportation, telecommunications products and information technology. In 2004, he was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education to serve on the national advisory group for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.
From 2003 to 2004 he was president of the Council of State Administrators for Vocational Rehabilitation. In 2004, he received the National Rehabilitation Association’s Belle Greve Award.
Wyvill graduated with distinction from Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. in 1988 and received his law degree in 1991 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law.
His salary will be $113,300.
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