Kristi Putnam brings more than 25 years of policy leadership and hands-on experience across human services, early childhood, education, workforce development, and health policy. Throughout her career, she has led transformative, state-level initiatives in maternal health, Medicaid, foster care, early learning and school readiness, and the integration of AI and technology to strengthen health and human services through an ecosystem approach.
Kristi has held senior leadership roles in multiple states, including serving as Child Welfare Services Director in Florida, Deputy Secretary of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and most recently as Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services under Governor Sarah Sanders from January 2023 to July 2025. In addition to executive leadership, she has provided trusted policy and strategic guidance to legislative leaders—including the Kentucky House Speaker and House leadership—federal agencies, and numerous state health and human services agencies and associations.
At the core of Kristi’s work is a belief in the transformational power of human connection and the importance of disrupting the status quo in government systems to achieve better outcomes for families. She joined Cicero because of its relational, partner-centered approach to supporting states with rigorous research, data, and strategy, as well as its commitment to transparency and to ensuring government safety net services are limited, time-bound, and highly effective.
Kristi and her husband, Claude, live on a small farm in Kentucky. They are the proud parents of three adult daughters and the joyful grandparents of three grandchildren.