Christine Jax | |
|---|---|
| Born | Detroit, MI |
| Education | Ph.D., MA, BA |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota Hamline University |
| Spouse | Zeus Castillo |
| Website | www.christinejax.com |
Christine Jax was a commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education (then known as the Department of Children, Families and Learning) from 1999 to 2003. [1] [2] [3] In 2012 she ran for a school board position in Palm Beach County, Florida, [4] and in 2015 she became the dean and chief academic officer for Digital Media Arts College, an art and design college in Boca Raton, Florida. [5]
Jax founded and managed a school for homeless children in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the early 1990s. In 1996, Jax received a Bush Foundation grant to conduct a study concerning educational policy pertaining to urban high school students. [6] For the past 25 years Jax has taught and held administrative positions at various higher education institutions, including Ashworth College, [7] Capella University, [8] and Walden University, [9] as well as Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. [10] In 2015 she accepted the position of chief academic officer at Digital Media Arts College. [11] In 2021 Jax became the CEO of International Accreditation Association. [12]
From 1999 to 2003 she served the state of Minnesota as Commissioner of Education (Education Chief) as a member of Governor Jesse Ventura's appointed cabinet. [13] During her tenure, the budget of the department she led (the Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning, which was the state's state education agency) was cut by $8.5 million (more than 10 percent). As a result, according to Education Week , Jax "cut one-quarter of the department's staff, to 183 positions, and restricted agency spending on travel, hiring, and contracting." [14]
Jax has authored three non-fiction books: The Seven Stages of an Enlightened Teacher; Who's Building the Ark: How to Manage Through Hell and High Water; and Rolling in Their Graves: Trump Versus Great Minds (the latter under the pseudonym C.J. Castle). [15]
In 2002, Jax was briefly a candidate for governor of Minnesota, running as an Independence Party of Minnesota candidate. [16] Jax dropped out of the race and endorsed congressman Tim Penny, who was defeated by Republican Tim Pawlenty in a three-way race. [17]
Jax subsequently moved from Minnesota to South Florida. Jax ran for the Palm Beach County School Board in 2012. [18] [19] In a five-candidate race, Jax advanced to a runoff election, [20] [21] but was defeated by Michael Murgio. [22]
Jax is married to Jesus "Zeus" Castillo, a Miami-Dade Firefighter/paramedic. The couple has seven children and seven grandchildren. [23]