About Us

Katy Anthes, Ph.D.

Colorado Commissioner of Education (May 2016-June 2023)

Named commissioner of education in December 2016, Dr. Katy Anthes is widely respected for her commitment to listen to diverse perspectives and develop solutions that are founded on productive middle ground. Keeping students’ best interests as her top priority, she focuses on providing high quality expertise and support to districts and educators working to enhance student achievement.

Dr. Anthes has been with CDE since 2011, serving as interim commissioner, chief of staff, interim associate commissioner for achievement and strategy and executive director of educator effectiveness. As the executive director of educator effectiveness, she led CDE’s efforts to support and retain highly effective educators in Colorado. In her previous position as a partner with the Third Mile Group, Anthes led and researched major education initiatives for state, district and national organizations on a variety of education issues and projects including; the Colorado School Leadership Academy Board, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Commission and as an evaluator for several district education programs across the state.

Anthes worked with numerous national education organizations at The Third Mile Group, such as the Council for Chief State School Officers, the National Governor’s Association, The National Commission for Teaching and America’s Future, American Institutes for Research, and many more. Prior to founding the Third Mile Group, she had seven years of research, policy work and leadership experience at the Education Commission of the States focusing on school and district leader effectiveness. Anthes holds a Ph.D. in public policy and a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Colorado Denver. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Oregon.

Anthes lives in Denver and is an avid runner and soccer enthusiast.

Upon being appointed Commissioner of Education, Dr. Katy Anthes became Colorado's first female commissioner in 65 years, preceded by the state's first appointed commissioner Nettie S. Freed in 1950-51.

Richard Crandall

Colorado Commissioner of Education (January-May 2016)

Richard Crandall, the single finalist for Colorado's commissioner of education was officially appointed Jan. 4, 2016 in a 7-0 vote by the Colorado State Board of Education. Crandall started his role as commissioner on Jan. 19, 2016. Crandall resigned his position on May 19, 2016.

A former senator, Crandall served in the Arizona Legislature from 2007-2013 as both the house education chair and then later as the senate education chair. He resigned his senate seat when he was appointed by Governor Matt Mead to head up the Wyoming Department of Education. In addition to being a lawmaker, Rich served as a school board member for Arizona’s largest district.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from Brigham Young University and his master's degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame. He is also finishing his educational leadership, doctor of education degree from Northern Arizona University. He is the founder of CN Resource, a national child nutrition audit firm and was a partner/owner/CFO at Crandall Corporate Dietitians, the nation’s largest consulting dietitian firm.

Rich is married to Leann Crandall, who he sat by in 6th-grade, and together they have 13 children and five grandchildren. 

Elliott Asp, Ph.D.

Interim Colorado Commissioner of Education (July - December 2015)

Dr. Elliott Asp has more than 40 years of education experience in Colorado. Before assuming his role as interim commissioner of education in July 2015, he served as Special Assistant to the Commissioner at CDE. Prior to joining the Department he was an assistant superintendent in the Douglas County and Cherry Creek School Districts and has held central office positions in Littleton and Aurora public schools. He has been a classroom teacher in traditional and alternative settings, curriculum developer, university professor, and an administrator at the building and district level.

He has contributed to books, edited volumes, and research and professional journals on a wide variety of subjects. Dr. Asp has consulted with school districts and educational agencies in a number of states on standards-based education and assessment design, and has made numerous presentations to state and national audiences.

He has also served on a variety of state advisory boards and committees including: the Standards and Assessment Implementation Council (SADI), the Technical Advisory Committee for the Colorado Student Assessment Program, the Technical Advisory Group for Longitudinal Growth, and the Governor’s P20 Education Advisory Council. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from University of Colorado at Boulder, earned a master’s in curriculum and instruction at the University of Northern Colorado and received his Ph.D. in educational administration and human development from Penn State University.

Robert Hammond

Colorado Commissioner of Education (2010-2015)

A 26-year veteran education leader, Robert Hammond is known for his ability to implement transformational improvements in organizations. Robert came to be the top leader in Colorado’s K-12 public education system by demonstrating success in city management and the banking industry. It was from there that the Wichita Public Schools in Kansas tapped him to head its administration and operations division and later serve as associate superintendent.

In 2001, he moved to the Rocky Mountain state and was the chief operations officer for the Boulder Valley School District. In 2008, he was successfully recruited to apply his leadership talents to the state level when he was named the Colorado Department of Education’s Deputy Commissioner. Robert was then recruited as the Commissioner of Education in December 2010, and officially sworn into office in May 2011. He’s played an integral part in creating and implementing Colorado’s educator effectiveness system, new state academic standards and assessments, and a nationally-recognized accountability system grounded in student growth.

Understanding the essential role state support has in district, school and student success, Robert assembled a leadership team focused on serving and supporting Colorado districts. That leadership, along with really hard work from local educators, is the reason why Colorado has been recognized multiple times by the White House and the U.S. Department of Education. National officials commonly refer to Colorado as being on the leading edge and committed to implementing education improvement in the right way for our unique state.

Dwight Jones

Colorado Commissioner of Education (2007-2010)

Dwight Jones was appointed Colorado Commissioner of Education on June 1, 2007, by a unanimous vote of the Colorado State Board of Education. Before becoming commissioner, he was the superintendent of schools for the Fountain-Fort Carson School District for four years. He takes pride in being an educator for more than 20 years.

Jones makes education excellence his life's mission. He sets high expectations for all students because he believes it is the best way to ensure success for each child. As a teacher, principal and then superintendent, he successfully reduced achievement gaps for minorities and significantly improved test scores for all students.

His education philosophy was instilled by his own parents who set high expectations for him. He knows that too many minority students still suffer the long-term effects of a substandard education. Jones possesses a proven record of ensuring that all students succeed regardless of race or status.
Jones serves on many boards and councils and is highly respected among his peers as a leading expert in improving achievement for all students. He serves on the Education Commission of the States and the Closing the Achievement Gap Commission as well as many other organizations. He is an adjunct professor, speaker and writer.

Jones previous educational experience includes serving as an assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Fountain-Fort Carson and Wichita, Kansas Public Schools. He was the principal of a large urban high school in Wichita after moving through the ranks of elementary and middle schools as teacher and principal in the Wichita Public Schools system. Jones was also an operational vice president of Edison Schools, Inc.

William Moloney

Colorado Commissioner of Education (1997-2007)

In a rich and varied professional life spanning over 30 years, Dr. Moloney has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, headmaster, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, as well as four years as Director of the American School in London.

Commissioner Moloney has been a leading advocate for school reform nationwide, as a speaker, consultant, newspaper columnist, contributor to professional journals, co-author of two books, and adjunct university faculty member. He has served three terms on the National Assessment Governing Board and is on the Board of Directors of the National Council on Teacher Quality and the Foundation for Teaching Economics Board of Trustees. He holds a doctorate in education management earned at Harvard University.