Today, Harris County is proud to announce the hiring of three experienced officials to serve in key leadership positions:
Dr. Tina Petersen will serve as Director of the Harris County Flood Control District (FCD); Dr. Milton Rahman will leadthe Engineering Department (ENG) as County Engineer; and Daniel Ramos has been named Executive Director of theOffice of Management and Budget (OMB).
The roles of Flood Control District Director and County Engineer are integral to Harris County’s regional leadership indeveloping drainage and transportation infrastructure, including the implementation of the 2018 Flood Bond as well ashundreds of millions of dollars of investments in flood mitigation projects along the County’s waterways and roadways.The Office of Management and Budget will continue its role as a key driver of change within Harris County, leading thetransition to outcomes-based budgeting, and managing the County budget, Capital Improvements Plan, performanceanalysis, and finance.
Dr. Christina “Tina” Petersen will serve as the first female Director of the Flood Control District in its 85-year history. She joins Harris County from the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, where she has served as Deputy General Manager for the past 3 years and oversaw the District’s Regulatory Planning, Scientific Research, and Water Conservation Programs. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University and her Master’s and doctoral degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Houston. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas and has over 15 years of experience working with local city governments as well as water authorities, State agencies, and cities across Texas to deliver complex water supply and water quality projects.
Dr. Milton Rahman will serve as County Engineer and Director of the Harris County Engineering Department. Over his decades of public service, Dr. Rahman has served as Director of Public Works at the City of Stafford and spent over a decade in the City of San Antonio Public Works Department. Since 2019 he has served Harris County in the Office of Commissioner Precinct 2, most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to joining Harris County Dr. Rahman served as the Associate Vice President for Stuart Consulting Group where, as a consultant to the HCFCD, he served as Deputy Program Manager for the countywide Hurricane Harvey Disaster Recovery Program. Dr. Rahman is a Professional Engineer, Project Management Professional, Certified Floodplain Manager, and Envision Sustainability Professional.
Daniel Ramos joins Harris County as Executive Director of the Office of Management and Budget. With nearly a decade of public service to the City of Baltimore, Maryland, he most recently served as Deputy City Administrator for Mayor Brandon Scott. He previously served as Deputy Budget Director at the Baltimore City Finance Department’s Bureau of Budget and Management Research where he oversaw the development and execution of the City of Baltimore’s $2.9B operating budget. Daniel earned his Bachelor’s in International Studies and will obtain his Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University in Summer 2022.
The Harris County Office of County Administration is also pleased to announce two new hires to lead key County functions: Lisa Lin as Director of Sustainability, and Sara Mickelson as Director of Early Childhood Initiatives.
Lisa Lin is the first Director of Sustainability for Harris County. With over 15 years of sustainability experience in the public, private, non-profit, and higher education sectors, her previous roles and responsibilities include leading the implementation of sustainable transportation initiatives at Rice University, coordinating San Antonio’s first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan during her time as Climate Program Manager for the City of San Antonio’s Office of Sustainability, and serving as the Sustainability Manager in the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability for the City of Houston. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University and recently completed degree requirements for her Master’s in Sustainable Urban Development from the University of Oxford.
Sara Mickelson joins Harris County as the first Director of Early Childhood Initiatives after working as an independent consultant on strategy and implementation of early childhood efforts with state government, philanthropy, and think tank partners. Sara brings nearly a decade in public service experience and was previously the Chief of Programs for the Oregon Early Learning Division, where she oversaw implementation of federal and state early childhood programs and led an effort to double the state’s early childhood funding. She holds a Bachelor’s from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s in Urban Education Policy from Brown University. She began her career in Harris County as a Head Start teacher at BakerRipley.