Rodger Heaton
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| Rodger Heaton | |
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| Basic facts | |
| Role: | Former chief of staff |
| Location: | Springfield, Ill. |
| Affiliation: | Republican |
| Education: | Indiana University |
| Prior Experience | |
| Chief of staff, Bruce Rauner gubernatorial administration, 2017-2018 | |
Rodger Heaton is a Republican political advisor in Illinois. He is the former chief of staff to Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner (R) from 2017 to 2018. Prior to his appointment as chief of staff, Heaton served in Rauner's administration as the public safety director and Homeland Security advisor.[1]
Career
Education and early career
Heaton earned a J.D. from Indiana University. His more than 30 years of legal experience included serving as a federal prosecutor, working as an attorney in private practice, serving as the U.S. attorney for the central district of Illinois from 2005 to 2009, and working as an administrative law judge with the U.S. Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.[2] He joined Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner's (R) administration as the public safety director and Homeland Security advisor in 2015.[2][3]
Bruce Rauner chief of staff
In October 2017, Rauner announced that Heaton would serve as chief of staff in his gubernatorial administration. He succeeded Kristina Rasmussen, who resigned in order to pursue other interests. "His combination of legal, legislative and policy experience will help us build on the significant improvements that Kristina accomplished in a very compressed and challenging time," stated Rauner.[1][2]
Chief of staff
- See also: Gubernatorial chiefs of staff
In 2017, Ballotpedia identified Rodger Heaton as a gubernatorial chief of staff. A chief of staff is the lead staff member of an administration and is responsible for implementing the governor's agenda.
The role is both a managerial and advisory position, although specific duties vary by administration. The chief of staff typically has the following responsibilities, according to the National Governors Association (NGA):[4]
- Control access to the governor and manage the governor's calendar;
- Monitor the flow of information to the governor on policy issues;
- Oversee gubernatorial Cabinet and staff; and
- Manage and communicate the governor's policy agenda to the state legislature and the public.
In terms of policymaking, the NGA notes that a chief of staff is responsible for bringing policy and communications together: "The chief is responsible for overseeing the development of the governor’s policy agenda. The policy director or advisor is typically responsible for shaping the general concepts and specific details of the agenda with input from the communications director, policy staff and cabinet members. The chief often must take charge and bring the pieces together coherently."[4]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The State Journal-Register, "Former U.S. attorney Rodger Heaton named Rauner’s chief of staff," October 6, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 National Association of Former United States Attorneys, "Rodger Heaton Appointed Illinois Public Safety Director," January 27, 2015
- ↑ Herald & Review, "Rodger Heaton appointed U.S. attorney for Illinois Central District," October 7, 2006
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 National Governors Association, "The Many Roles of the Governor’s Chief of Staff," accessed April 20, 2021
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