ATLANTA (AP) — The State Board of Education has announced seven people have been appointed to the State Charter Schools Commission, which has the power to authorize charter schools.

The commission is comprised of nominees from Gov. Nathan Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston.

Deal's nominees include Jennifer Rippner, an attorney, Tony Lowden, director of an after school enrichment program in Bibb County and Charles Knapp, an economist and educator who is also president emeritus of the University of Georgia.

Cagle's nominees include Tom Lewis, Georgia State University vice president for external affairs and Paul W. Williams, CFO of the Brickstream Corporation.

Ralston has nominated Jose R. Perez, president of business consulting firm Target Market Trends, Inc. and James E. Hogg, a longtime educator and administrator, to the commission.