Former state Sen. Whitney Westerfield, who did not seek reelection, has a new job.
Westerfield, an attorney, will become director of legal and government affairs for LifeSkills, a nonprofit community mental health center based in Bowling Green, on Jan. 5, the company announced Friday.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of Kentucky in the legislature,” Westerfield said in a statement. “As I leave the Senate, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our Commonwealth in a new capacity, advancing mental health and substance use recovery efforts that are vital to our communities. I look forward to working as part of the exceptional LifeSkills team to expand access to care, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that every Kentuckian in our service area has the resources they need to thrive.”
According to LifeSkills, Westerfield will manage relationships with Medicaid managed care organizations, provide guidance on internal legal matters and lead LifeSkills’ government relations efforts. Westerfield said he will not be lobbying the legislature, citing a state lawthat prohibits former lawmakers from lobbying their former colleagues for two years after leaving office unless they are lobbying for a public agency.
“Whitney’s appointment represents a significant strategic addition to our leadership team,” Joe Dan Beavers, LifeSkills’ president and CEO, said in a statement. “His exceptional understanding of Kentucky’s legislative and regulatory landscape, combined with his proven ability to build consensus on complex issues, will be invaluable as we continue to grow our services and impact across Western Kentucky.”
LifeSkills serves 18 Kentucky counties.
(Hopkinsville attorney Craig Richardson, a Republican who ran unopposed in the 3rd Senate District that Westerfield represented, took office this month.)
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Sarah Ladd is a Louisville-based journalist and Kentuckian. She has covered everything from crime to higher education. In 2020, she started reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic and has covered health ever since.
