Audrey O’Neill has been selected as the permanent commissioner for the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). Her term is slated to end Aug. 31, 2027.
With a budget exceeding $4 billion and over 12,000 employees, DFPS is one of the largest and most complex agencies in Texas state government. Its core mission is to protect children, the elderly, and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation, while also supporting families in crisis.
Until Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed her in the permanent capacity, O’Neill had been DFPS’ acting commissioner since August 2025. She joined DFPS in 2023 as assistant deputy commissioner, transitioning to deputy commissioner for programs later that year.
Prior to joining DFPS, O’Neill served as principal deputy inspector general, chief of audit and inspections and deputy inspector general for audit for the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General between 2019 and 2023.
O’Neill was with the Texas State Auditor’s Office as an audit manager for 15 years, starting in December 2004. She is a certified public accountant through the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, a certified fraud examiner and a certified internal auditor. O’Neill has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Southwestern University.
As director of DFPS, she will manage setting strategic policy direction, managing the DFPS workforce, interfacing with the state legislature and federal regulators, implementing court orders and ensuring state and federal compliance.
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