Salt Lake County has made a deliberate push to address homelessness and criminal justice reform by enlisting Anndrea Wild as the new director of the Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform. Her appointment follows a national search and coincides with a restructuring aimed to streamline the office’s focus on these pressing social issues. According to the Salt Lake County newsroom, Mayor Jenny Wilson voiced her confidence in Wild's more than twenty years of experience to "bring together a broad array of stakeholders, improve our systems, and help implement our action plan on homelessness and criminal justice".
Anndrea Wild isn't new to the challenges of system improvement and accountability. Her resume boasts significant positions such as the programming division director for the Utah Department of Corrections and as a performance audit supervisor for the Office of Legislative Auditor General. According to the Salt Lake County newsroom, Wild reflected on her new role, stating, "I am humbled and excited for the opportunity to work collaboratively with criminal justice, behavioral health, housing, and homelessness system stakeholders". She emphasized the collective effort required to divert individuals from further justice involvement and effectively address the housing crisis while prioritizing public safety and individual needs.
The Mayor's administration didn't stop with Wild's hire. Liz Sollis also joined the team as the communications director earlier this month, bringing with her extensive experience in public relations and community engagement. Her tenure includes roles in state and county government as well as non-profit sectors, most notably as the associate director of Community Engagement for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. Mayor Wilson is quoted by the Salt Lake County Newsroom praising her diverse background and strategic planning skills as assets that will benefit the team and the community at large.
Both Wild and Sollis are University of Utah alumni which further deepens their local ties and understanding of the community's fabric. Wild holds both a bachelor’s and a master's degree, while Sollis has earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology, complemented by a Criminology certificate. They join at a critical moment as the Mayor’s Homelessness, Human Services, and Criminal Justice Plan is set into motion, outlining a systemic approach to some of Salt Lake County's most entrenched challenges.
