BISMARCK, N.D. – Governor Kelly Armstrong appoints former North Dakota commerce and labor commissioner Michelle Kommer to the State Board of Higher Education.
She fills the seat left open by Levi Bachmeier who resigned in November after taking over as North Dakota’s superintendent of public instruction. Her appointment needs to be confirmed by the State Senate.
The board oversees the North Dakota University System’s 11 public colleges and universities.
Kommer has owned and operated human resources, payroll and employee benefits firm HighRoad Partners since 2020. She also served as executive director of Job Service North Dakota where she led the revitalization of the state’s Workforce Development Council.
“As a business owner and former state agency leader who understands the crucial role of higher education in addressing our state’s workforce challenges, Michelle will bring valuable perspective and experience to the board,” Armstrong said. “We appreciate her willingness to serve and look forward to working with her and the entire board to ensure that our campuses are aligned with changing workforce needs and continue to be our state’s best recruiting tool.”
The other finalists for the State Board of Higher Education seat were North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Director of Assessments Stan Schauer and Bismarck Public Schools Business and Operations Manager Darin Scherr.
