AURORA | Interim no more.
The State Board of Education Wednesday officially appointed Katy Anthes to serve as the state’s commissioner of education.
Anthes has served as the state’s top education official since May, when former education commissioner Richard Crandall unexpectedly resigned from his post. Crandall was unanimously selected to be commissioner just four months prior to submitting his resignation.
The position comes with an annual salary of $255,000, according to a CDE press release. Anthes is the state’s first female education commissioner since Nettie Freed, who held the role in the early 1950s.
“I’m honored and humbled by the trust placed in me today, and I will aim to serve as a model for the type of leadership we need across our state and country,” Anthes said in a statement issued by the Colorado Department of Education. “I think it is critically important that we listen to each other, respect diverse perspectives and look for solutions that will work.”
Prior to serving as interim commissioner, Anthes was chief of staff and executive director of educator effectiveness for the Colorado Department of Education. She also taught at the University of Colorado-Denver, where she earned her Ph.D in public policy and a master’s degree in public affairs, according to CDE.
“Dr. Anthes has, in one sense, been through a seven-month job interview since being appointed as interim commissioner in May, and it’s no surprise to me that she has proven to be especially talented in areas that are very much needed in this role,” Steve Durham, chairman of the state board of education, said in a statement. “My fellow board members as well as district leaders, educators, legislators and others across the state have all been impressed with her ability to build bridges and find productive middle ground in solving tough problems.”