Kristen Smidy Appointed to Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Kristen Smidy

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced that Gov. Maura Healey has appointed Kristen Smidy as the newest member of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Smidy is a former teacher, principal, and superintendent with nearly 20 years of experience as an educator in Massachusetts. She currently serves as associate director for Accreditation and School Improvement on the New England Assoc. of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission on Public Schools.

“We are excited to welcome Kristen Smidy to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education,” Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said. “Her leadership and deep commitment to high-quality instruction, student support, and community connections will be a great asset to the board. She brings an important perspective and will be a powerful voice for students and families in Western Massachusetts.”

Smidy joined NEASC in the fall of 2025 after almost five years as superintendent for the Gateway Regional School District in Huntington. She previously served as principal of Hampshire Regional High School and began her career as a sixth- and seventh-grade social studies teacher at Duggan Middle School in Springfield.

“It is an honor to serve on the board and to bring forward the voices of students across Massachusetts, from our cities to small, rural towns across the state and particularly from Western Massachusetts,” Smidy said. “I am committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunities they deserve.”

Smidy has served on the legislative committee for Massachusetts School Superintendents, the Connecticut Valley Superintendent Roundtable executive board, and the Massachusetts Inclusive Higher Education task force. She is a graduate of UMass Amherst and Boston University.