The Indiana Commission for Higher Education unanimously voted on August 20 for Indiana Secretary of Education, Dr. Katie Jenner, to become the next Commissioner for Higher Education, effective October 11. Dr. Jenner succeeds Commissioner Chris Lowery, who has led the Commission since 2022. Commissioner Lowery announced in July that he would be stepping away from the role on October 10.
“Immediately upon taking office, my administration launched a new vertical structure across state government to streamline operations, increase accountability and transparency, and improve customer service,” said Governor Mike Braun. “As we continue to identify ways to better serve Hoosier taxpayers, having a proven, consistent leader directly overseeing both K-12 and higher education is the logical next step and will ensure that the best interest of our students remains top of mind every step of their educational journey.”
As the leader of the education vertical and head of both the Indiana Department of Education and the Commission for Higher Education, Dr. Jenner will provide a consistent, unified vision to maximize outcomes for Indiana students. Key areas of focus will include:
- Making higher education more affordable and accessible;
- Increasing educational attainment for all Hoosiers;
- Helping more students graduate high school with college credit, including a credential of value;
- Supporting the successful implementation of the new high school diploma requirements, as well as readiness seals;
- Ensuring higher education preparation programs are preparing future teachers with evidence-based instructional tools in reading and math; and
- Streamlining higher education degree programs to better align with student and industry demand and maximize student outcomes.
Commissioner Lowery is working closely with Dr. Jenner, Commission Chairman Dan Peterson, and other Commission members and staff between now and October 11, to seamlessly transition agency operations.
“Secretary Jenner is a strong advocate for increasing educational attainment for all Hoosier students from kindergarten through college,” said Commissioner Lowery. “The logical next step of Secretary Jenner assuming the role of Commissioner will offer clarity and consistency for the Commission, while continuing to drive our mission and deliver better results for Indiana students, employers, and our state.”
Dr. Jenner holds a doctorate in education from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Indiana State University. Prior to being selected as Indiana's top education official by Governor Braun, Dr. Jenner served as Governor Holcomb’s Senior Education Advisor, Vice President of K-12 Initiatives and Statewide Partnerships for Ivy Tech Community College, and held various leadership positions at Madison Consolidated Schools, in addition to being a teacher.
Indiana University would like to thank Commissioner Lowery, a proud IU alumnus, for his tireless service in his current role on behalf of the countless students, families, faculty and staff across Indiana, and wish him well in his next chapter.