Leslie Kirwan

Leslie A. Kirwan (born April 1, 1957) is an American government official who served as Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2009.

Early life A native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Kirwan earned an A.B. from Harvard-Radcliffe in 1979 and a Master of Public Policy degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1984.

Department of Revenue In 1985, Kirwan joined the Massachusetts Department of Revenue as a manager in the Division of Local Services. In this role she oversaw the management of local budgets, the distribution of local aid, and coordinated state response to local financial emergencies.

Undersecretary Administration and Finance In 1995, Kirwan moved to the Office of Administration and Finance, where she was the undersecretary/chief of staff to Charlie Baker She was the first person to be named to Patrick's cabinet and the first woman to serve as Secretary of Administration and Finance. As Secretary of Administration and Finance, Kirwan managed over 2,500 state employees and was responsible for preparing the governor's budget recommendation, developing and analyzing fiscal policy, developing the Commonwealth's capital budget, and monitoring and managing the state government's budgetary activities. She also oversaw the activities of agencies and divisions ranging from the Department of Revenue to the Divisions of Human Resources and Information Technology.