Gov. Reynolds announces Department of Education leadership transition

DES MOINES – Governor Reynolds announced Friday that Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo is resigning.

“I want to thank Dr. Lebo for her many contributions to my administration and the Department of Education over the last three years,” Gov. Reynolds stated. “From her very first day on the job, Ann was immersed in the pandemic’s impact on education. She supported Iowa’s schools in their transition to remote learning during the spring of 2020 and developed our Return to Learn plan for the fall. I will be forever grateful for her leadership and student-centered approach during that challenging time, and I wish her much success.”

Lebo joined the Department of Education on March 13, 2020, at the early onset of COVID-19 in Iowa. Just days later, Iowa schools closed for the remainder of the school year, then led the nation in reopening in August.

“It has been a tremendous honor to work alongside the dedicated team at the Department of Education and serve Iowa schools, administrators, educators, and students,” Ann Lebo said. “The last three years have been some of the most challenging of my career, but also incredibly rewarding. I’m proud that Iowa was on the leading edge of prioritizing in-person learning throughout the pandemic and I’m thankful for Governor Reynolds’ leadership in that effort. Now, I’ve decided to explore new opportunities and I look forward to seeing where they lead.”

Lebo’s resignation is effective March 14, 2023.