Gov. Lee selects Ballad Health CEO to serve on Tennessee charter school commission
Ballad Health Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Alan Levine has been selected by Governor Bill Lee to serve on Tennessee’s newly-created charter school commission.
The Public Charter School Commission will be tasked with overseeing appeals in the charter school authorization process. The commission will assume this responsibility beginning in the 2020 to 2021 year.
“I am honored to have been asked by Gov. Lee to serve the state of Tennessee in such an important role,” said Levine.
“When it comes to education, students across our state have different needs and abilities. Our education system should be structured in a way that parents can exercise different choices to fit their children’s needs. For some children, a charter school provides them the best opportunity to gain a high-quality education.
“As a member of this commission, I will ensure the needs of our children come first in every decision I make. My focus will be on making sure effective charter schools can open in Tennessee, while ineffective ones are closed.”
As one of nine total appointees to the new commission, Levine is one of three representatives from Tennessee’s eastern grand division.
“I am pleased to appoint these individuals and appreciate their willingness to serve our state,” said Lee. “The success of our state depends on engaged citizens, and we look forward to working together.”
Tennessee currently has 112 charter schools serving approximately 38,000 students.
Levine serves on the board of governors of the State University System of Florida, the governing body of Florida’s 12 state universities. He also serves as the chairman of the Florida Higher Education Coordinating Council, a policy-setting body for public and private education in Florida.
Levine and his wife Laura often volunteer their time to read to children as part of a program they created called the B.E.A.R. (Being Engaged to Achieve Reading) Buddies reading program. The program pairs volunteer mentors with elementary-school-aged children who need a boost in reading skills.
Levine has previously served in the cabinet of Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal as the secretary of Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals. He also served in Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s cabinet as secretary of Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration.
With more than 25 years of hospital operations experience, Levine navigated the legacy health systems of Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System through an unprecedented merger, which required approval by the Tennessee and Virginia Departments of Health, to become Ballad Health.
As the top executive of Ballad Health, Levine oversees more than 15,000 employees and 21 hospitals that serve 29 counties in Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina.
