The Texas Department of Insurance has named Michelle Kranes as deputy commissioner of its Strategy and Performance Division, the agency announced in an Aug. 18 news release.
Kranes stepped into the role on Aug. 17, according to the agency. She will oversee the division that supports TDI’s strategic planning, performance and risk management, and process improvement through technology, automation and business innovation.
“Michelle brings fresh energy and a strong commitment to public service that will help us strengthen TDI’s operations,” said TDI Insurance Commissioner Amanda Crawford in the release. “Her leadership will advance our core values of efficiency, excellence, and accountability as we modernize and improve how we serve Texans.”
Kranes began her state career at the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, where the agency said she evaluated state agencies and developed recommendations to enhance efficiency, accountability and results. She most recently worked at the Texas Workforce Commission, where the release said she led efforts to improve operations, including the modernization of the State of Texas employment application.
Kranes is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the University of Texas at Austin, according to the announcement. The appointment places her over a division central to how the agency measures its own performance as it pursues the modernization goals Crawford described.