Wright County honors Health and Human Services Director Jamie Goodram as she prepares to retire

Wright County commissioners on March 3 honored Health and Human Services Director Jamie Goodram and heard her announce plans to retire in March 2026.

Goodram told the board she began her county career as a child support officer in 1992, moved into financial services and later became HHS director in late 2013. She outlined major county milestones during her tenure, including implementing the OnBase records system and overseeing a move into the department’s current facility. Goodram said her time leading HHS included steering county services through the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are here to strengthen, support, and serve our community," Goodram said, adding that staff are "the best part" of the agency.

The board and audience applauded as commissioners praised her leadership and mentoring. Commissioners credited Goodram with helping the county maintain strong performance while managing change and fiscal pressures.

Goodram also highlighted recent performance numbers in her annual report: Wright County recorded 2,043 births in 2025, up from 1,815 in 2021; 82% of foster-care days in 2025 were spent with relatives (threshold 35.7; high performance standard 45); the county reported a 97.2% rate of no-repeat substantiated maltreatment within 12 months (the measure cited 106 children in the denominator); and 41.9% of children were discharged to permanency within 12 months (threshold 40). She said the HHS annual report is available on the county website.

Commissioners and county staff thanked Goodram for her service and said they would continue supporting HHS programs and staff as the county transitions leadership. Goodram said she looks forward to "more relaxation and more activity" in retirement, naming family, vacations and gardening among plans.

The board presented formal recognition on the record and concluded the tribute before moving on to the regular agenda.