Hartford – Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s office today named Jamey Bell of Bloomfield as the new State Child Advocate.

Bell, who replaces former advocate Jeanne Milstein, is executive director of Connecticut Voices for Children, a left-of-center think tank based in New Haven. A lawyer by training, Bell has represented children as a senior legal and policy advocate at Greater Hartford Legal Aid and was lead counsel in a successful effort to increase funding for oral health care for the children of low-income families.

She is to step down from the think tank in October; her annual state salary will be $127,500.

Milstein retired in March after 12 years as advocate. Malloy chose Bell from a short list of candidates compiled by a seven-member panel that reviewed hundreds of applications.

Bell will begin serving as acting Child Advocate on or about Nov. 1. Her formal confirmation hearing is slated for next year’s General Assembly session.