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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced that Dr. Candice McQueen, a teacher and dean at Lipscomb University in Nashville, will join his cabinet as commissioner of the Department of Education.

McQueen, 40, currently serves on Lipscomb University’s executive leadership team as senior vice president, and as dean she oversees the College of Education as well as the 1,300 pre-k through 12th grade students in three schools at Lipscomb Academy.

“Lipscomb’s College of Education produces some of our state’s best teachers, and Candice gets a lot of credit for that,” Haslam said. “She has taught in a classroom, so she brings both the experience of being a teacher and of preparing teachers to teach. I am grateful for her willingness to serve in this role, and I know she’ll do a great job as we continue our efforts to provide a quality education for all Tennessee students.”

McQueen’s college and teacher preparation programs have been highlighted at the state and national levels for excellence in teacher preparation design and teacher candidate outcomes. In her six years as dean, Lipscomb’s College of Education has grown by 54 percent with 72 percent growth at the graduate level, has added 15 new graduate programs, including a doctorate, and has created innovative partnerships that focus on collaborative design and delivery for coursework and programming.

“I have spent most of my career focused on developing and supporting educators to help our students succeed, and I look forward to bringing that experience and perspective to the important work of leading the Department of Education,” McQueen said. “Tennessee is headed in the right direction. We are making a real difference in the lives of our children and the future of our state. My goal is for every graduate to be college and career-ready so they can succeed in the future. I want Tennessee to continue to set the pace and lead the nation in the reforms and innovations that are making a real difference in the lives of our students.”

McQueen, a native of Clarksville, has a bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb, a master’s from Vanderbilt, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas. She and her husband, Andy McQueen, a law partner at Bass, Berry and Sims, live in Nashville and have two children, Abigail, 11, and Henry, 8.

McQueen replaces Kevin Huffman who announced his departure last month. Her first day on the job will be Tuesday, January 20.