- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
Commissioner's Office
Commissioner Deena M. Bishop, Ed.D.
E-mail Commissioner Deena Bishop
Telephone: (907) 465-2802
Fax: (907) 465-2806
Dr. Deena Bishop began her Alaska educational career in 1991 serving in her first teaching position for the Copper River School District. From there, she served in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal, before taking on broader roles in the district office serving first as an assistant superintendent then the superintendent. Most recently, she served six years as the superintendent in Alaska’s largest school district, Anchorage School District, from 2016 to 2022 before being named Commissioner of Education in August 2023.
During her tenure, Dr. Bishop has invested in the people with whom she has worked to best meet students needs. She believes in reading and math as core competencies for all children. Dr. Bishop has brought innovative change to programs such as the Alaska Middle College School, the redesign of career and technical education to meet Alaska’s workforce needs, and flexible modernized schooling models to meet student and family needs, post pandemic, to name a few.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degree in educational administration, and a doctorate in learning assessment and system performance. She also holds a National Superintendent’s certificate and is a 2021-2022 fellow of The Broad Academy Yale School of Management in Public Education Leadership.
Dr. Bishop is active in local and civic organizations and serves on several non-profit boards in Alaska. She served as a member of the University of Alaska Board of Regents and presently serves on the Education Commission of the States.
Dr. Bishop enjoys many ties to the community and is the recipient of the YWCA 2016 Woman of Achievement award, the Covenant House Alaska 2019 Women Helping Women Award, the Junior Achievement of Alaska 2020 Educator of the Year Award, and a 2020 inductee to the Anchorage ATHENA Society.
She has two daughters, a son and son-in-law, and a grandson. Dr. Bishop enjoys outdoor sports, interior painting, and spending time traveling with her family.
| Commissioner’s Office Staff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Karen Morrison | Deputy Commissioner | (907) 465-2276 |
| Laurel Shoop | Special Assistant & Legislative Liaison | (907) 465-8703 |
| Vacant | Public Information Officer | (907) 465-2800 |
| Kathijo Jolin | Executive Secretary | (907) 465-2802 |
| Tera Ollila | Administrative Assistant | (907) 465-3905 |
| Monica Goyette | Project Coordinator | (907) 465-2800 |
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Main Line |
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(907) 465-2800 |
The Office of the Commissioner is responsible for upholding the department’s mission, core services, and goals to support the state’s vision that “all students will succeed in their education and work, shape worthwhile and satisfying lives for themselves, exemplify the best values of society, and be effective in improving the character and quality of the world about them.” (AS 14.03.015)
The Office of the Commissioner provides leadership and direction for the department by establishing policy and coordinating agency strategy to meet Alaska’s Education Challenge and support an excellent education for every student every day. Commissioner’s office staff provide executive level oversight of department activities and services, support the State Board of Education and Early Development, fulfill public inquiries and requests, disseminate public information, and serve as liaisons with the governor’s office, legislature, congressional offices, other government agencies, school districts, native tribes and organizations, and Alaska’s education partner organizations.