Oregon governor picks former Camas schools administrator to lead OR’s education department

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has selected Charlene Williams, the former assistant superintendent of the Camas School District, to serve as Oregon’s next director of the Oregon Department of Education director and as the state’s deputy superintendent of public instruction. 

“Dr. Williams is an exceptional leader and educator, and I believe will be a transformative, inclusive education director for all of Oregon,” Governor Kotek stated in a news release announcing the decision on Tuesday, June 27. “My vision is to make sure every child is successful and has a safe place to receive a high-quality public education. We have work to do to build toward that vision. I’m thrilled to work with someone who is highly skilled in developing and implementing programs designed at closing education gaps. Dr. Williams is strategic, thoughtful, hard-working, and exactly the leader our state education system needs at this moment.”