A former administrator for the Baltimore City Public Schools System has been tapped as the new chief academic officer for Baltimore County Public Schools.

Patricia Abernethy’s appointment by Superintendent Joe Hairston also met with approval this week by the Board of Education.

In her new role, Abernethy will oversee the division of Curriculum and Instruction for the system’s 171 schools, centers and programs.

“I am pleased to add Dr. Abernethy to my administrative team,” Hairston said in a statement issued late Wednesday. “The diversity of her experiences — in school and school system leadership in both urban and suburban school districts — creates a depth of expertise that will benefit our students and staff.”

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Abernethy earned a Ph.D. from Fordham University and both bachelor of science and master of education degrees from the University of Delaware.

During her 40-year trek in education, she moved through the ranks serving as a teacher, assistant principal and principal prior to going into schools administration in 1988. Her most recent position was deputy chief of staff for strategic planning and accountability for the city schools system.

Abernethy’s achievements include implementation of multiple research-based interventions to eliminate the achievement gap; strengthening professional development programs; and leading successful efforts in Washington County and Baltimore City to increase Advanced Placement offerings, redesigning Gifted and Talented programs to ensure greater success, and implementing a new reading curriculum that created depth in literacy development, according to Hairston’s statement.

Abernethy, who has authored many articles on education, is also a well-known speaker on topics that include brain development in teenagers, data analysis for student achievement, and Total Quality Management concepts for education.