May 24, 2011
News Release
Commissioner Robert Hammond Announces Two Key Appointments
Commissioner Robert Hammond today announced the appointment of Jill
Hawley as Chief of Staff and Strategy and Janelle Albertson Asmus as
Chief Communications Officer.
Jill Hawley – Chief of Staff and Strategy
Hawley will oversee the implementation of CDE’s strategic plan and
statewide reform agenda. She will assist the commissioner in working
with the State Board of Education and she will guide, manage and ensure
alignment and coherency of statewide policy. Hawley will oversee the
human resources, policy, and project management functions and provide
general operations support to the commissioner.
Hawley brings nearly 20 years experience in education policy and
business. She currently serves as project director with The New Teacher
Project (TNTP) and has assisted CDE in developing and implementing a
statewide strategy for increasing educator effectiveness. Hawley spent
eight years working for AdvancED where she was responsible for leading
the merger that created the organization, implementing the
organization’s strategic plan, and managing the organization’s 30 state
offices. She has held a variety of leadership roles in a range of
nonprofit organizations seeking to improve the quality of education for
all students. Early in her career she served as a staffer at the
Colorado Legislative Council. Jill holds a bachelor’s degree in public
policy from Stanford University and a master’s in business
administration from the Harvard Business School.
Janelle Albertson Asmus – Chief Communications Officer
Asmus will direct the CDE’s communications office with a focus on
internal and external communications, strategic planning and
governmental relations. She will create and implement a statewide
communications and public relations plan, as well as direct media
relations. In addition, she will oversee CDE’s legislative liaison and
Web site services.
Asmus brings 24 years of experience in education communications. She has
been the chief communications officer at Adams 12 Five Star Schools for
the past eight years, overseeing district marketing, communications,
governmental relations, media production and Web communications. Asmus
also served as the director of communications for the Boulder Valley
School District and as the division director of marketing and
communications for the Wichita Public Schools in Wichita, Kan. Her
state-level experience includes serving as the public information
coordinator for the Kansas State Department of Education and the
coordinator of member services for the Kansas Association of School
Boards. Janelle earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from
Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan.
“Ms. Hawley’s and Ms. Asmus’s contributions to education are rich and
varied and each will bring a depth of experience to these positions.,”
said Commissioner Hammond. “I am pleased that they have agreed to join
the Colorado Department of Education’s work to move education reform
forward.”
Janelle Albertson Asmus will begin at CDE on June 13, 2011. Jill Hawley
will begin on June 20.
For technical assistance, E-Mail: CDE_Communications_Office@cde.state.co.us