Schuylkill County has a new human resources director.

Commissioners on Thursday hired Andrea L. Whelan of Tower City, who will earn $80,000 a year.

She starts her job on Aug. 15.

All three commissioners, Gary J. Hess, George F. Halcovage Jr. and Chairman Barron L. Hetherington agreed to hire Whelan.

She has worked as the human resources director for the Pennsylvania Department of Veteran Affairs, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, since March 2000.

Whelan holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a GPA of 4.0, from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, according to her resume.

She was inducted into the Lebanon County Women’s Hall of Fame as a military awardee in January.

Whelan’s hiring is hoped to bring stability to the position after years of turnover.

The last director, Heidi L. Zula, resigned on June 3.

She was hired on Dec. 9, 2020, at $79,000 a year.

Zula replaced interim human resources Director Doreen M. Kutzler, who replaced Deborah A. Twigg.

Twigg was hired in January 2018, after her predecessor Martina A. Chwastiak retired.

On June 6, commissioners hired Hubric Resources of Wyomissing, Berks County, for $215 per hour for “interim human resources director support” and another $165 per hour for recruiting support. The contract was retroactive to May 17.