National Institute 2018

Kimberly M. Richey
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Service



Kimberly M. Richey is the deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the United States Department of Education. In this capacity, she serves as advisor to the U.S. secretary of education on matters related to the education of children and youth with disabilities, as well as employment and community living for youth and adults with disabilities. The mission of her office is to improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes, and to raise expectations for all people with disabilities, their families, their communities, and the nation. Prior to joining the Department, Richey served as the managing director of federal advocacy and public policy at the National School Boards Association. Formerly, she served as the general counsel for the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), where she represented OSDE, the State Board of Education, and the state superintendent of public instruction. Prior to her work at OSDE, Richey served as the general counsel and associate director of the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, a postsecondary education agency focused on peace officer training. From 2004 to 2009, she served at the U.S. Department of Education as the counselor to the assistant secretary in the Office for Civil Rights. During that same time, Richey also served as acting chief of staff in the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs. Richey is a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, and holds a bachelor's degree in education from Southern Nazarene University and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Oklahoma. She is a certified teacher and is licensed to practice law in Oklahoma, Texas, and the District of Columbia.

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