Governor appoints Jennifer White as executive director of Idaho State Board of Education

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Governor Brad Little announced appointing Jennifer White as executive director of the Idaho State Board of Education as current director Josh Whitworth is leaving for a job in the private sector.

White is leaving her role as Assistant Vice President for Finance and Operations and Senior Counsel at Boise State University. Before joining the university in 2023, White was in-house counsel for a large corporation and litigator at law firms in the Washington, D.C., area. She worked for Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne and then-Lt. Governor Jim Risch.

White graduated from Vallivue High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Willamette University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law.

"Idaho has proven time and again we can lead when we excel at the basics and advance innovative approaches to supporting students of all ages. Our education system is integral to the success of our communities, economy, and overall way of life in Idaho," White said. "I am honored to earn the confidence of Governor Little and so many others as I step into my new role at the State Board of Education."

The Governor also selected Kurt Liebich to serve as the board's president following Dr. Linda Clark's term expiring.

Governor Little appointed Liebich to the board in 2019. He served on the boards of numerous educational nonprofit organizations and was on Governor Little's "Our Kids, Idaho's Future" task force to strengthen public education in Idaho. Liebich spent his 30-year business career in the wood products and building materials industry.

"It has been rewarding to be a member of this board for the past five and half years, navigating the challenges and opportunities in our education system to better serve Idaho’s students," Liebich said. "Idaho’s public education system – across K-12, career technical education, and our community colleges and universities – is the foundation for Idahoans’ prosperity. I am excited to continue my work on these important issues as board president."