Josh Syrjamaki serves as chief of staff for the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Prior to being named chief of staff, Syrjamaki served as assistant commissioner for Complex Projects, overseeing several major DHS projects in collaboration with the Emergency Management and Workplace Safety Team.
Syrjamaki began working for DHS in 2023, after overseeing the State of Minnesota’s COVID response, where he led the successful year-long Medicaid renewal process. Previously, he was deployed for more than a year into the State Emergency Operations Center where he coordinated planning, logistics and operations of the state-run community COVID testing and vaccine efforts. He also served as chief of staff and assistant commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Prior to state service, he worked as a Congressional staffer in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.
