FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2025
Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today his appointment of Jennifer White to serve as executive director of the Idaho State Board of Education as current director Josh Whitworth is leaving for a job in the private sector. The Governor also selected Kurt Liebich to serve as the board’s president following the expiration of Dr. Linda Clark’s term as board president.
“Jennifer White is a strategic and effective leader who deeply understands Idaho’s unique education and workforce needs. I look forward to working with her, new board president Kurt Liebich, and the entire board and staff to continue to position Idaho’s students, families, and workforce for success,” Governor Little said. “I also want to sincerely thank Josh Whitworth for his excellent work as director. Together, we were able to strengthen LAUNCH and secure big wins for Idaho’s education system, from kindergarten through career. I also appreciate Dr. Clark for her steadfast leadership as board president, and I am grateful she will continue to offer her many years of expertise on the board.”
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 was a 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. 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,” White said.
Governor Little appointed Liebich to the board in 2019. He has served on the boards of numerous educational nonprofit organizations and he 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. 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,” Liebich said.
As Idaho’s single governing body for public kindergarten through college education, the eight-member State Board of Education is charged with the general supervision and governance of Idaho’s public educational institutions, agencies, and school system. Its mission is “to drive improvement of the K-20 education system for the citizens of Idaho, focusing on quality, results, and accountability.” The Office of the State Board of Education implements board policies and oversees the public higher education institutions and the board’s executive agencies.
