[Not a valid template]A veteran school superintendent and a regional Environmental Protection Agency official have been nominated to education and DNREC cabinet posts by Gov. Elect John Carney.
Shawn M. Garvin will be nominated to serve as Secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).
Garvin was appointed in November 2009 by President Barack Obama to serve as Regional Administrator of Region III of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since that time, he has overseen the agency’s work in the region, which includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.
Garvin previously had been the Senior State and Congressional Liaison for the EPA’s Region III office. Earlier, he served as an aide to then-U.S. Senator Joe Biden and as Executive Assistant to former New Castle County Executive Dennis Greenhouse.
“Protecting our environment, addressing the threat of climate change and cleaning up Delaware’s waterways will be a focus of the next four years, and there is nobody better prepared to lead that work than Shawn,” said Carney. “Millions of people visit Delaware each year because of our beaches and parks, and Shawn will help us make investments that create new recreational opportunities outside, keep visitors coming back, and improve the quality of life for all Delawareans.”
Dr. Susan Bunting will be nominated to serve as Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education, overseeing Delaware’s public school system and serving as an education policy adviser to the Governor.
Since 2006, Bunting has been Superintendent of the Indian River School District, one of the state’s largest school districts serving more than 10,000 students. Bunting has worked at Indian River since 1977, first as a teacher, and later as the district’s Supervisor of Elementary Instruction and K-12 Director of Instruction.
In 2012, she was one of four finalists for the American Association of School Administrators’ National Superintendent of the Year award. Bunting earned a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Delaware.
“Susan is among the most knowledgeable educators in Delaware and has committed her career to improving public education in our state, and doing what is best for Delaware students,” said Carney. “She will help us refocus the Department of Education as a support agency to help districts keep high-quality teachers in the classroom and better address the needs of their students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. I’m confident Susan is the right person for the job.
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