At the Monday, Nov. 4 Board of Selectmen meeting, the board voted to approve Stephanie Rowe as the new director of Wilton’s Social Services Department. The position was vacated by former director Sarah Heath, who retired in June.
Rowe first joined the Social Services Department in 2018 and served as the activities coordinator before moving up to the assistant director’s position. She holds a master’s degree in recreation administration and management and completed another master’s degree in social work in 2023.
First Selectman Toni Boucher was delighted with the board’s unanimous vote to promote Rowe from assistant director of the department to the top spot.
“It is always wonderful when you can find your talent from within and promote from within. It’s great. It’s really great,” Boucher said.
Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker highlighted Rowe’s capabilities.
“[Rowe] has shown her ability to manage people, manage staff, and is well acquainted with all of the issues… She is very close with the community. She knows the community’s needs,” he said.
Boucher also noted Rowe’s experience in Wilton spanned from serving the youth community to seniors.
“We know how popular she is with the seniors in our town. She knows well both the young population and the senior population, which I think is really valuable for Wilton,” Boucher said.
Selectman Ross Tartell shared one anecdote, praising Rowe for her efforts to help residents navigate the confusing process of obtaining COVID-19 vaccines when they were first available.
“It really shows how she understood the issue and took action quickly,” Tartell said.
Wilton Police Department Deputy Chief Rob Cipolla, who happened to be in attendance at the BOS meeting when the decision was made, said he was “very happy” to learn Rowe would be moving into the director’s role, alluding to the collaboration that often occurs between the two departments.
GOOD Morning Wilton reached out to Rowe for comment on her new role.
“I’m just really excited to start,” she said. “I have the most dedicated colleagues who love what they do and show up every day to try to make people’s lives better. I want to continue to do that work.”
Rowe’s colleagues include Senior Services Coordinator Lauren Hughes, a 30-year veteran of the department; Youth Services Coordinator Trinity Haswell; and Administrative Manager Deborah Wolyniec.
As a top priority, Rowe wants to make sure residents know what support is available.
“I want to get our name out there, so that people know if they need to use us, they can,” she said. “We’re always here for support and referrals if they need it.”
Rowe cited the electric and heating oil assistance programs and other financial support to those in need as among the resources the department can tap into. She also noted the department has “a slew of options” for assisting residents in need of mental health referrals and support, whether they have private insurance or not.
“I know that if anybody does have any mental health needs, we can always [source] people that they can talk to,” Rowe said. “We do have connections for people that are needing to talk to a therapist.”
Rowe encouraged residents to call the Social Services Department to discuss any needs, even if they think their income won’t qualify for assistance or to “bounce ideas around.”
“I just want people to know that we’re here,” Rowe emphasized. “If they need us, they can always give us a call, if they need an explanation on what we do or if there are certain programs that could fit their [needs].”