CONCORD, NH – Lindsey Stepp of Holderness has been named the new Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (NHDRA). Stepp, who previously served as Assistant Commissioner for nearly two years, is the first female to lead the agency since NHDRA was established in 1973. In her role as Commissioner, Stepp will lead the state’s tax agency which is responsible for collecting in excess $1 billion in annual revenue; ensuring equity in the $3.5 billion of property taxes collected by New Hampshire’s 234 municipalities; and directing a staff of more than 130 professionals charged with fairly and efficiently collecting taxes from the state’s citizens, businesses, utilities, and hospitals.
“Our mission at NHDRA is to fairly and efficiently administer New Hampshire’s tax laws, and I am honored and eager to carry out this mission as Commissioner,” said Lindsey Stepp, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. “I look forward to enhancing and upgrading DRA’s technological infrastructure, while also strategically bolstering our communications practices, with a goal of providing the very best service to the taxpayers of New Hampshire.”
Stepp’s focus as Commissioner will be on three key aspects:
- Technology – Since it began accepting New Hampshire Interest & Dividends (I&D) Tax returns through the IRS’s Modernized e-File System (MeF System) in 2015, NHDRA has been making strides in preparing for a complete backend technology system launch. NHDRA is terming the Revenue Information Management System, or RIMS, to modernize all aspects of the tax collection and payment process. Stepp spearheaded the project in her former role as Assistant Commissioner and will continue to closely guide the RIMS project through launch. Once launched, RIMS will house and consolidate all taxpayer data and be accessible to taxpayers, practitioners and DRA staff allowing for an all-inclusive view of necessary information and processes.
- Communication – NHDRA’s goal is to merit the highest degree of public confidence in its integrity. Stepp has already taken an initial assessment of how to further develop communication both internally within DRA, using current practices and planning for future initiatives, and externally to taxpayers and the professional tax community through frequent presence at conferences and association meetings.
- Customer Service – Stepp will ensure that NHDRA is consistently focused on best serving New Hampshire taxpayers and municipalities through efficient, accurate and detailed support. By continuing to collect data on feedback from NHDRA’s various methods of customer service, it will be able to continue to enhance user experience and processes followed both internally and externally.
Stepp received her Master of Business Administration with a certificate in Investment and Finance in 2010 from Plymouth State University following a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Trinity College. She assumed the role of Senior International Tax and Transfer Pricing Consultant while at Ernst & Young for five years before working as a Financial Analyst for NHDRA for four years. She briefly worked at Plymouth State University as the Director of Business Services for Information Technology before returning to NHDRA as the Assistant Commissioner. In her role as Assistant Commissioner, Stepp was tasked with overseeing staff and department spending, engaging public interest groups, driving department initiatives and providing guidance to senior leadership.
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu nominated Stepp for the position on December 6, 2017 and she was confirmed by the Executive Council on December 20, 2017. Stepp served as Acting Commissioner for a brief period following John Beardmore’s resignation. Stepp’s term as Commissioner runs until September 1, 2020.
With Stepp officially starting her term as Commissioner in December, NHDRA is casting a wide net in its search for a new Assistant Commissioner and will accept applications from internal and external candidates. The job posting is available on the career opportunities page of NHDRA’s website.