Gov. Maura Healey’s cabinet has seen major turnover this year, in roles from veteran services to transportation, as the first-term Democrat faces reelection in 2026 and a continuing onslaught from the Trump administration on federal funding, energy and health care.

Over the past six months, five of Healey’s 11 cabinet-level secretaries have announced departures, with plans to return to the private sector or retire. Healey disclosed earlier this month that a second transportation secretary was leaving on her watch.

The departures for Healey in a compressed period compare to similar numbers experienced over multiple years by her immediate predecessors, former Govs. Charlie Baker, a Republican, and Deval Patrick, a Democrat.

Erin O’Brien, a political science professor at UMass Boston, said the number of top people who have left in a short time raises questions.

“A good scholar of public administration would say, ‘What, if anything, is going on here? Is this a cabinet that’s not getting along, or that feels they don’t have the attention of Gov. Healey?’ ” O’Brien said. “Those are reasonable questions.”

At the same time, she said, there’s often turnover in demanding roles toward the end of a governor’s term.

“These are really hard jobs, and I’m just really grateful to the strength and the quality of all who have served. Some have moved on, and others have moved in.”

Gov. Maura Healey

At a press conference this month, in response to a WBUR question, Healey said the turnover on her watch is “normal if you look back at other administrations.”

“These are really hard jobs, and I’m just really grateful to the strength and the quality of all who have served. Some have moved on, and others have moved in,” Healey said.

While these are coveted six-figure jobs in the political world, cabinet secretaries are at the beck and call of the governor 24-7. Each of the secretaries who’ve left Healey’s cabinet had different reasons.

Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao announced in April that she would depart the post to spend more time with family. She landed a job last month at Flagship Pioneering, a science-focused venture capital firm, as chief operating officer and general partner.

Hao had shepherded a $4 billion economic development bill that was key to Healey’s economic agenda to the finish line in November 2024. Healey appointed Eric Paley, a well-known venture capitalist, to succeed Hao in June.

Kate Walsh, the health and human services secretary who helped the state work through the Steward Health Care crisis, stepped down in July. Walsh had said she only planned to stay in the job for two years.

Healey appointed Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, a former undersecretary for health, as Walsh’s replacement.

Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago announced in August that he plans to step down around Veterans Day. The U.S. Army Reserve major and emergency room doctor said when his departure was announced that he wanted to return his focus to health care work.

Deputy Veterans Services Secretary Andrea Gayle-Bennett is expected to take over the top spot on an interim basis until a permanent successor is named, according to Healey’s office.

Terrence Reidy, the former public safety and security secretary and the only secretary from the Baker administration to work for Healey, announced his retirement last month. Susan Terrey, a deputy secretary, was named the interim replacement.

And Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt stepped down earlier his month from the job, agreeing to stay on as a paid adviser through year-end. Gina Fiandaca, a former transportation commissioner for the city of Boston, held the position for a brief period in 2023.

Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt speaks at a press conference at North Station in February 2024. In the background are Gov. Maura Healey and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Tibbits-Nutt’s public profile had diminished ahead of her departure, following pushback to her suggestion to add highway tolls along the state’s borders and during the fallout from a controversial battle over a contract to run highway rest stops in the state.

Healey said Tibbits-Nutt made the decision to step down, and the governor appointed MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng to Tibbits-Nutt’s post to provide oversight of the transportation department on an interim basis.

Jim Aloisi, a former transportation secretary in the Patrick administration, said the politics of an election year could have factored into the latest departures. But Healey also is at an inflection point in her tenure, Aloisi said in an interview: “It’s a time for people who are in the cabinet to decide [whether] it’s good to move on.”

Cabinet positions are often “grueling jobs and thankless jobs,” Aloisi said. “As grandiose as it may seem to people to be in the governor’s cabinet, there comes a point of burnout, and one term is probably enough for most people.”

“As grandiose as it may seem to people to be in the governor’s cabinet, there comes a point of burnout, and one term is probably enough for most people.”

Jim Aloisi

O’Brien, the UMass Boston professor, said the departures are unlikely to affect Healey’s reelection bid.

“This is insider baseball. Most voters don’t know who the lieutenant governor is, much less know who the cabinet secretaries are, so I don’t think this will have any impact on Maura Healey for reelection,” O’Brien said.

Her main challenges are tending to the state’s business and fending off Trump administration attacks, along with a flood of criticism coming from the three Republicans competing for their party’s nomination to take her seat in 2026.

As for the turnover, Patrick came close to the level Healey has seen, with a revolving door of secretaries over his two terms on Beacon Hill.

Out of eight cabinet positions in his administration, he lost at least six secretaries during his first term, from transportation to public safety. In the latter half of his second term, after Patrick announced he wouldn’t seek a third, four secretaries left in a single day.

Patrick said at the time he’d presented his top deputies with a choice — commit to serving out his final two years in office or leave right away. He argued the move ensured continuity through the remainder of his term. Patrick quickly named four new people to replace those who left.

Baker had a more stable cabinet, but still lost people over his eight years.

In his first term, at least five secretaries left over roughly two years, while at least three secretaries left in his second term.

The second-term departures included then-Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash, who quit the post in January 2019.

Ash was replaced by Mike Kennealy, a Lexington Republican who is now one of the three conservatives running for their party’s nomination to challenge Healey.

Kennealy recalls that Ash had made it clear he was going to serve only one term as secretary. Even though there was a “planned succession” for Ash, Kennealy said, the turnover caused some upheaval — which he expects Healey is currently facing.

“It comes with a cost in terms of time and complexity of a transition. You’d rather have someone in a role of that seniority, that level of responsibility, for as long as possible,” Kennealy said.