The new acting secretary of Maryland’s juvenile services agency said she has her marching orders from Gov. Wes Moore — and his support.

Betsy Fox Tolentino has already hit the ground running, meeting with law enforcement and touring facilities.

Maryland lawmakers who’ve worked with her before say the former public defender and youth justice veteran knows the agency better than anyone and can set it on the right track.

She’s just a few weeks into her new job and already has her eye on building trust and confidence in a troubled system. Here’s what else we learned about Tolentino and how she views her new job.

How does she describe her job?

Tolentino, 47, has worked in multiple roles in the youth legal system, including leadership positions inside the agency. She worked as a public defender before joining the agency and most recently worked for anti-violence nonprofit The Roca Impact Institute as its managing director of juvenile and young adult justice initiatives.

Leading the agency where she worked for more than a decade, she said, is a “dream job.”

When asked to describe her job, she said she’ll “ensure that our young people are getting what they need to succeed, that our staff are equipped to be able to deliver to young people what they need, and that we are in a position to support public safety.”

What Gov. Moore wants

Tolentino said Moore told her to take a “comprehensive look” at the agency. He also wants her to understand how and why the agency is making its decisions, she said, so they can work well with law enforcement, the community and others.

Collaboration, to tell a more accurate story

Tolentino wants to deal in facts and hopes that agencies can have meaningful conversations and share data to paint accurate pictures of youth crime trends.

“We just can’t rely on one thing to help ensure the narrative accurately reflects what is happening day to day,” she said.

The youth legal system includes more than just her agency, and others have their own data and aren’t always using the same measuring stick. Police, prosecutors, judges, social workers, lawmakers and others all play a role.

Will she be different than her predecessor?

Tolentino said that there are many differences between her and Schiraldi — she didn’t list them — but there are also similarities.

Any leader in the youth justice field, she said, is there because they “deeply care about getting our young people what they need to succeed and being a really important partner in supporting public safety.”

Her inspiration

She’s moved into her Baltimore office but still has a pile of things she plans to bring in.

There’s a certain inspirational item she’s saving a spot for — a signed photo of several female members of Congress.

“Many women have built really strong pathways for us all to lean into leadership,” she said.

Her congressional hero: former Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski.