Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Roberta Jones to the Board of the Perpich Center for Arts Education.

Jones, of Minneapolis, is an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney. Prior to joining the County Attorney's Office, she worked as a law clerk for Judge LaJune Thomas Lange of the Fourth Judicial District in Hennepin County. Jones is the President of the Board of Directors of the Wayside House in St. Louis Park. She previously served on the Board of Directors of the African American AIDS Task Force. Jones received a B.A. in Spanish Literature from Ohio Wesleyan University, a M.A. in Economics from the New School for Social Research in New York, and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Jones is appointed to an at-large seat on the board. She will serve the remainder of a partial term which ends on January 3, 2005. Jones fills the board seat formerly held by Marjorie Barton Savage.

The Perpich Center for Arts Education is located in Golden Valley. The Perpich Center includes the Arts High School, which is a tuition-free public high school for 310 students in grades 11 and 12. The Arts High School includes students from every congressional district, and graduated its first class in 1990. The Perpich Center also conducts research into arts education and acts as a resource for schools, teachers, students, and artists. The Perpich Center is governed by a board of 15 members appointed by the Governor.