DoDEA

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — May 13, 2009 — Ms. Diana Ohman, Director of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe (DoDDS-Europe), and Dr. Nancy Bresell, Director of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Pacific (DoDDS-Pacific), will exchange leadership positions as Area Directors the Department of Defense Education Activity's (DoDEA's) overseas schools.

The change is part of DoDEA's ongoing efforts and initiatives toward continuous improvement through a review, evaluation, and refinement of its educational programs, curriculum, processes, and systems.

In announcing the exchange, DoDEA Director Dr. Shirley A. Miles cited the benefits of the move.

"This change will be advantageous to the schools in each area by allowing for the benefits a different leadership perspective will bring to each school system," she said. "Both Ms. Ohman and Dr. Bresell will also have the opportunity to broaden and further develop their career experience as senior government executives by leading a new organization," she added.

Dr. Miles also recognized the two leaders for their expertise and accomplishments.

"Ms. Ohman and Dr. Bresell have vast experience in education and school administration," said Dr. Miles. "They both have advanced our mission of highest student achievement in their respective areas during these especially challenging times of high deployment and military operational tempo which has resulted in frequent separations between military parents and their children."

Ms. Ohman joined DoDEA in 1999 as the DoDDS-Europe Director, after having served four years as Wyoming's Secretary of State and de facto Lieutenant Governor. In addition to having more than 19 years' experience as an educator, school principal, and special education director in several school districts throughout Wyoming, Ms. Ohman served as the state's Superintendent of Public Instruction, supervising 49 school districts with 100,000 students and 7,000 teachers.

Dr. Bresell has been with the DoDEA organization since 1976, when she began her educational career as a learning disabilities teacher in Mainz, Germany. She went on to gain experience in a variety of educational and administrative assignments with DoDDS schools including special education coordinator, assistant principal, principal, Superintendent of Schools for DoDDS Japan and Wuerzburg districts, Deputy Director of DoDDS-Pacific, and her current assignment for the past six years as the Director of DoDDS-Pacific.

DoDDS-Europe has 36,000 students in 81 schools served by 5,220 employees and DoDDS-Pacific has 23,000 students in 46 schools served by 3,075 employees.

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages the education programs for Department of Defense dependents who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. DoDEA consists of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools located overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools located in the United States and its territories and possessions. DoDEA provides education to eligible DoD military and civilian dependents from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. DoDEA also provides support and resources to Local Education Activities throughout the U.S. that serve children of military families.