Dunleavy picks health commissioner to lead Revenue agency

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Mike Dunleavy has appointed Alaska state health commissioner Adam Crum to lead the Department of Revenue.

Crum starts in his new role Wednesday. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Legislature.

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services was the largest department in state government. Dunleavy appointed Crum to lead it in late 2018.

Earlier this year, the department was split in two as part of a reorganization — the Department of Health and the Department of Family and Community Services. Dunleavy appointed Crum commissioner of the health department.

Heidi Hedberg, who has been director of the state Division of Public Health, will be acting commissioner of the health department, according to the governor’s office.

Dunleavy’s office in announcing Crum’s appointment cited his ability to “establish and lead effective teams,” noting the state’s COVID-19 response and what it called a “marked improvement of multiple divisions at DHSS during his tenure.”

Lucinda Mahoney, a former chief financial officer for the Municipality of Anchorage, resigned as Revenue commissioner in September. Dunleavy picked Deven Mitchell, who had been Alaska’s debt manager, to serve as acting commissioner.

But Mitchell was later chosen to lead the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp.