By Associated Press - Thursday, January 17, 2019

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on Gov.-elect Bill Lee’s Cabinet appointees (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

Incoming Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has announced his picks to lead the state Department of Health, Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Department of General Services.

The Republican’s transition team said executive vice president of West Tennessee Healthcare Lisa Piercey will be health commissioner. The Gibson County resident oversees multiple hospitals with an emphasis on rural ones in Bolivar, Camden, Milan, Dyersburg and Martin.

Rutherford County Commissioner Brad Turner will head the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Turner is currently the director of client services at HealthStream Inc.

Christi Branscom will lead the Department of General Services. The Knox County resident currently is the chief operating officer and general counsel at Partners Development. She previously was chief operating officer and deputy mayor for the city of Knoxville. Branscom founded Grace Construction in 2003.

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12 p.m.

Incoming Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has looked to Texas to find his state education commissioner.

The Republican governor-elect’s transition team announced Thursday that Texas Education Agency chief deputy commissioner of academics Penny Schwinn will lead the Tennessee Department of Education.

Lee has advocated for school choice, but hasn’t released detailed policy priorities yet.

Lee’s team touted Schwinn’s role in transforming the assessment program in Texas, expanding externships and focusing on career readiness.

Schwinn previously was the chief accountability and performance officer for the Delaware Department of Education.

She taught with Teach for America, having worked in Baltimore and Los Angeles, and founded Capitol Collegiate Academy, a charter school for low-income students in Sacramento, California.

Schwinn also was recently a finalist for the Massachusetts education commissioner job.

Lee’s inauguration is Saturday.

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