The Minnesota Department of Human Services has lost another member of its executive leadership team.

Chief of Staff Stacie Weeks announced her resignation on Tuesday, according to an email she sent to her colleagues. Her departure follows resignations from the agency’s three top leaders, all of which were announced in the past week.

Commissioner Tony Lourey resigned Monday after just six months on the job. Deputy Commissioners Chuck Johnson and Claire Wilson announced their imminent resignations last week but rescinded them on Wednesday.

In her email, Weeks told colleagues that she will leave the agency with a “heavy (yet hopeful) heart” on July 24.

“I hope you know that my resignation in no way reflects on my sincere love and passion for the work of this agency. I appreciate all that you do each and every day for the people of Minnesota,” Weeks said. “I want you to know I leave at peace in my decision, knowing that the work will continue on (as it always does and should) and is in good hands with Commissioner Wheelock.”

Pam Wheelock, who has vast experience in state government and the private sector, took over as acting DHS commissioner on Tuesday.

Weeks did not respond to requests for comment.

Gov. Tim Walz told Forum News Service that Lourey and Weeks were a “package deal.”

“The chief of staff comes with their boss and we certainly anticipated that would be the case,” Walz said Wednesday morning.

Weeks, who has a background in health policy, was brought on by Lourey in February. She previously worked as a registered lobbyist for Hennepin County Medical Center. Before that, she worked at DHS as the agency’s director of health care policy and federal waivers, where she helped implement the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Her work with Lourey dates back to the state Senate, where she served as his committee administrator on the health and human services committee, which Lourey chaired.

She is the fourth executive staff member to resign from DHS in the past week. Another executive staffer, Inspector General Carolyn Ham, is on paid leave pending an investigation into an active complaint against her. She has collected about $42,000 since she was put on leave in March.

The resignations at DHS marks the first major shakeup for Gov. Tim Walz’s leadership and leaves a vacuum at the top of an agency hit by recent criticism and internal turmoil. Republican lawmakers pounced on the news Monday and demanded an explanation.

“If there is no scandal behind the resignation of these three people, then prove it,” House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said during a Monday news conference.

Lourey, Johnson, Wilson and Weeks have not clearly stated why they have resigned.

Walz told reporters Monday that he did not ask Lourey to resign. Lourey chose to resign because “he felt he was not the right person to lead” the department, Walz said.

The two deputy commissioners resigned over concerns about the direction of the agency, according to Walz. It is not clear if the new commissioner will ask them to reconsider.

DHS has 6,800 employees and a nearly $18 billion budget.

Dave Orrick contributed to this report.