At its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Board of Supervisors appointed Jennifer L. Miller as deputy county executive, effective Monday, Feb. 24. Miller will oversee key public agencies responsible for public works, transportation, land development, environmental initiatives and economic development. She succeeds Rachel Flynn, who retired in July.
Miller brings a distinguished career in military and public service, with extensive experience in leadership, strategic planning and policy development. Most recently, she served as director of staff for the secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon, managing the day-to-day operations of the 600,000-person Department of the Air Force. As the senior career civilian, Miller guided strategy and operations across all areas of the department.
Previously, Miller served as acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy from 2020 to 2022, overseeing nine million acres of real estate, military construction, environmental cleanup and energy programs at more than 150 worldwide installations. She also spearheaded initiatives improving military family quality of life, leading to legislative changes and community enhancements nationwide. From 2015 to 2020, as deputy assistant secretary for installations, she managed housing privatization, basing decisions and public-private partnerships, transforming the Air Force Community Partnership Program into a high-performing enterprise. Before that, she served as deputy general counsel for Installations, Environment and Energy. A veteran, she retired from the Army Reserves after 24 years of service in a variety of roles, including in the Special Operations community in Afghanistan.
Miller holds a bachelor’s in politics, philosophy and economics from Claremont McKenna College and both a Juris Doctor and an MBA from Seattle University. She has received numerous honors, including the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award and the Bronze Star Medal.
Miller’s appointment is expected to bring strategic vision, leadership and a commitment to innovation and operational excellence. Her expertise will guide key initiatives aimed at improving public works, transportation, land use planning and environmental sustainability.