Gov. Jan Brewer is promoting Scott Smith to be her new chief of staff, replacing Eileen Klein who has accepted the state Board of Regents’ top staff job.
Smith was Brewer’s top legislative lobbyist before becoming her deputy chief of staff, He is also director of the state Department of Administration and was point man for Brewer in working on a package of changes to state personnel system.
Klein leaves Brewer’s staff to become Board of Regent president. Klein initially was Brewer’s budget director but she was promoted to chief of staff in late 2009.
That appointment of the former legislative aide helped improve relations between Brewer and the Republican-led Legislature during the state’s budget crisis.
Brewer’s office says the changes involving Smith and Klein are effective Nov. 9.
