Andrea Simonett serves as the interim assistant commissioner for the Homelessness, Housing and Support Services Administration (HHSSA) at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. In this role, she provides leadership for programs and policies that support Minnesotans experiencing homelessness and housing instability, administer adult income support programs, and strengthen pathways to economic security. 

Simonett brings more than 20 years of experience in public and nonprofit services, with expertise in public policy, grant administration and program development and systems change. Her leadership is grounded in a strong commitment to equity, collaboration and community-centered solutions. Previously, she served as the division director of HHSSA since its establishment in July 2024. Before that, she spent a decade in the DHS Office of Economic Opportunity, including serving as manager of Shelter and Housing Programs and leading grant-funded initiatives supporting people experiencing homelessness, youth facing exploitation and other Minnesotans experiencing significant barriers to stability. 

Simonett began her career in direct service and spent more than two decades in the nonprofit sector, working as a street outreach worker, shelter advocate, and housing navigator before moving into nonprofit leadership She describes herself as a youth worker at heart — grounded in the lessons learned from working alongside young people and in the wisdom and expertise of people with lived experience.  

Simonett holds a bachelor’s degree in family social science from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School.