Covington, 27, will fill a new position that reports to Associate Commissioner of Public Affairs David Buhler. Her duties include responding to public and news-media inquiries, preparing reports for the Board of Regents and legislators, and assisting in outreach programs for public higher education.

She will be paid $54,000 a year to work three-quarter time, or 30 hours a week.

The System of Higher Education - with a staff of more than 170 - is the administrative arm of the state Board of Regents. The 16-member board oversees the state's 10 colleges and universities.

"The Board of Regents has been successful in communicating with all its stakeholders. Hopefully, I can help expand on that outreach with the universities and the business community," Covington said Tuesday, adding that the No. 1 priority come January is the 2005 Legislature.

"Given Governor Walker's initiative to increase technology transfer from [research] universities to businesses and Governor-elect [Jon] Huntsman's focus on economy development - all of that involves higher ed," Covington said. "We will be working to increase that partnership."

Before joining Walker's staff, Covington served as communications director for the Utah Department of Transportation. She also has worked as a broadcast reporter and producer for Salt Lake City's KTVX Channel 4 and KSL Channel 5.

Covington, the mother of two sons, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah in 1999 with a degree in broadcast journalism.

sykes@sltrib.com