In late October, Secretary Rebecca L. Flora, AICP, LEED ND / BD+C, named two existing Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) staff to take on new leadership roles.

Kristin Fleckenstein has been promoted from Assistant Secretary of External Affairs to Deputy Secretary, and Chuck Boyd has been promoted to Assistant Secretary of Planning Services.

Kristin Fleckenstein

A seasoned administrator and communications professional, Kristin Fleckenstein joined MDP in late February 2020 as a consultant to manage the department’s oversight of the state’s 2020 Census efforts, for which Maryland finished ninth in the nation for self-response completions. Within a few weeks, she was asked to join the office full-time to serve as the Director of Public Affairs – a position she held through the subsequent redistricting process. She then became Chief of Staff in June of 2022. Once Governor Moore’s administration began in January 2023, Kristin was critical in assisting with the transition and nomination process for MDP’s new secretary.

In March, she became Assistant Secretary of External Affairs, overseeing government affairs and communications for the department. During this time, she continued to assist Secretary Flora with the transition between administrations, the development of MDP’s new strategic plan, and key legislative and budget issues.

Before joining MDP, Kristin served as Communications Director for the University of Maryland Medical System, a North American trade union, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office. She takes great pride in participating in philanthropic causes; she currently serves on the Anne Arundel County Medical Center Foundation board and is a prior board president for the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.

About Kristin, Secretary Flora says, “Kristin offers a tremendous amount of expertise in both the government and non-profit sectors and is fully dedicated to MDP’s mission and its alignment with Governor Moore’s vision and priorities. As we worked together over the past few months, it became evident that she was the right choice to serve as our Deputy Secretary.”

Chuck Boyd

Chuck Boyd, an accomplished American Institute of Certified Planner (AICP) with extensive experience in government and private sectors, has been with the MDP for over 13 years. Initially hired in 2010 to coordinate the preparation of Maryland’s first state development plan, PlanMaryland, Chuck was promoted to Deputy Director of Planning Services in 2012. In that role, he has coordinated MDP’s planning services with local governments and state agencies.

Most recently, Chuck has served as the Director of Planning Coordination. As Director, Chuck was responsible for coordinating, preparing, and implementing major policy and management initiatives related to local planning assistance, environmental planning, and infrastructure policy planning.

Tasked with a wide range of assignments, he worked with staff from throughout MDP and other state agencies, local officials, stakeholders, and the public. He coordinated the preparation and implementation of Maryland’s first two state development plans, was the principal author of TIF: User Guide for Maryland Sustainable Community Revitalization, and has worked closely with state agencies and local governments to promote sustainable and equitable development throughout the state.

Chuck has 40 years of planning experience, working at the county and municipal levels.

“Not only does Chuck have a strong focus on sustainable and equitable development that is well aligned with MDP’s mission, he is fully committed to the department and its role in advancing the Moore administration’s priorities, growing best planning practices in Maryland, and the management and mentoring of our entire planning team,” said Secretary Flora.