Governor picks agency budgeter for temporary Department of Revenue boss
- Alaska Beacon
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
By James Brooks
Alaska Beacon
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has named Janelle Earls, the official in charge of the Alaska Department of Revenue’s operating budget, as the acting head of the department.
Earls will replace — at least temporarily — Adam Crum, who announced his resignation last week. Crum was scheduled to end his state service at the end of the day Friday.
As acting commissioner, Earls will also take Crum’s seat on the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. Board of Trustees.
Earls declined a request for an interview on Friday and did not answer a list of emailed questions.
According to information released by the governor’s office, Earls has worked for the state of Alaska for more than 20 years, mostly with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, which has since been split into two separate agencies.
She joined the Department of Revenue in May 2024 and lives in Juneau with her husband, three daughters and two grandchildren, according to the announcement.
In a brief written statement, she thanked Dunleavy “for placing his trust in me to manage the department and its numerous responsibilities during this important transition period.”
Earls will serve as acting commissioner until the governor picks a permanent replacement.
Dunleavy is term-limited and not eligible to run for re-election, meaning that his pick will serve only until December 2026, when the new governor picks commissioners.
That new governor may keep existing commissioners, but governors traditionally install new agency heads.
• James Brooks is a longtime Alaska reporter, having previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
