AUGUSTA, Maine - Joseph Fitzpatrick has been confirmed as the commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections.
The Republican-led Senate unanimously voted to confirm Fitzpatrick on Thursday. He has been serving as acting commissioner since March after the former head of the department, Joseph Ponte, accepted a job as commissioner of New York City's jail system.
Fitzpatrick has held several roles over his two decades in the department. Prior to taking over for Ponte, he was serving as associate commissioner for juvenile services and clinical director.
Fitzpatrick worked for the Boston Children's Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute before moving to Maine in 1990. He was also an adjunct faculty member at the Harvard Medical School.