Kentucky.gov

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Steve Beshear announced today that Helen Mountjoy, secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, has resigned her position effective Nov. 30 citing a long commute and a desire to spend more time with her family.

Mountjoy will continue to serve not only as a member of the governor’s recently appointed Transforming Education in Kentucky (TEK) task force, but as the Governor’s chief point person in guiding TEK.

“Helen Mountjoy is smart, insightful and has extraordinary experience in education and workforce development. She has aggressively tackled issues as varied as unemployment insurance and early childhood education,” Gov. Beshear said.  “While I am sad to lose such a talented member of the cabinet, I am very proud of the work she has done and grateful that she has agreed to continue helping with TEK.”

Beshear appointed Mountjoy as cabinet secretary in 2007.  She previously served as vice president of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation and was a member of Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.  Mountjoy also served on the Kentucky Board of Education for 15 years and chaired the board from 1998 to 2004.

“Education and workforce development are the issues closest to my heart, and it’s been a privilege to serve as cabinet secretary,” Mountjoy said.  “I am looking forward to continuing some of that work, and I’m also looking forward to spending more time with my family in Owensboro.”

Mountjoy noted that because of the importance of education and workforce issues facing Kentucky, she continued in this position a year longer than she had committed to originally. She will continue to be active in promoting these issues in the Commonwealth.

Gov. Beshear said he will immediately begin a search for Mountjoy’s replacement.

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