Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday nominated Adrienne Harris, a former economic advisor to President Barack Obama, as the new superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services.

If confirmed by the Senate, Harris will be tasked with overseeing the banking and insurance industries and their compliance with state laws as New York works to rebuild its economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am honored and humbled by the privilege to work with Gov. Hochul to serve the people of New York,” Harris said in a statement. “Under her leadership, we will work together to ensure we have a robust and fair financial system, and an equitable economy. New Yorkers deserve no less. I look forward to getting to work.”

Prior to joining the White House, Harris began her career as an associate at Sullivan and Cromwell LLP in New York City, representing U.S. and non-U.S. based corporations in litigation and regulatory matters. She later accepted a position at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, before being named a special assistant to the president for economic policy, as part of the National Economic Council under Obama.

Since leaving the White House in January 2017, Harris served as general counsel and chief business officer, and currently as advisor at States Title, Inc. (now DOMA), which provides title insurance and settlement services. She is also a professor and faculty co-director at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy’s Center on Finance, Law and Policy at the University of Michigan, and a senior advisor at the Brunswick Group in Washington, D.C. where she advises multinational corporations on mergers and acquisitions, stakeholder communications and management, future-proofing and policy intelligence.

Statement from William J. Mellin, New York Credit Union Association president/CEO:

Adrienne Harris brings a wealth of consumer and financial knowledge to the DFS, and I congratulate both her and the department on her appointment. The Association, as always, remains committed to advocating for the best interests of New York’s credit unions as we continue our work with the DFS and forge new relationships with Ms. Harris and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration.

If confirmed, Harris will succeed Linda Lacewell, who resigned Aug. 24.