By Denise Dunbar | ddunbar@alextimes.com
Interim Superintendent Lois F. Berlin has appointed Mignon Anthony as the new chief operating officer for Alexandria City Public Schools. Anthony joins ACPS from Baltimore City Public Schools where, as executive director of the 21st Century Buildings Program, she led strategic and operations efforts to modernize that city’s aging school facilities and accommodate current teaching and learning strategies and environments.
Anthony has also served as a member of Alexandria’s Joint City Schools Facilities Investment Task Force that was established in May to oversee the development of a combined city and ACPS Capital Improvement Program.
Anthony is experienced in long-term educational facilities planning, engaging the community and creative procurement strategies. She is also experienced in managing large-scale, multi-faceted projects, including the relocation of the National Science Foundation headquarters, a 667,000-square-foot, $350 million facility, from Arlington to Alexandria.
“Ms. Anthony’s experience in facilitating the modernization of aging school facilities and in the long-term planning of educational facilities will be a tremendous
asset to our school system as we work to address our increasing student capacity and modernization needs,” Berlin said. “As a member of the Joint City Schools Facilities Investment Task Force, she has insight into our current challenges and is part
of the team that recently presented their recommendations of priorities for the
next nine years to the School Board. Her knowledge of our facilities prepares her to hit the ground running.”
As director of new building projects for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives between 1999 and 2007, Anthony worked to establish public-private partnerships to support the development of their headquarters in Washington, D.C. and national laboratory research campus in Maryland.
She has also served as director of business development for Applied Research
Associates where she oversaw changes to the company’s disaster management
program in the federal sector.
As the chief operating officer, Anthony will be tasked with ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of all ACPS operational elements and programs including building operations and management, transportation, capital improvement, health and safety and food and nutrition services. She will have personnel and budgetary oversight for these areas.
Anthony holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and economics from Philadelphia University and a graduate certificate in organizational change and development from American University in D.C.
Anthony will start in her new role on Jan. 17, 2018.
