Dennis W. Bega

Dennis W. Bega is Senior Education staff for the U.S. Department of Education.  Mr. Bega serves as a Department representative for the education provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA),   education and business partnerships, and initiatives linking student learning with post secondary education and career exploration.  In addition, Mr. Bega collaborates on education issues with K-12 and institutions of higher learning, faith-based and community based organizations.  He provides technical assistance to Federal/State/local communities and school districts on matters related to education reform, inclusion of all youth, technology, and other related education initiatives embedded in Federal Education Statutes including teacher quality, accountability and student achievement.

He coordinates the education involvement with continuing education, grants training, welfare reform, juvenile justice, and at-risk youth.  He collaborates with the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, the Appalachian Regional Commission and other partners.  He represents the Department at national, regional and state forums, speaks on the priorities of the Department and is the Education liaison to a number of Federal, regional and state education and public policy initiatives. 

Prior to his present appointment, Mr. Bega held leadership positions in education, professional development, human service and economic development/workforce development in the States of Illinois and Indiana.  Mr. Bega began his career working for a community-based program in South Suburban Chicago, Illinois.  From there, he moved to education, training and development appointments with the U.S. Department of Education in Chicago.  He remained there for ten years.

Mr. Bega completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.