Lesa Clarkson Covington, a professor in the University of Minnesota’s department of curriculum and instruction, was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton to the Minnesota Board of Teaching Friday, according to a press release. 

Her term as the board’s higher education representative will last until January 2015.

The board, which is comprised of 11 appointed members, determines the standards and practices of the state’s teachers and teacher preparation institutions, according to its website.

According to her bio, Clarkson Covington’s areas of interest include “mathematics curriculum and instruction in urban classrooms, examination of best practices that engage all learners in mathematics.” She earned a Ph. D. in mathematics education from the University of Minnesota.