Vol. 41, No. 22
March 19 , 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
DESE Names Atkins Lieberman to
Lead Division of Special Education
Heidi Atkins Lieberman, a veteran official of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, has been selected to lead the Department’s division of special education. Commissioner of Education D. Kent King announced her appointment today.
Ms. Atkins Lieberman’s appointment is effective immediately. She replaces Melodie Friedebach who retired last December.
She joined the state education agency in 1990 and has served as legal counsel for the Division of Special Education since that time. Before joining DESE, she was a lawyer in private practice in Jefferson City for four years.
“This is an exciting time to be involved in special education, as we make the connection between compliance and student performance. I look forward to working with our stakeholders and staff in continuing our focus on improving achievement for all students,” she said.
A New York native, Ms. Atkins Lieberman graduated from law school at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville in 1984. She served a one-year clerkship with Missouri Supreme Court Justice Andrew Jackson Higgins before entering private practice in Jefferson City.