Katie McGinty talks with Judy Hines, Nancy Griffin and Diane Syphrit at a meet and greet for Democratic candidates at the Lyndora American Legion in March. She will serve as chief of staff for Gov.-elect Tom Wolf.

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Tom Wolf announced Monday a former state environmental protection secretary will serve as his chief of staff after he takes office in January.

Wolf gave the key job in his upcoming administration to Katie McGinty, who led Campaign for a Fresh Start, a political action committee that actively supported him and other Democrats in the recent election. Before that, she ran for governor in the spring Democratic primary that Wolf won but finished fourth.

The move puts McGinty in a position to have considerable sway over Wolf’s day-to-day decision making. She said more transition-related announcements were expected this week.

“I think Tom’s approach is the approach I like — inclusive, open, encouraging the best ideas to come forward and building teamwork around the challenges and opportunities the commonwealth faces,” McGinty said.

She will work on Wolf’s transition team until Jan. 20, when Wolf is scheduled to be sworn in as Pennsylvania’s 47th governor.

McGinty said an early challenge will be a structural deficit in the state budget.

McGinty, 51, headed the Department of Environmental Protection under former Gov. Ed Rendell from 2003 to 2008. She also worked for Al Gore when he served in the U.S. Senate and in the White House under President Bill Clinton.