Patrick Tutwiler ’97 Appointed Massachusetts Secretary of Education

Massachusetts Governor-elect Maura Healey has appointed Patrick Tutwiler ’97 as the next secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

“Our office is going to be all about the people – the students, the families, the educators and the staff who we serve will drive all of our decision making,” Tutwiler said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to build a strong team who will help us ensure that we have a high-quality, equitable and thriving education system.”

While at Holy Cross, Tutwiler was a history major, captained the varsity men’s basketball team and was a member of the Black Student Union. After graduation, he earned a master’s in education from Harvard University and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Boston College. Tutwiler spent more than 20 years in public education as a high school history teacher, a high school principal and, later, as the superintendent of the Lynn Public Schools. He is currently a senior program officer for education at the Barr Foundation, specializing in developing new high school learning models.

“Dr. Patrick Tutwiler has the experience, the empathy and the vision to make sure that every Massachusetts resident receives a high-quality education at each stage of their life – from early education to K-12 to higher education,” Governor-elect Healey said. “From his time working as a high school history teacher to leading a large, diverse, urban school district, he has earned his reputation as a consensus builder who puts diversity, equity and inclusion at the center of everything he does, and delivers results.”