Spellings was the second secretary of education under former President George W. Bush. She joined the Chamber in April as a senior advisor to its president and CEO, and will continue in her position as president and CEO of her public policy consulting firm Margaret Spellings and Company, according to the Chamber.

Before serving as education secretary, Spellings helped shape the No Child Left Behind Act as assistant to President Bush for domestic policy. She also served as a senior adviser working on education issues during his governorship.

In her new role, Spelling will help reach out to universities and colleges in support of the Campaign for Free Enterprise, a multi-year $100 million effort slated to launch this fall.

The Spellings announcement follows a few other high-profile hires for the effort.

(Photo of Spellings courtesy of Creative Commons)