Overview:
Denise Carter has spent more than 30 years supporting and leading federal operations and has received Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards in recognition of her achievements at the Department and HHS.
President Donald Trump has appointed Denise Carter to lead the Department of Education on an interim basis while the Senate considers his nominee, Linda McMahon, for the position of Secretary of Education. This move, policy experts say, is a typical step during the early days of a new administration.
Carter, the former acting COO of the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), will be the acting education secretary until the Senate confirms Linda McMahon, a former WWE CEO, is confirmed. The Senate has yet to schedule a hearing for McMahon’s nomination.
As acting COO, Carter spearheaded efforts to review and reorganize FSA operations. She also oversaw the phased launch of the 2025–26 federal student aid application, which underwent testing by select groups of students and counselors before being fully rolled out in November.
Carter’s prior experience includes serving as acting assistant secretary of finance and operations for the department, where she managed finances, human resources, and property operations. She also held several leadership roles at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Department of Education did not respond to requests for comment, but a spokesperson confirmed that additional details about the department’s “landing team” will be released soon.
The landing team, a group of political appointees who assume leadership roles without requiring Senate confirmation, helps ensure a smooth transition following a presidential inauguration. These appointees often serve as acting officials to fill senior leadership positions until permanent nominees are confirmed temporarily. Civil servants and career staffers continue to manage daily operations during the transition.
A department official confirmed that the Trump administration has chosen additional acting officials, including Penny Schwinn as Deputy Secretary of Education. However, these appointments have not yet been publicly announced.
The interim leadership appointments underscore the administration’s efforts to maintain the department’s functionality while awaiting Senate confirmation of its permanent appointees.
