Kelly Layman, who has served as spokeswoman for the Florida Board of Governors amid some particularly tumultuous times recently in higher education, is stepping down.

Layman, who formerly owned her own communications firm, is returning to the private sector after 22 years working in government communications. She is joining the Tallahassee-based MedAffinity health technology company while doing other consulting work.

Her last day is Friday.

In a resignation letter (attached), she thanked state university system chancellor Frank Brogan for "the opportunity to work the past two years with committed university leaders, students, researchers, innovators and indefatigable journalists."

"This exciting era has been a true privilege to be a small part of," Layman wrote, "especially for someone who has lived in Florida her whole life and is a 'product' of the system." Layman attended the University of Florida.

Layman served as a liaison between media and higher education leaders at a time when the state university system has been under intense scrutiny. In the past year alone, there was the chaotic split of the University of South Florida Polytechnic into the state's 12th university, the death of a student band member at Florida A&M University, continuing state budget cuts and power struggles over tuition hikes. Not to mention increased interest in higher education reforms by legislators and the governor.

Layman didn't mention any of that in her resignation letter, instead highlighting a project she is especially proud of: the board's new strategic plan and accountability report, developed by the board's staff during the past couple years. It includes an online, searchable database of a number of different metrics for each of the state's 11 universities.