Gov. Christine Gregoire, eager to brand her vision of reform on the state's biggest agency, yesterday hired an efficient but low-profile manager as the head of the state Department of Social and Health Services.

Robin Arnold-Williams, 48, arrives from Utah, saying she passed on higher-profile opportunities in Washington, D.C., to stay in the "open spaces" of the West with her husband and two Labrador retrievers.

A week before she takes over the oft-criticized agency that consumes one-third of the state budget, Arnold-Williams already has clear marching orders from her boss: Improve the state's embattled child-welfare system.

"I want that to be her first priority," Gregoire said as she introduced Arnold-Williams to the media yesterday. "We must ensure that not only are [children] safe, but that they don't find themselves in multiple placements during the time that they are out of the care of their parents and in foster care."

Arnold-Williams was raised in Flint, Mich., before moving to Utah for college and powder skiing.

She worked for Utah's human-services department for 25 years, the last eight years as its director before retiring in January.

Her Utah roots played a role in her appointment as DSHS secretary. Her former boss, Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, is head of the federal Health and Human Services department, which oversees Medicaid and welfare programs. Both face potential budget cuts this year, which could deepen the state's budget crisis.

"I asked [Leavitt] the ultimate question for a secretary which is, 'If she calls you on the phone, do you answer the call?' " Gregoire said. "He said, 'Without question.' "

Arnold-Williams faces other pressures here. The state's health-care costs are exploding. The private social-service providers the state relies on haven't had a pay raise in years.

She replaces Dennis Braddock who served 4 ½ years in the post.

During times of crisis in Utah, Arnold-Williams shunned the limelight, said Karen Compton, director of the child-advocacy group Voices for Utah Children.

"Robin is probably not a household name in Utah," Compton said. "She works very effectively behind the scenes."

Arnold-Williams also is familiar with the child-welfare changes Gregoire is championing. Both Washington and Utah settled lawsuits alleging that their foster-care systems violated children's constitutional rights, and both have reform plans crafted by outside experts.

Utah, at times, fought those changes, appealing at one point to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"When we had a plan that was not developed by the agency, it didn't work well," she said.

Gregoire has plans of her own. At yesterday's news conference, she demanded that DSHS visit children suspected of being abused within 24 hours of getting a tip.

The current 10-day window for face-to-face visits is "absolutely unacceptable," she said.

In 2003, as part of a national review of state child-welfare systems, federal auditors gave Utah one of the most glowing reports in the country, while Washington ranked in the bottom third of states, which figured in her decision, Gregoire said.

"When I went looking [for a DSHS director], I went looking for someone who had gotten a handle on this issue, because I don't want us to ever have that report card again," she said. "I think that's a total embarrassment to us."

Arnold-Williams plans to house hunt this weekend with her husband, John Williams. She starts Tuesday, and will earn $150,000 a year.

"I have no illusions. It will be a difficult," she said.