TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Administration secretary DeAngela Burns-Wallace said Monday she would step down days ahead of the swearing in of Democrat Laura Kelly to a second term as governor.
Burns-Wallace, who also served as the executive branch’s chief information technology officer, plans to resign Jan. 6 and resume her teaching career. Prior to her appointment by Kelly in 2019, she served as vice provost for undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas.
Her four years in the executive branch included administration of federal relief funding during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a member of the governor’s commission on racial equity and justice and the governor’s cybersecurity task force.
“Dr. Burns-Wallace has been a singular force in my administration for ensuring the delivery of high-quality government services to Kansans,” Kelly said. “From modernizing the state’s IT infrastructure to advancing key projects like the Docking State Office Building and the KDHE health and environment laboratory, she has been a consistent source of leadership and excellence.”
Kelly didn’t announce an interim administration secretary nor an interim chief information technology officer.
In 2020, Burns-Wallace was elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees. She become a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in 2022.
“It has been the greatest honor to serve under Governor Laura Kelly. Her leadership enabled the Department of Administration and the Office of Information Technology Services to thrive under very difficult circumstances. When state government works well, the citizen of Kansas all benefit,” Burns-Wallace said.
Recently, Kansas Department of Transportation secretary Julie Lorenz said she would resign from KDOT to return to private industry. Kelly is responsible for Cabinet-level appointments.
Kirk Thompson, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, also announced he would retire. Attorney General-elect Kris Kobach will is required to fill the KBI vacancy.
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