Gov. Andy Beshear appointed Jamie Bowling to the Kentucky Board of Education on March 12.

Bowling, of Middlesboro, is the widow of former board member Mike Bowling and will fill the District 3 spot that was left vacant after he resigned on Feb. 19.

Picture of a smiling woman.

Jamie Bowling

“It is a great honor to be asked to serve out the remainder of Mike’s term on the state board of education and to continue his legacy,” Bowling said. “I have always been dedicated to public education and working for children in the Commonwealth, but especially those in southeastern Kentucky. I am eager to begin this work.”

Bowling’s dedication to K-12 education began over 30 years ago. She was a member of the Middlesboro Independent Board of Education from 1988 to 2004 and served as the board’s chair from 1993 to 2004.

As the board’s chair, she helped develop and implement new strategies and policies in collaboration with school partners to establish and achieve long-term education objectives. Bowling also oversaw capital improvements in the district, including a new fine arts auditorium, gyms and libraries.

Throughout her career, Bowling also served on the Kentucky Department of Education’s School Curriculum Assessment and Accountability Council, and as a member of the Kentucky School Boards Association’s Board of Directors from 1998 to 2004.

Most recently, she was a member of the University of Pikeville’s Board of Trustees, where she helped develop and approve the university’s mission, strategic goals and objectives, as well as helped establish policies related to programs and services.

Bowling is a 1975 graduate of Middlesboro High School (Middlesboro Independent). She earned her bachelor’s of science from the University of Kentucky in 1979. After graduation, she worked as a neonatal intensive care unit registered nurse in Cincinnati before relocating to Temple, Texas, to work as a neonatal outreach nurse clinician.

Bowling will serve the remainder of her late husband’s term, which expires April 14, 2024, pending confirmation by the Kentucky State Senate.