Ayotte denies Sanchez is being removed as child advocate over LGBTQ advocacy

Gov. Kelly Ayotte, shown here during an October meeting with reporters, said Wednesday she has "a responsibility to say who's the best person for the job." (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

Gov. Kelly Ayotte rejected accusations Wednesday that she is replacing Cassandra Sanchez as the state’s child advocate because Sanchez publicly opposed a series of GOP bills targeting LGBTQ+ children in New Hampshire.

Sanchez, speaking to the Bulletin Tuesday, said she believes the reason Ayotte did not extend her term as the head of the New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate was because of that opposition. Sanchez’ term ended in January. Ayotte announced Tuesday she will replace her with Diana Fenton, who currently works as legal counsel for the Department of Education and is a former assistant state attorney general, instead of extending her for another term.

As child advocate, Sanchez joined a coalition of LGBTQ+ advocates in April 2024 opposing a series of bills, including a ban on gender-affirming care and a requirement that public school teachers reveal a student’s sexuality to their parents if asked. A year later in April 2025, multiple Republican state lawmakers, angry about her opposition, threatened to reduce, or even eliminate, the Office of the Child Advocate’s budget in part over her comments (in addition to budget concerns) on the bills. Ayotte denied that played a role in her decision.

“I have a responsibility to say who’s the best person for the job,” Ayotte said on Wednesday. “And so I believe that the person I just nominated is going to do an excellent job, and she’s the best person for the job.”

“I appreciate the work, the time she’s (Sanchez) put in in that position. I just decided to appoint Diana Fenton because I think Diana is tremendously qualified for the job,” Ayotte said. “She happens to be a foster parent, and she understands the system well, and she will do an excellent job of recommending, how do we improve the system of child protection? And she has a passion for it. I think I’m just glad she’s willing to do this job.

The Office of the Child Advocate is the state’s official youth-focused watchdog, overseeing the state’s child welfare, juvenile justice, and youth care systems, and advocating for the best interests of children in the state. Fenton, if confirmed by the Executive Council, will be the third person to hold the role, which was created in 2018.