HARRISBURG (TNS) — Gov. Josh Shapiro has tapped a former Beaver County superintendent to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
The Shapiro administration announced Tuesday that Carrie Rowe, the former superintendent of the Beaver Area School District, is Shapiro’s nomination.
In the same announcement, Jessica Shirley was named to serve as secretary of environmental protection. Shirley has been interim acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection since 2023.
In his announcement, Shapiro praised both nominees for their accomplishments and commitment to public service.
“Dr. Rowe and Acting Secretary Shirley are experienced, dedicated public servants — and I am proud to nominate them to serve as Secretaries and continue their work in education and environmental protection,” Shapiro said. “Dr. Rowe has dedicated her career to ensuring every student has access to a quality education, and Acting Secretary Shirley has been a driving force in safeguarding our environment while streamlining permitting processes and promoting economic growth.”
Rowe brings 25 years of experience in public education to the role and has most recently worked as deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Rowe started her career in public education as a Spanish teacher for Pittsburgh Public Schools in 1998 before moving to Beaver County, where she would ultimately become superintendent in 2016.
As superintendent, Rowe focused on the equitable allocation of resources and breaking down institutional barriers to education opportunities, according to the release.
“I am honored to be nominated to lead the Department of Education in service of the Commonwealth’s learners, educators, and communities,” Rowe said in the release. “I look forward to working with Governor Shapiro, the General Assembly, and partners in the field to ensure that all Pennsylvania learners have access to a world-class education system and all of the possibilities it brings.”
Former Pennsylvania Education Secretary Khalid Mumin left his position last year.
Shirley’s nomination comes as she had already been serving as interim acting secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, a role she filled after former DEP Secretary Richard Negrin resigned for health reasons in Oct. 2023.
Since becoming secretary of the PA DEP, Shirley has focused on advancing equitable and sustainable environmental practices, according to the release.
Shirley has been a leader in the state’s environmental policy for over a decade and, before becoming acting secretary of the PA DEP, she had been the agency’s executive deputy secretary.
As the executive deputy secretary, Shirley oversaw the agency’s core programs and managed federal funding for well plugging, local water infrastructure, and abandoned mine land reclamation.
She has also previously served as the policy director for the PA DEP, where she helped direct energy conservation, the Chesapeake Bay cleanup, and the agency’s work to address PFAS contamination, according to Mr. Shapiro’s office.
“As someone who has dedicated their career to public service, it’s an honor to be nominated to lead the Department of Environmental Protection,” Shirley said in the release. “Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I understand the importance of the mission to protect Pennsylvania’s air, land, and water resources, providing for the health and safety of our residents and businesses.”
