Personnel note: Michele Tallent becomes deputy secretary at Department of Health

Budget whiz Michele Tallent has become the Florida Department of Health‘s full-time deputy secretary for administrative services after acting as interim since January.

The department announced the move in a Monday press release.

“Her years of service and extensive experience with finance and management will help ensure the department’s capacity to provide essential public health services,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip in a statement.

Tallent oversees the Divisions of Administration, Disability Determinations and Medical Quality Assurance, and Office of Information Technology.

She served as director of the department’s Office of Budget and Revenue Management from March 2014 until becoming acting deputy secretary for administration in January 2016.

Tallent also was budget chief for the Health and Human Services unit in the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, “where she was responsible for developing the Governor’s recommended budget for the HHS unit, briefing senior staff, reviewing proposed legislation for fiscal impacts, communicating with House and Senate staff, and reviewing contracts,” according to the press release.

She also has served as budget director for the Agency for Health Care Administration and the chief of finance and accounting for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.