By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s pick to serve as New Hampshire’s Child Advocate has withdrawn her nomination.
On Wednesday, there will be no vote on whether Diana Fenton of Mont Vernon should serve in that role, an indication that there were not enough votes on the five member Executive Council to support the nomination.
This nomination would have been for the third child advocate for the state. Cassandra Sanchez was appointed as the second Child Advocate in April 2022. She replaced Moira O’Neill in what was considered the first of its kind oversight role.
A public hearing on Diana Fenton’s nomination on Monday was long and at times volatile with opponents claiming she had a potential conflict of interest in many cases. Fenton currently serves as the chief of the Governance Unit at the New Hampshire Department of Education.
She is a foster parent of a 4-year-old who was taken from his mother in 2024 by the Division for Children, Youth, and Families.
“In 2015, I joined the Department of Education, where child safety has been my focus ever since. My work gave me the insight that my prosecutorial background alone could not. Namely, how to improve the system from within, before harm occurs, its partnership with the institutions responsible for delivering services to children,” Fenton said at the hearing.
She continued that the most important lessons she learned from her time at the Department of Justice was “the ability to look at how a system handled a situation and ask, ‘Where can we improve this system to better serve.’”
Her husband, Todd Prevett, is a circuit court judge.
The only Democrat on the council, Karen Liot Hill of Lebanon issued a statement:
“The Office of the Child Advocate plays a critical and independent oversight role, particularly in cases involving the safety of New Hampshire children ‘in the system’ and the actions of state agencies. During the confirmation process, I raised questions about the importance of clear independence, strong watchdog oversight, and avoiding even the appearance of conflicts of interest. Those standards are essential to maintaining public confidence in the office.
“Public hearings are an important part of our constitutional responsibility, and they are intended to ensure that nominees are fully prepared to meet the demands of the role. I appreciate Ms. Fenton’s willingness to participate in that process and wish her well in her continued service to the state.
“The safety of children in the system – whether through DCYF, Juvenile Justice, or residential facilities – is a priority that is shared throughout our state – and across party lines. If New Hampshire had had a Child Advocate earlier, we might have prevented much of the pain and sexual abuse perpetrated against youth for decades at the Sununu Youth Services Center. I remain committed to ensuring that the next Child Advocate is prepared to serve as a strong, independent advocate for New Hampshire children who are in the state system,” Liot Hill said.
Rep. Kimberly Rice, R-Hudson, testified in support of Fenton.
“The Child Advocate’s role is unique. It requires independence, credibility, and the ability to navigate complex systems while always keeping the focus where it belongs: on children who cannot protect themselves. This position requires a leader who understands how government works, how investigations unfold, and how decisions made in offices and hearing rooms affect families.
“Diana Fenton brings exactly that background; over the course of her career, Diana (Fenton) has consistently demonstrated a commitment to public service, and she protected vulnerable people, particularly the children… That combination is exactly what New Hampshire needs in its next Child Advocate,” Rice said.
– Editors’ Note: Reporter Zach Laird contributed to this story.