U.S. Department of Education Announces New Hires

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education today announces the following new hires:

• Casey Sacks—Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education
  Sacks serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education. Sacks provides leadership for initiatives supporting career and technical education, adult education, correctional and re-entry education and community colleges. These initiatives collectively serve over 25 million students each year. Prior to joining the Department, Sacks served as Vice Chancellor for the West Virginia Community and Technical College System where she provided vision and leadership for statewide initiatives in policy support, workforce development and technology innovation.
• Dan Currell—Office of the Undersecretary
  Currell serves as the Deputy Under Secretary in the Office of the Under Secretary. Currell coordinates policies, programs and activities related to vocational and adult education, postsecondary education, college aid and the President’s financial reforms for the Pell Grant program. Prior to joining the Department, Currell served as a Managing Director at AdvanceLaw.
• Daniela Garcia—Office of Communications and Outreach
  Garcia serves as the Director of Outreach in the Office of Communications and Outreach. Garcia directs interaction with organizations and individuals at the national, state and local levels. Prior to joining the Department, Garcia served as a state representative in the Michigan House of Representatives where she worked on the Education Reform committee.
• Anna Raymond Bartlett—Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs
  Bartlett serves as the Director in the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs. Bartlett assists the Secretary on matters concerning the Departmental legislative program and Congressional relations. Prior to joining the Department, Bartlett served as a Deputy Chief of Staff in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Laurie VanderPloeg—Office of Special Education Programs
  VanderPloeg serves as the director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. VanderPloeg ensures the effective implementation of OSEP’s legislative mission, advises the assistant secretary on federal education policy related to individuals with disabilities and provides leadership in addressing issues of American education for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities through OSEP activities and within the context of the policies of OSERS, the Department and Congress. Prior to joining, VanderPloeg served as director of special education at Kent Intermediate School District in Michigan.
• Annie Hsiao—Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  Hsiao serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Discretionary Grants and Support Services in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Prior to joining the Department, Hsiao served as the Senior Advisor to the Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice and has previously worked in the private philanthropic sector.
• Jed Brinton—Office of the General Counsel
  Brinton serves as the Deputy General Counsel for Postsecondary Service in the Office of the General Counsel. Brinton advises senior agency leadership on legal issues relating to higher education. Brinton previously served in the Department as special counsel in the Office of the General Counsel.
• Aimee Viana—Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  Viana will be serving as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. She will serve as the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education on all matters related to elementary and secondary education, including grants management, data reporting and analysis, program evaluation and technical assistance. Viana currently serves in the Department as the Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
• Chris Rinkus—Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
  Rinkus serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Use of Evidence in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Rinkus promotes evidence based practices in the field and support to grantees. Secretary Rinkus previously served in the Department as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Additional Hires

• Michael Aquila—Confidential Assistant, Office of Communications and Outreach
• Christopher Brinson—Attorney Advisor, Office of the General Counsel
• Ashley Dalton—Confidential Assistant, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Amanda Delekta—Confidential Assistant, Office of the Under Secretary
• Jonathan Helwink—Special Assistant, Office of Postsecondary Education
• Johnathon Huston—Special Assistant, Office of Postsecondary Education
• Robert King—Senior Advisor, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Marek Laco—Confidential Assistant, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Audrey Levorse—Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
• Jonas Linde—Special Assistant, Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs
• Mark (Eli) Mansour—Deputy Press Secretary, Office of Communications and Outreach
• Noah Mitchell—Confidential Assistant, Office of the Secretary
• Kara Neumann—Confidential Assistant, Office of the Secretary
• Carly Robb—Special Assistant, Office of the Deputy Secretary
• James Rogers—Confidential Assistant, Office of the Deputy Secretary
• Dino Teppara—Special Assistant, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
• Farnaz Thompson—Attorney Advisor, Office of the General Counsel