All About LARA

Shelly Edgerton is the Director for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Prior to joining LARA, Edgerton dedicated 27 years of service to the state Legislature where she served most recently in the capacity of Deputy Senate Majority Counsel in the Senate Majority Policy Office. She also previously held titles of Assistant Senate Majority Counsel and Chief of Staff for Senator Dave Honigman. Edgerton earned her bachelor's degree and a Master of Public Administration degree from Western Michigan University. She went on to receive her juris doctor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Kim Gaedeke is LARA’s Deputy Director and oversees the Bureau of Community & Health Systems; Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing; Workers’ Compensation Agency; Bureau of Employment Relations; MIOSHA; and the Bureau of Professional Licensing. Kim has over 25 years of public and private sector experience. She began her career working for Congressman Fred Upton, the Michigan House of Representatives, Strategic Public Affairs, St. John Health System, and Superior Capitol Consulting. In 2012, Kim joined LARA as Assistant Deputy Director to Deputy Director Shelly Edgerton. Kim has also served as Director of the Administrative Support Division for the Bureau of Health Care Services (BHCS) and in January 2015 was appointed acting director of the Bureau of Health Care Services. Following department reorganization, Kim was selected to serve as Director of the Bureau of Professional Licensing in April 2015. Kim earned a Bachelor of Science in public policy and a minor in marketing from Western Michigan University.