INDIANAPOLIS – In his second round of leadership picks, Gov.-elect Mike Braun announced Thursday he will retain Katie Jenner as Indiana’s education head, and bring on former state official David Adams as commerce secretary.
The announcement came one day after Braun confirmed his choices for the state’s next budget and transportation secretaries.
Jenner has served as Indiana’s secretary of education since 2021. Braun lauded her leadership thus far, including her oversight over the state’s largest-ever investment in literacy, as well as her work “implementing a comprehensive teacher supply/demand marketplace, and increasing the statewide graduation rate.”
Jenner’s administration additionally launched Indiana’s Graduates Prepared to Succeed initiative, which seeks to redefine how the state measures school performance and student achievement.
Jenner was hand-picked by Gov. Eric Holcomb to take on the role after the superintendent of public instruction position was eliminated by the General Assembly. Jennifer McCormick — who ran as a Democrat against Braun in the 2024 gubernatorial race — was the last to hold that office.
Separately, Adams is slated to become Indiana’s next secretary of commerce. He’ll be tasked with leading Indiana’s job creation and business growth initiatives. That entails “driving economic opportunity for the state and fostering an entrepreneurial environment for innovation,” Braun’s transition team noted.
Adams, who previously served as the state’s commissioner of workforce development, “brings extensive experience in economic development, innovation, and business growth,” Braun’s team said.
Read more of the Casey Smith story for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, here.
