Director of the Leahy Center for Rural Students at Lyndon State College. Photo courtesy of the school.
A Lyndon State College administrator was appointed as the new deputy secretary of the Agency of Education Thursday, which will go into effect in September.
Heather Bouchey, director of the Leahy Center for Rural Students at Lyndon State College, said she was absolutely thrilled to learn of her new appointment.
Bouchey has a doctorate in development psychology and is heavily trained in education, she said. She was an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Vermont before working at Lyndon State College.
According to Bouchey’s Lyndon State College biography, she has expertise in Pre-K–16 education models (which go through college graduation), as well as in first generation and low-income college students.
“I am very excited about the education system in our state and I am very excited to be a part of that team that’s going to do such great work over the next several years,” Bouchey said.
Bouchey said she hadn’t really given much thought to working in the Agency of Education previously, but just looking at some of the legislation that’s been going on and the agency’s direction and focus, it seemed like the perfect time and fit for her.
“Someone suggested I apply and I did and it turned out to be a good fit for all,” she said.
Bouchey plans to spend most of her time in her new position initially getting to know agency staff and the rest of the administration. She said she also plans on becoming more familiar with a variety of stakeholders in state education, such as educators, superintendents and other “champions of state-level education work.”
Bouchey said her immediate concern is to focus on finishing her job at Lyndon State College. “This is all happening really fast,” she said.
Bouchey will be taking over the position vacated in the spring by John Fischer, former deputy secretary.
“We are very fortunate to have found someone with her talent and commitment to the success of Vermont students on our team,” said Rebecca Holcombe, secretary of education, in an Aug. 13 press release.
“As one of her former employers said, ‘She is smart, compassionate, strategic and humble. She is exactly what we need in government.’”
