“Meet Your Board Member” series continues…

In order for our members to know the individuals who serve them at the national level, NASDCTEc is presenting a blog series called “Meet Your Board Members;” today we are featuring June Sanford, Past President.

 June Sanford joined the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) in 1999 as an education consultant for school-based School-to-Career and Cooperative Work Education programs. She serves as State Director of Career Technical Education and Perkins Program Manager responsible for grant administration, performance accountability data, state-wide program monitoring, and implementation of the Connecticut Career Clusters/Pathway Initiative. June co-chairs the CSDE partnership team for the High School, College, and Workforce Alignment and is a state representative for the five-state New England Secondary School Consortium, League of Innovative Schools Committee, dedicated to student success. In addition, June co-leads the CSDE initiative for the Student Success Plan legislated under the Connecticut Plan for Secondary School Reform.

On the national level, as Connecticut State Director of Career and Technical Education since 2003, June currently serves as Past President of the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium. During her tenure as President, a new Vision for Career Technical Education was established by the Association, “Reflect, Transform, Lead:  A New Vision for Career Technical Education”, focused on the preparedness of students for college- and career-readiness.

Before joining the State Department of Education, June was a secondary education teacher for business, marketing, cooperative work education, and social studies, an advisor for DECA and the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and grant administrator. She holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Post University and a M.S. degree in Business Education from Central Connecticut State University. Prior to becoming a secondary education teacher, she was employed in Corporate Human Resources for Timex Corporation as a Compensation Analyst and Benefits Accountant…June has learned how to “take a licking and keep on ticking”.

When asked her goals while in office, Ms. Sanford said her goals were “to assist the NASDCTEc to establish an agenda and policies to bring CTE to the forefront of education and make public an understanding of the importance of CTE as preparation for all students to be successful in life and in the global economy.”

We thank Ms. Sanford for sharing her personal insight and goals for our organization. She can be reached at june.sanford@ct.gov.

In order for our members to know the individuals who serve them at the national level, NASDCTEc is presenting a blog series called “Meet Your Board Members;” today we are featuring Secretary-Treasurer Ms. Marie Barry, from New Jersey.

Ms. Barry is currently director of the Office of Career and Technical Education at the New Jersey Department of Education.  In this capacity she administers all activities and plans related to the Carl D. Perkins Education Improvement Act and serves as the state director for career and technical education for secondary and postsecondary CTE programs.  She is also a member of the department’s cross-divisional team addressing secondary education transformation, and, specifically, provides leadership for the pilot program on the development of personalized student learning plans.

Ms. Barry has served in various capacities at the NJ Department of Education since 1999.  She has coordinated the High Schools That Work Initiative, administered initiatives related to career development and school counseling and coordinates with workforce development entities to promote articulation between education, the business and labor communities and other stakeholders.  During her tenure in the NJ DOE, Ms. Barry has also been responsible for the administration of programs related to career and technical student organizations.  She served as the liaison with the office of Special Education on issues related to developing plans and policies to promote the successful transition of special education students under the School-to-Work initiative.   

Ms. Barry currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association for State Directors in Career and Technical Education Consortium and serves as the State Director liaison to the FFA and ACTE Board of Directors.   In the past she has also served on the executive committee of the National Association for Workforce Improvement and the New Jersey School Counselor Association. She represents the Commissioner on the State Employment and Training Commission and the Governors School Board of Overseers.

Prior to joining the department, Ms. Barry worked as a career counselor and specialist where she served youth and adults in the community. She designed programs to address the varied career development needs of students, the entering workforce, displaced workers and incumbent workers.  She is a certified school counselor, a national certified counselor and a certified rehabilitation counselor.  Ms Barry holds a Bachelors degree from Rutgers University and a Masters in Education from Seton Hall University.

In reflecting on her office, Ms. Barry stated “It is an honor to be serving in this leadership position in such a critical time for career and technical education.  It is my goal to enhance the awareness of the potential of CTE to positively impact on our entire educational system.  To do this, it is imperative that we focus on evidence and outcomes that demonstrate success and strengthen our collaboration with our multiple partners in education and workforce development.  With the launch of the new vision, State Directors across the nation have a unique opportunity to elevate CTE to a new level and promote it as a vehicle for success for all students.”

We thank Ms. Barry for sharing her personal insight and goals for our organization. She can be reached at marie.barry@doe.state.nj.us.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is pleased to announce Lolita Hall has begun her new duties as Career and Technical Education Director, effective January 3, 2011. Ms. Hall brings in-depth expertise in career technical education (CTE) program administration, extensive experience with agency policies and procedures, and experience with assessment and accountability in the division of student and school improvement assessment to the Department.

Lolita has worked for the VDOE since 1990 when she started as a state supervisor of vocational home economics education.  In her ten years in the CTE office, she provided leadership and coordination for the vocational special needs programs, development of the performance standards and measures for secondary CTE programs, High Schools that Work program, and served as a program improvements specialist.  In the latter role, she coordinated the Comprehensive School Improvement Institute for academic and CTE teachers and administrators, helped develop the state plan for secondary CTE, and worked with the development of accountability and monitoring processes and procedures for local CTE improvement plans.

 Lolita has served in the VDOE’s assessment division as team lead for the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) test implementation.  Her various responsibilities have included implementation of the NAEP testing program, monitoring local SOL assessment procedures, resolving test irregularity issues, redesigning SOL testing materials, and maintaining the master schedule for student assessment.

The Virginia Department of Education and NASDCTEc wish her great success in her new role as CTE director. Ms. Hall can be reached at LB.Hall@doe.virginia.gov.