Governor Appoints Secretary of Veterans Services

04:20PM / Sunday, January 18, 2026Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey announced the appointment of Eric Goralnick, MD, MS, as Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS).

"We have made a strong commitment to fixing a broken system and delivering for our veterans," said Governor Maura Healey. "Dr. Goralnick understands that veterans deserve care that meets them where they are. He brings deep experience as a physician, a leader and a collaborator, and he has spent his career strengthening systems, improving access to care and bringing people together across institutions. He is the right person to build on this progress and continue delivering for veterans and their families across Massachusetts."

Goralnick brings over two decades of experience as an emergency physician, United States Navy Veteran, health system leader and nationally recognized expert in health care operations, military-civilian health care partnerships and care for service members, veterans and underserved communities.

"I am honored to serve Massachusetts veterans and their families," said Eric Goralnick. "As a Navy veteran myself, I understand both the challenges of transition and the incredible value veterans bring to our communities. This role represents an opportunity to ensure every veteran in the Commonwealth receives the support, resources, and recognition they've earned through their service"

As Secretary, Goralnick will oversee access to and provision of state veterans' benefits, ensure the continued delivery of high-quality care at the Massachusetts Veterans' Homes, advance behavioral health and suicide prevention initiatives, support veterans transitioning from military to civilian life, and strengthen collaboration across state agencies, health care systems and community partners.

An emergency medicine physician and US Navy veteran, Goralnick has built his career bridging military and civilian healthcare at Mass General Brigham and as an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. He has served in various leadership roles at the departmental, hospital, and system levels within Brigham and Women's Hospital and Mass General Brigham. As a researcher and mentor, he has authored over 100 publications focused on improving emergency medical care, healthcare system resilience, safety and quality. His work has created pathways for veterans transitioning to careers in civilian healthcare and strengthened partnerships between the Military Health System and academic medical centers. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and has completed advanced training in emergency medicine, public health and healthcare management.

Goralnick will succeed former Secretary Jon Santiago, who led the creation and early transformation of EOVS following the COVID 19 crisis at the Soldiers' Homes and helped guide the agency through its foundational rebuilding phase.

Goralnick will assume his role in February. Andrea Gayle-Bennett will continue to serve as Interim Secretary.

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Fenton: Governor's Council Must Deliver for the Berkshires

Community submissionGuest Column
10:22AM / Friday, August 28, 2026

I am a Springfield lawyer running for Governor's Council and I am asking for Berkshire County residents to support me over an incumbent from North Adams.

Here's why: Last year I learned about staffing issues in our regional courts that I could not ignore. In 2025, it was reported that four of Western Massachusetts' 11 Superior Court judgeships were vacant, all at the same time. A few weeks later, that grew to five vacancies. This meant there were only six Superior Court judges serving all of Western Mass at a time when Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden counties had more than 100 pending homicide cases.

Those numbers were alarming to me, so I started to engage with leaders in the community who work most closely with the court system and I came to learn that these vacancies were only the tip of the iceberg here in Berkshire County.

I learned that no Superior Court or District Court judge had been appointed from the Berkshires since the current incumbent took office. As a result, there is not a single Superior Court judge who lives in the Berkshires today, and several of the District Court judges drive in from other counties to support Berkshire courts in Pittsfield, Great Barrington, and North Adams. Court staff also informed me about severe staffing shortages at the Berkshire Clerk of Courts office resulting in other counties needing to loan staff to the Berkshires just so hardworking employees can take a brief and planned summer vacation. This is not normal. These issues are a reflection of genuine problems with the Berkshire County court system and show a lack of proactive attention from our Governor's Councilor.

Instead of focusing on regional equity, I watched as the current incumbent celebrated that she has voted against the governor's nominees more than any other councilor, without much explanation as to why. Most recently, she voted against two extremely qualified former prosecutors for the Parole Board. This was despite an in-person plea from the governor and a letter of support from all the three of the district attorney's from Western Mass. Those votes do not show independence or standing up for principles, they demonstrate naivete, and an unwillingness to work with the key stakeholders.

I had seen and heard enough. I decided to jump in the race and challenge the incumbent to address these problems head-on.

I am a partner of a regional law firm. I understand our courts and the importance of having qualified, fair and hardworking judges. And I know how important it is to have judges from the Berkshires serving the Berkshires. To achieve that, you need strong relationships with the legal community and local stakeholders. You need to know how to use the power of the Governor's Council to fight forcefully for our region. And you need to be laser focused on identifying vacancies before they occur so that they can be filled quickly with local candidates.

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