Grand Traverse County has a new deputy administrator.

Jennifer DeHaan started in her new position Monday, according to County Administrator Tom Menzel. DeHaan comes to Traverse City from Grand Rapids, where she ran a consulting firm providing management services to local units of government. DeHaan was previously a deputy county administrative officer for Lake County and a management analyst in the administrator's office for Kent County. She also taught as an adjunct instructor at Grand Valley State University in the areas of local government and budgeting. DeHaan holds a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration on public management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Accounting/Management and Planning from GVSU.

DeHaan's experience includes labor negotiations, grant development, budget issues, policy and legislative activities, and staff management, according to her resume.

Menzel says DeHaan was one of two finalists for the open deputy administrator position and that he "thought she was the best fit for what the organization needed and what I needed," citing DeHaan's track record of interpdepartmental and intergovernmental collaboration. "We have some high expectations of her," Menzel says.

DeHaan tells The Ticker she had been searching for a full-time position and has "spent a good amount of time up in this area vacationing," calling Grand Traverse County "an amazing community."  DeHaan says she was aware of challenges facing the county before she accepted the position, including budget cuts, low staff morale, department leadership vacancies and recent intensive public and media scrutiny.

"Grand Traverse County is in a great moment of opportunity," DeHaan says. "There are definitely some future challenges ahead, but the community has a lot to offer and the organization is full of good people. I think I bring good critical thinking and budgetary skills (to the position)...my goal is to be a good listener to what the community wants, and how the board wants to lead, and work together to make that happen."

DeHaan says she plans to rent an apartment in Traverse City for a few months until she can sell her home in Grand Rapids and buy a home here. Her spouse will also be relocating to the area. DeHaan is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing, biking and hiking.