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Former Secretary of Administration Susanne Young has been tapped to attorney general of Vermont by Gov. Phil Scott.

Former Secretary of Administration Susanne Young has been tapped to attorney general of Vermont by Gov. Phil Scott.

MONTPELIER — Susanne Young, a former deputy attorney general and Gov. Phil Scott’s secretary of administration, has been tapped to serve as attorney general.

Scott announced Wednesday that Young will fill a vacancy created when T.J. Donovan stepped down on Monday to pursue other opportunities. She will serve out the six months remaining in the term.

Scott said in a statement that Young is uniquely qualified to serve in the post, having recently retired after 40 years of extensive service to the state of Vermont. Most recently, she served as secretary of the Agency of Administration. Prior to that, she was deputy attorney general under Democratic Attorney General Bill Sorrell. In her decades of public service, she also served as deputy state treasurer and governor’s legal counsel.

“There are few with the experience and skillset needed to ensure this important office is stable and fully prepared to help transition to a newly elected attorney general in January,” the governor said. “Susanne is the embodiment of public service, and it is especially meaningful that she will be the first woman to serve as Vermont’s top law enforcement officer.”

“Having worked in the Vermont Attorney General’s Office as a staff attorney and in leadership for 23 years, I am honored and excited to return and serve until the next attorney general takes office,” said Young. “The services provided by the team of talented attorneys and staff, whether it be prosecuting serious crime, protecting consumers and the environment, or advising state officials, are of critical importance to Vermonters, and I will work with them to transfer a highly functioning office to a new attorney general in a seamless transition. And I want to thank Governor Scott for placing his trust in me to serve in this important role.”

Young began her service to the state after graduating from Vermont Law School in 1981. Young also was general counsel for the Vermont Department of Corrections and other departments within the Vermont Agency of Human Services, as well as director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and chief of the Criminal Justice Division of the Attorney General’s Office.

“This is a great choice by Governor Scott,” said Sorrell in the statement. “Susanne helped me so very much as my deputy AG. I have long thought she is well-qualified to be Vermont’s attorney general, and I’m confident she’ll do a great job.”

“I want to thank T.J. for his service to Vermont, both as attorney general, and as Chittenden County’s state’s attorney before that,” continued Scott. “Public service is not easy, and I appreciate T.J. for his efforts on behalf of our state and its people. I also want to thank his team for stepping up during this unique transition. Their experience and support, combined with Susanne’s extensive experience, will ensure we will be well-served by the Attorney General’s Office, and the next AG will be in an excellent position right out of the gate.”

Young’s appointment as attorney general will be effective July 5.

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