Secretary Carol Beatty announced on Thursday the appointment of Delegate Christian J. Miele, Esq., as Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Disabilities.

The appointment is effective January 9, the date Miele completes his term of office in the Maryland House of Delegates.

“Christian worked hard representing his constituents in Baltimore County, and his experience in health, behavioral health, and public safety policy, as well as employment policy and workforce development has prepared him well for serving Marylanders with disabilities,” Beatty said. “He is ready to hit the ground running and we are excited to have him join our team.”

Elected to the House of Delegates in 2014, Miele’s major legislative accomplishments include passing the Hire Our Veterans Act, a jobs bill to help unemployed military veterans re-enter the workforce; Janet’s Law, which empowers Marylanders to make more informed decisions when choosing their doctors by requiring physicians practicing without medical malpractice insurance to disclose their lack of coverage to prospective patients; and anti-bullying legislation for Baltimore County Public Schools to address widespread issues of bullying, cyberbullying, intimidation, and harassment in the nation’s 25th largest public school system.

Miele was also a co-sponsor of legislation that established the Maryland ABLE Program, which gives families and individuals with disabilities the ability to set aside money in savings accounts to help pay for expenses related to their disabilities without affecting eligibility for other benefits.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the people of Maryland in this new capacity,” Miele said. “Having a close family member with special needs, I know firsthand the importance of making sure that people with disabilities are afforded equity of access to services, programs, and facilities.”

Miele is a practicing attorney with Pinder Plotkin LLC, a general practice law firm located in Parkville. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Towson University, and his law degree from Emory University. He resides in Perry Hall with his with wife, Jessica, and their one-year-old son, Theodore. Miele will succeed outgoing Deputy Secretary Bill Frank, who has accepted a position with the
Department of Budget and Management, beginning January 2.

“Our department has benefited greatly from Bill’s extensive legislative experience and we will miss his commitment to Marylanders with disabilities. His infectious good humor and kindness will also be missed. We appreciate all of his contributions to the Department of Disabilities,” Beatty said.

“I am grateful to Governor Hogan and Secretary Beatty for the opportunity to serve at the Maryland Department of Disabilities,” Frank said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Now, I look forward to a new challenge at the Department of Budget and Management. Initially, I will be working to mitigate the crushing blow of student debt and its impact on so many of Maryland’s citizens. I am indebted to
Secretary David Brinkley and Director Cindy Kollner for this new opportunity.”