Montana Superintendent Hedalen Names Craig Barringer as Deputy, Announces Key Staff Appointments

HELENA — Montana Superintendent Susie Hedalen announced several key executive appointments to the Office of Public Instruction on Tuesday, bringing experienced education leaders to the state agency’s top positions.

New Deputy Superintendent Brings Decades of Experience

Craig Barringer, a Darby native with 39 years in Montana education, has been appointed as Deputy Superintendent. Barringer’s extensive background includes 14 years as superintendent in Conrad, Libby, and Green River, Wyoming, along with 13 years as a principal in Conrad. He began his career as a classroom teacher for 12 years in Cut Bank and Fort Benton.

Barringer holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Montana and replaces Ron Whitmoyer, who served as Interim Deputy Superintendent during the transition period.

Additional Leadership Appointments

The superintendent also announced two other key positions:

Dylan Klapmeier has been named Chief of Staff. The Forsyth native previously served as Governor Gianforte’s Education Policy Advisor and worked at OPI as Communications Director. He holds both a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Montana.

Aislinn Brown joins as Chief Legal Counsel. A Georgetown Law graduate from Juneau, Alaska, Brown most recently served as bureau chief for Agency Legal Services Bureau at the Montana Department of Justice, bringing a decade of experience in state agency legal matters.

Transition and Vision

Hedalen praised the outgoing interim deputy superintendent, acknowledging Whitmoyer’s “invaluable support during this transition” and his “steady guidance and commitment to ensuring continuity throughout this process.”

“I’m excited to introduce these talented individuals to our team,” Hedalen said. “Their diverse backgrounds, deep commitment to education, and wealth of experience will help us provide strong leadership and effective services for our schools and communities.”

The superintendent emphasized that the new team “reflects our shared values of service, integrity, and innovation” and will work to “advance academic opportunities and ensure all Montana students have access to quality education while providing strong customer service to local schools.”

The appointments come as the Office of Public Instruction continues to oversee Montana’s K-12 education system and support local school districts across the state.