Waller now leading CCHEC

Waller

Jen Waller, a Clarksdale native returning to the Delta following 10 years of public service in Washington, D.C., has been named the new director of the Coahoma County Higher Education Center (CCHEC) in Clarksdale, according to Coahoma Community College and Delta State University administrators.

Beginning her career as an educator, Waller has served for the last 18 months at the U.S. Department of Education (DoED) under Secretary Arne Duncan. During the first 10 months, she worked as the deputy White House liaison, a role requiring her to assist the White House in the hiring of all new political appointees within the DoED.

In late Nov. 2009 Waller was tapped to serve as the project manager for the National Teacher Recruitment Campaign launched in late September.

In June 2000 she moved to Washington to work as a communications coordinator for the Southern Governors Association (SGA). The SGA position opened the door to a new career in the political field including service in the Ronnie Musgrove for Governor gubernatorial campaign in 2003 and the congressional offices of U.S. Rep. Marion Berry of Arkansas, U.S. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana and U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois.

Waller took over the CCHEC position Nov. 1.

She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Delta State in 1997.