[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor-elect Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor-elect Peggy Flanagan today announced Jennifer Ho as the Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency; Margaret Anderson Kelliher as Commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Transportation; Nora Slawik as the Chair of the Metropolitan Council; Alice Roberts-Davis as Commissioner of the Department of Administration; and Myron Frans as Commissioner of the Office of Management and Budget.

For high-resolution photos of the commissioners-designee, visit mn.gov/tim-walz/administration. For a recording of the press conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovTimWalz/videos/1238669922954679.

The Process

With nearly 500 applications received for the leadership role in twenty-three state agencies, Governor-elect Walz and Lieutenant Governor-elect Flanagan led a thorough and open hiring process. State Agency Hiring Directors fanned out to meet with over 1,000 stakeholders and community groups. Traveling across the state, the Directors surfaced candidates and issues that residents offered regarding the agencies. The Transition Advisory Board members have amplified this outreach in their own communities by networking and encouraging people to engage in the hiring process. Earlier this month, the governor-elect and lieutenant governor-elect held 23 public listening sessions across Minnesota. Traveling 2,100 miles, they asked Minnesotans what values, perspectives, and leadership characteristics they hope to see in their commissioners and encouraged attendees to apply to be commissioners themselves.

Walz-Flanagan Announce Alice Roberts-Davis as Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Administration

“We are excited to announce Alice Roberts-Davis as the next Commissioner of the Department of Administration,” Walz said. “Alice has extensive experience in oversight and management in both the public and private sectors. She shares our commitment to ensuring our state government is equitable, inclusive, and responsive for all Minnesotans.”

“As the Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Administration, Alice has taken meaningful action to make Minnesota a more equitable state,” Flanagan said. “We are excited to work with her to ensure Minnesota’s government is innovative, efficient, and inclusive.”

“I am honored to be a part of Governor-elect Walz and Lieutenant Governor-elect Flanagan’s leadership team,” said Roberts-Davis. “I look forward to implementing this Administration’s commitment to sound government and One Minnesota that embraces the rich diversity of our great state.”

“Alice is a brilliant and compassionate leader who will be a great Commissioner for the Department of Administration,” said James Burroughs, Chief Inclusion Officer of Minnesota. “Alice has been the catalyst for creating a more inclusive, open and responsive process for diverse businesses seeking to do business with the state. Her work and leadership is directly responsible over an 1000% increase for contracts with the state and businesses of color and indigenous businesses. Alice will be a dynamic leader for the Walz-Flanagan Cabinet.”

About Alice Roberts-Davis

Alice Roberts-Davis, 47, serves as the Assistant Commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Administration. She is responsible for the state’s real estate and construction functions, as well as its $2.5 billion in annual procurement, including the Office of Equity in Procurement and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center. These offices are focused on creating opportunities for businesses, particularly small businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Prior to joining the state, Alice worked for Target Corporation for 12 years in different leadership capacities, including real estate management and compliance. She was responsible for the purchase and development of land across the country, and she led the company’s $1 billion supplier diversity initiative. Alice considers Elk Grove Village, Illinois her hometown. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned a degree in Communications/Journalism and went on to Florida State University College of Law and earned a Juris Doctor degree. She is married and has a teenage daughter.

About the Agency

The Minnesota Department of Administration’s mission is to create solutions, lead innovation, and provide exceptional services for the State of Minnesota. The Commissioner of Administration is tasked with overseeing and managing the administrative functions of other executive branch state agencies, including their purchasing and contracting, facilities management and more.

Finalists

In the interest of transparency, the incoming Walz-Flanagan Administration is releasing the names of the other finalists considered for the position. They are Erin Campbell, Matt Massman, and Meredith Vadis.

Walz-Flanagan Announce Margaret Anderson Kelliher as Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Transportation

“As I travel across Minnesota, I hear often about the pressing need to repair our crumbling roads and bridges,” Walz said. “We must take action to ensure Minnesotans can travel safely and that businesses can compete in the 21st century economy. Raised in my hometown of Mankato and now living in the Twin Cities, Margaret understands the importance of addressing the diversity of transportation needs across our state. She is an accomplished leader who will bring people together to improve Minnesota’s transportation system.”

“Margaret is a proven and dedicated leader who will build coalitions to improve our state’s transportation system,” Flanagan said. “She has the skills, dedication, and years of knowledge to tackle our state’s most pressing transportation needs.”

“I am honored to be selected by Governor-elect Walz and Lieutenant Governor-elect Flanagan to lead the Minnesota Department of Transportation,” said Kelliher. “The work that we can do together; staff, stakeholders, community members and working with the legislature to ensure a sustainable transportation system for Minnesota’s future needs is exciting and will require us to build on the legacy of strong investment and create our transportation and transit system of the future.”

“Margaret Anderson Kelliher is the right person to lead MNDOT and to fix Minnesota’s roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure in order to ease congestion and improve safety,” said Tim Mackey, President and Business Manager for LIUNA of Minnesota and North Dakota. “In the Legislature, Margaret demonstrated her ability to bring people together and get things done. With deep ties to Greater Minnesota, Anderson Kelliher embodies the Walz-Flanagan Administration’s commitment to One Minnesota, which is vital to creating the transportation system Minnesotans deserve.”

About Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Margaret Anderson Kelliher, 50, grew up on a family farm near Mankato, Minnesota. She served twelve years in the Minnesota House, where she served two terms as the Minnesota House Speaker. While in the Minnesota House, she served ten years on both the Transportation Policy and Transportation Finance Committees. While serving as House Speaker, Kelliher oversaw the successful Transportation and Transit Funding package in 2008, creating an investment of new and dedicated funds into Minnesota’s bridges, roads and transit system. At the time of passage, the legislation was a groundbreaking investment in the multimodal transportation and transit system in Minnesota and nationally. Kelliher has served on many volunteer community boards including Chairing the Governor’s Broadband Task Force, Minnesota State (formerly Minnesota State Colleges and Universities or MnSCU), Greater Metropolitan Workforce Development Council and Textile Center Board of Minnesota.  Kelliher graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in Political Science and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government with a Master’s in Public Affairs Mid Career.  She is married with two young adult children and lives in Minneapolis.

About the Agency

The Minnesota Department of Transportation develops and implements policies, plans and programs for aeronautics, highways, motor carriers, ports, public transit and railroads. The department is the principal agency to develop, implement, administer, consolidate and coordinate state transportation policies, plans and programs while making special efforts to consider the social, economic and environmental effects of its decisions and aggressively promoting the efficient use of energy resources for transportation purposes.

Finalists

In the interest of transparency, the incoming Walz-Flanagan Administration is releasing the names of the other finalists considered for the position. They are Jody Martinson and Matt Schmit.

Walz-Flanagan Announce Jennifer Ho as the Commissioner of Minnesota Housing Finance Agency

“We are excited to announce Jennifer Leimaile Ho as our next Housing Finance Agency commissioner,” Walz said. “Minnesota’s housing needs vary across the state, and Jennifer has the experience necessary to work with communities statewide to tackle the housing issues each region faces. Jennifer understands that housing is fundamental to all other basic needs, and that means it will be her responsibility to work closely with many of our other state agencies.”

“Having served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Housing and Services at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration, Jennifer has dedicated her career to ensuring families have a safe, affordable place to live both in Minnesota and nationwide,” Flanagan said. “We look forward to working with her to address the diverse housing challenges across Minnesota.”

“Our homes are the very foundation of our lives: critical to a child’s education and success in school, essential to our health and peace of mind, and important to the economic well-being of our families,” said Ho. “Minnesota needs more housing all across the state. Together, we need to figure out how to create more high quality and affordable housing at a faster pace. Minnesota Housing has a great legacy created by talented leaders and staff, and this gives us the perfect platform to create bold plans to solve big problems so all Minnesotans can prosper, knowing that it all begins at home.”

“Leading the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency requires deep knowledge of the critical role of housing stability in achieving the health, education and economic growth outcomes critical to the future of Minnesota,” said Tim Marx, former Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and current President and CEO of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “There is no more thoughtful, inclusive and imaginative leader than Jennifer to build on the successes of Minnesota Housing to help create innovative programs, partnerships, and financing tools to allow every Minnesotan to have safe, decent and affordable housing. Jennifer is an experienced change agent and leader who builds superior teams that deliver results.”

About Jennifer Ho

Raised in Fridley, Jennifer Leimaile Ho, 53, has been working to end homelessness since 1999. First, as Executive Director of Hearth Connection, a Minnesota non-profit, managing a nationally-recognized demonstration project on supportive housing and long-term homelessness for single adults, youth and families in Ramsey and Blue Earth County. She oversaw its replication in 34 additional counties in partnership with the Fond du Lac, Bois Fort and Grand Portage Tribal Bands. Before serving in her most recent post as the Senior Policy Advisor for Housing and Services at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama Administration, Jennifer served as deputy director at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), shepherding the creation of Opening Doors, the nation’s first-ever comprehensive federal plan to prevent and end homelessness. Jennifer worked with First Lady Michelle Obama to launch the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness that resulted in reducing the number of veterans experiencing homelessness on any night by nearly half. She has served on the Boards of Directors for West Side Community Health Services in St. Paul, and nationally for the Corporation for Supportive Housing and the Melville Charitable Trust. Jennifer received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Bryn Mawr College.

About the Agency

Minnesota Housing’s mission is to collaborate with individuals, communities and partners to create, preserve, and finance affordable housing so that all Minnesotans live in a safe, stable home they can afford. Minnesota Housing’s priorities are to preserve housing, reduce Minnesota’s homeownership gap for people of color, prevent and end homelessness, finance housing responsive to Minnesota’s changing demographics, and address specific and critical local housing needs.   

Finalists

In the interest of transparency, the incoming Walz-Flanagan Administration is releasing the names of the other finalists considered for the position. They are Stephanie Vergin and Barb Sporlein.

Walz-Flanagan Announce Nora Slawik as the Chair of the Metropolitan Council

“As a suburban mayor, Nora understands what communities in the Twin Cities region need to succeed,” Walz said. “She also understands that she must approach her role through the lens of One Minnesota. She knows when Greater Minnesota thrives, the Twin Cities thrive, and when the Twin Cities thrive, Greater Minnesota thrives.”

“Nora understands the importance of collaborating with different communities, across lines of difference, to bring people together,” Flanagan said. “She has served the people of Minnesota in many different capacities— all of which are telling of her dedication to public service and community prosperity.”

“I’m honored to be asked to serve in the Walz-Flanagan Administration. The Council was created to maximize the resources of city and counties in order to best plan for and advance the development of the entire metropolitan region. The single best way to position our region as a place where everyone can succeed is to make strategic and equitable investments in the foundational water, transportation, parks, and housing policy areas the Council is charged with advancing,” said Slawik. “I look forward to the opportunity to create and strengthen the work and partnerships that will position our region to prosper as a place where everyone can reach their full potential.”

"Mayor Slawik is a person who identifies the complexity of problems, she's not afraid to ask the hard questions to find the best solutions for all concerned," said Paul Schnell, Inver Grove Police Chief and former Hastings and Maplewood Police Chief. "Mayor Slawik demonstrates leadership that maintains a focus on equity and a lived commitment to bringing everyone along—that’s One Minnesota in action.”

About Nora Slawik

Nora Slawik, 56, is the Mayor of Maplewood, a former seven-term State Representative and has over 30 years of experience working with nonprofit and educational organizations. Mayor Slawik serves in leadership roles for the Rush Line BRT Project, the Gold Line BRT Project, the Regional Council of Mayors, the Minnesota Mayors Association of the League of Minnesota Cities and the Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative. She is a former member of the Transportation Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Council and serves as a Minnesota Reading Corps Literacy Tutor. Since taking office Mayor Slawik led the city’s economic redevelopment expanding affordable and market rate housing projects. In the House of Representatives, Slawik chaired the Early Childhood Learning Finance Committee for two terms working to increase state investments in young children through increased childcare and scholarship funding.  Professionally she has worked for a variety of nonprofits such as United Way, the Autism Society of Minnesota and consulting on specific issues. She holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Arizona State University. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, she is married to Mark Buckwheat and together they have four children.

About the Agency

The Metropolitan Council is the regional policy-making body, planning agency, and provider of essential services for the Twin Cities metropolitan region. The Council’s mission is to foster efficient and economic growth for a prosperous region. The Council’s work is performed by three primary organizational divisions: community development, environmental services, and the transportation division that includes Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Transportation Services.

Finalists

In the interest of transparency, the incoming Walz-Flanagan Administration is releasing the names of the other finalists considered for the position. They are Jim Hovland and Mary Giuliani Stephens.

Walz-Flanagan Announce Myron Frans as the Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Management and Budget

“Commissioner Frans helped put our state in the strong fiscal position it is in today, and his consenus-building leadership style fits right into our One Minnesota vision,” said Walz. “We look forward to working with him to create budgets that invest in our communities while protecting our state’s fiscal stability.”

“Commissioner Frans’ hard work and leadership speaks for itself,” Flanagan said. “He has counseled Governor Dayton for years and has helped lead Minnesota into the economic state we find it in today. We are thrilled to continue working for the economic security of the state alongside Commissioner Frans.”

“I am honored to serve and carry on fiscal stability so we have the resources needed to invest in healthcare and education for more Minnesotans,” said Frans. “I also look forward to continuing to innovate how we recruit and retain the next generation of public servants that will serve our great state.”

“Myron Frans will bring strategic skill, deep knowledge of the state budget and operations, and excellent relationships on both sides of the aisle in the legislature to the Walz-Flanagan Administration,” said U.S. Senator Tina Smith. “I know I join many in being grateful for his continued public service.”

About Myron Frans

Commissioner Myron Frans, 68, grew up on a farm in Marion, Kansas. As Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), Myron Frans is the chief financial officer, the chief accounting officer, the state controller, and head of human resource management and employee insurance for over 50,000 state employees, and in charge of collective bargaining on behalf of the state. Frans served Governor Dayton’s first term as commissioner of Revenue and the governor’s second term as commissioner of MMB. While at Revenue, his nearly three decades of tax law expertise as well as strong business and managerial experience helped overhaul the state’s tax system to make it more fair and equitable. At MMB he helped restore the state’s budget to financial stability building a $2 billion rainy day fund, reforming our public pensions, and regaining the state’s AAA rating. He also enhanced the reputation of the state as an employer of choice with an emphasis on a diverse workforce and inclusive culture through improved recruiting and training. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and has two adult children. Prior to joining the State of Minnesota, Frans was president of Leeds Precision Instruments, a manufacturing and distributing company in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Frans has been a tax attorney in private practice for 27 years, most recently as a senior tax partner at the law firm of Faegre and Benson in Minneapolis, now Faegre Baker Daniels.

About the Agency

Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) serves the people of Minnesota by providing the state with leadership and guidance to support efficient and effective government, a world class workforce, and a responsible financial management. The Commissioner’s Office of Minnesota Management and Budget is responsible for producing the state budget, economic forecast, payroll, and human resource policies for the state enterprise.

Finalists

In the interest of transparency, the incoming Walz-Flanagan Administration is releasing the names of the other finalists considered for the position. They are Emma Corrie, Wes Kooistra, and Matt Massman.

For salary information, visit https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/ss/ssagsal.pdf.