Gov.-elect Braun keeps Indiana’s education secretary, recruits familiar face for commerce

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, a Republican, 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. 

“Dr. Jenner’s proven track record of elevating Indiana’s education system makes her the ideal choice to continue leading our state’s academic initiatives,” Braun said in a Thursday news release. “Her focus on literacy, STEM education, and workforce readiness aligns perfectly with our vision for Indiana’s future.”

The state’s top school official currently leads the Indiana Department of Education and chairs the State Board of Education. She previously served as Holcomb’s senior education advisor, vice president of K-12 initiatives and statewide partnerships at Ivy Tech Community College, and held various leadership positions at Madison Consolidated Schools, in addition to being a teacher.

Braun’s transition team said Jenner will focus on college and career readiness, improved literacy and math outcomes, universal school choice, and an increase in teacher base pay — all part of his incoming administration’s agenda.

“I am grateful to Governor-elect Braun for the opportunity to continue serving Indiana’s students, educators, and families as Secretary of Education,” Jenner said in a statement. “Over the past several years, we have made significant strides in expanding educational opportunities and ensuring our students are prepared for success in the classroom and beyond. Working together with Governor-elect Braun, our dedicated teachers, school leaders, the General Assembly and stakeholders across the state, we will build upon this progress while addressing the evolving needs of our education system. I look forward to advancing this vital mission in the years ahead.”

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.

“David’s proven track record of driving economic growth and innovation makes him the ideal choice to lead Indiana’s commerce initiatives,” Braun said. “His experience in workforce development to drive economic growth, combined with his successful entrepreneurial business track record and ability to attract major investments, will help accelerate Indiana’s economic momentum.”

Adams was appointed to run the Department of Workforce Development in August 2022 but departed eight months later. The release at the time didn’t say why he was leaving but said he would serve instead on the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.

Braun emphasized that, under Adams’ leadership as workforce development commissioner, Indiana’s workforce ranking in CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business” improved from 48th to 14th. 

Earlier, under former Gov. Mitch Daniels, Adams led the turnaround and merger of Indiana’s nearly $50B pension systems.

He previously served as chief innovation officer at the University of Cincinnati, where he led the development of the Cincinnati Innovation District that became Ohio’s model for economic development, per Braun’s team.

Adams was also a founding member of the leadership team for i2 Technologies, a software company that specialized in supply chain management. The company was sold in 2010. He currently serves on the Purdue Research Foundation board and is a Forbes contributing writer.

“Governor-elect Braun’s vision for our state’s economic future is bold and one that I look forward to supporting as Secretary of Commerce,” Adams said in a statement. “His business career gives him a unique perspective of workforce development and economic prosperity, and while we have great momentum as a state, there is more work to be done. We have an opportunity ahead of us to recruit and build a talent pipeline, and I look forward to working with Governor-elect Braun and the General Assembly to take our state to new heights.”