NASDCTEc would like to welcome Steve Voytek, who recently joined our team as a Government Relations Associate. Steve will be promoting the organization’s policy priorities and legislative objectives for Career Technical Education by engaging policymakers and stakeholders at an important time for CTE legislation.

Steve began his career at the National Aquarium in Baltimore where he worked as a Governmental Affairs Assistant before moving on to the National Institute of Standards & Technology in the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. Most recently, Steve worked as a Research Associate for the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) where he tracked legislation and programs of interest for the organization. During his time at NAWB he developed a keen interest in workforce development issues and focused particularly on the Workforce Investment Act.

A Maryland native, Steve completed his B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Hiram College. After graduation he completed a transatlantic dual M.A. degree under the auspices of the Atlantis Program, jointly administered and funded by the U.S. Department of Education and European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture. Over the course of his studies Steve had the opportunity to spend over a year living abroad in both Poland and Estonia.

Steve’s unique educational background and work experiences have helped him develop an intimate understanding of the challenges facing education and the workforce in an ever more globalized labor market.  Through this lens Steve appreciates that Career Technical Education policy is a vital ingredient to developing a strong and sustainable workforce for the future.

In his spare time he enjoys books, film, and coaching youth wrestling. When asked what he is looking forward to most in his new position he responded, “I look forward to meeting all of our members and acting as a strong voice for their interests on the Hill.”

Please extend a warm welcome to Steve Voytek, who can be reached at [email protected].

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

NASDCTEc is pleased to announce a new staff member, David Beckett, who will be filling the role of Advocacy Manager. David joins NASDCTEc with a wide range of experience in education and public policy, both in Europe and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Aberdeen with a degree in Psychology, David worked for the Scottish Government’s Education Department, for New Educational Developments. David left the Scottish Government to work as the Youth & Education Officer at the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) Headquarters for the 2007 parliamentary campaign, around which time he was selected to stand for election.

David was elected as a City Councilor in the 2007 elections for the City Center Ward of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. He was appointed as the Vice Chair of the Education, Children & Families Committee, which oversaw an annual budget of around $700m and was responsible for a school district of 47,000 pupils, social work for those aged under 18, and adult education. Other Committees David served on include Pensions & Trusts; Health, Social Care & Housing and Audit, and he worked as a Senior Councilor to balance the city budget of $2 billion for 500,000 people.

In 2011, David moved to Massachusetts to study Education Policy & Management at Harvard University. The courses David took at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Kennedy School of Government included Education Finance and Budgeting, Managing and Running Political Campaigns, Microeconomics, Politics & Education Policy in the United States, State & Local Public Finance and Statistics. David also worked for Secretary Paul Reville in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education and for Representative Peisch, the Joint Chair of the Massachusetts Education Committee.

After graduating from Harvard, David moved to Washington, DC as an Education Pioneers Fellow where he worked on matters including charter school metrics, labor-management relations & state education reform policies. After the fellowship, David joined Representative Jim Moran’s campaign in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District where he worked as a coordinated campaign representative, before joining NASDCTEc.

When asked for his goals in his new position, David said “I would like to represent our members on the Hill and serve as their voice, promoting Career Technical Education.” He also shared “I would like to let our members know that I am available to assist with policy-related issues, and am looking forward to meeting everyone at our upcoming Spring Meeting.”

NASDCTEc Executive Director Kimberly Green said “We are excited to have David to serve as our new Advocacy Manager. His experience and passion for education and workforce policy are a great addition to our team as we begin the important work of reauthorizing Perkins and protecting the federal investment in CTE during these challenging fiscal times.”

Please extend a warm welcome to Mr. Beckett, who can be reached at [email protected] or by phone 301-588-9630.

Learn MORE about the 2013 NASDCTEc Spring Meeting

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager