Michigan governor taps Flood as state budget director

Jen Flood will be Michigan’s budget director, replacing Chris Harkins who is leaving the post next month. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday.

Flood currently serves as deputy chief of staff, overseeing legislative affairs, federal affairs, policy, appointments, and community engagement divisions within the Democratic governor’s office.

“She has been my point person with the legislature and the budget office every year as we crafted and passed bipartisan budgets that put Michiganders first,” Whitmer said in a statement. 

Michigan began fiscal 2024 Oct. 1 with an $81.7 billion all-funds budget that includes $15.2 billion in general fund spending and deposits $200 million into the budget stabilization fund, which is expected to end the fiscal year with a record nearly $2 billion balance. Whitmer in February proposed a record $79 billion budget. 

Flood’s experience includes serving as the governor’s director of legislative and public affairs, a government policy advisor at law firm Dykema, and working for state legislators. She has a bachelor’s degree in economics and Master of Public Policy from Michigan State University. 

She will take over as director of the State Budget Office in mid-November from Harkins, who will serve as an advisor until mid-December when he will take a position outside of state government, the statement said. Prior to serving as Michigan’s budget director for two years, Harkins was director of the legislature’s Senate Fiscal Agency.