Westchester County appointed a new commissioner to run the Department of Social Services.

Yonkers resident Leonard G. Townes will take charge of the department effective immediately, County Executive George Latimer said during a news conference.

“DSS is tasked with assisting some of the county’s most vulnerable residents, many who have been impacted severely by the coronavirus pandemic,” George Latimer said.

Townes began his career in Westchester County 34 years ago as an eligibility examiner. In 2002, he took on the role of management fellow and eventually became the department’s deputy commissioner in January 2018.

He is a lifelong resident of Westchester County.