A former First Steps board member was named Wednesday as the new director of the state's early childhood development program at the request of Republican Gov. Mark Sanford.

Susan DeVenny, who was chairwoman of the committee searching for a new director before she stepped down from the board this summer, will replace interim director Rita Paul.

Paul will return to her job as deputy director. She had replaced Marie-Louise Ramsdale, who left her $83,430-a-year job earlier this year when she had her second child.

The board has not set DeVenny's salary or her start date, said Frank Holleman, board vice chairman, who was appointed by former Gov. Jim Hodges, a Democrat.

Sanford controls 10 of the statewide board's 22 seats. So far, he has replaced six of Hodges' appointees.

DeVenny, of Lancaster, is the former assistant vice president of human resources at Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Co. She has four children, ages 4-12, and founded Parents for Public Schools in South Carolina.

She is a graduate of Furman University and the University of Georgia, where she received a master's in education.

With local First Steps boards established in every county, the program works to ensure children are healthy and ready to start first grade.

The state's $5.3 billion budget included $18.5 million in funding for First Steps this year, about half what the agency had to spend this past year.