Governor-elect Tate Reeves has announced the appointments of three Mississippians to serve on boards managing public education and government ethics.

Former state Sen. Nancy Collins of Tupelo will serve on the state Board of Education. She replaces Charles McClelland, whose term expired. Collins served in the Senate from 2012 to 2016 where she was vice chairwoman of the Education Committee and chairwoman of the Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee. She served as chairwoman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance, Evaluation and Expenditure Review.

Collins, a nurse, has been active in numerous community organizations, including serving as Founding President of Sanctuary Hospice House. She also has worked as a speech therapist and social worker. She earned her bachelor’s degree in speech therapy from Mississippi University for Women and nursing degree from Itawamba Community College.

Central Mississippi businessman Bill Billingsley will serve on the Mississippi Charter School Authorizing Board.  Billingsley, a Madison resident, is the owner of Home Health Care Affiliates. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, a Master’s degree in healthcare administration from Baylor University and a Master’s degree in computer resource management from Webster University. He is active in education reform efforts to give parents options in their children’s education.

Jackson attorney Spencer Ritchie will serve on the state Ethics Commission. He is a partner at Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP. He previously served as executive director of the Mississippi Republican Party and as an associate at Watkins & Eager.  Ritchie has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a law degree from the University of Mississippi.