Russell Weikle, a key veteran of state and national Career Technical Education efforts, is the new director of the California Department of Education’s (CDE) Career and College Transition Division.

As director of the Career and College Transition Division, Russ provides leadership and guidance to five education units covering the 15 CTE industry sectors; Regional Occupational Centers and Programs; more than 400 California Partnership Academies; linked learning research and development; 21st Century skills research and development; California Career Technical Student Organizations; high school innovation and initiatives; post-secondary program relations; Perkins federal program management; and several other career and college initiatives.

Russell joined the California Department of Education in 2001, and has served as a consultant, administrator, and State Director for SkillsUSA. He has been the Administrator for the Carl D. Perkins grant office since 2005 and was the catalyst in the development and implementation of the 2008 State Plan for CTE. Most recently, he led the effort to revise the CTE Model Curriculum Standards, which were approved by the California State Board of Education in January 2013.

In 2011, the Association of California School Administrators recognized Mr. Weikle as the California CTE Administrator of the Year in recognition for his long time dedication to the improvement of CTE in California.

Prior to his assignment at the California Department of Education, Russell served as a middle school principal, a high school counselor and CTE instructor.

Russell earned an MA in Industrial Technology and a BA in Industrial Arts from California State University, Fresno. He holds credentials in School Administration, Counseling, Industrial Arts education, and a Designated Subjects credential in Carpentry.

Russell has been serving as the interim State CTE Director since Dr. Patrick Ainsworth’s November 2012 retirement.

NASDCTEc welcomes Russell Weikle, a true CTE advocate. He can be reached at [email protected].

For additional information please visit the California Career and College Transition Division web page.

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

NASDCTEc welcomes Dr. Peggy Wild, CFCS, State Director of Career & Technical Education and Assistant Director of College & Career Readiness Curriculum for STEM & CTE in Indiana, after serving as Interim in these same positions.  Until this appointment, Dr. Wild was the State Program Leader for Family & Consumer Sciences (F&CS).  She has served as the project director for Indiana’s College & Career Pathways Development & Implementation Project and liaison to Indiana’s consortium for alternate licensure of CTE teachers.  Participation in leader roles in Indiana’s esteemed CTE community provides Peggy with many opportunities to collaborate with state agencies, education entities and professional associations for the advancement of CTE.

Prior to joining the Indiana Department of Education, Peggy was national marketing manager for CTE at Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, Director of Education & Publications at the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), State Supervisor for F&CS at the New Hampshire Department of Education, and Assistant Professor and F&CS Teacher Education Coordinator at the University of Arizona.  Her early career consisted of classroom teaching in F&CS, language arts, and elementary special education and management positions in the hospitality industry.

Dr. Wild’s professional activities include serving as national president for AAFCS, F&CS Education Association (FCSEA) and the National Association for State Administrators of F&CS.  She participated on the management team to develop national standards for F&CS and coordinated the last review and revision of those standards.  She has presented at multiple national and state conferences on topics such as pathway assessments and industry recognized certifications, work based learning, integrating common core standards in CTE curriculum, best practices in F&CS, increasing dual credit opportunities, and alternate routes to CTE teacher licensure.

Peggy earned bachelor’s degrees in F&CS and elementary education, a master’s degree in F&CS Education, and a PhD in curriculum, instruction and assessment from the University of Arizona. She holds the national CFCS (Certified in Family & Consumer Sciences) credential.  She was awarded the Honorary Doctorate by Purdue University’s College of Education and Consumer and Family Sciences for outstanding service and leadership in F&CS innovation and improvement.  Other honors include AAFCS’s Distinguished Service and National Leader awards, ACTE’s Award of Merit and Region Three Outstanding Teacher Educator, FCSEA’s Outstanding Educator and FCCLA’s Distinguished Service Award.  

Peggy says that service to CTE and F&CS has brought rich rewards and she looks forward to active participation in NASDCTEc’s organization and activities.

We extend a warm welcome to Dr. Wild. She can be reached at [email protected].

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

NASDCTEc is pleased to welcome Ms. Kathleen Cullen, new State Director of Wisconsin.

Ms. Cullen was named Vice President of Teaching and Learning for the Wisconsin Technical College System in 2005. Prior to that role she served first, as an Education Director for Family and Consumer Education and then, as the Associate Vice President for Instruction. Recently, with the appointment of a new President for the System, her title changed to Provost and Vice President of Student Success to reflect the importance of acknowledging the integration of instruction and student services. In her current position Kathy provides leadership and administrative oversight for the development and delivery of the WTCS technical college educational programs, student services and assessment, economic development and adult basic education.

Kathy’s responsibilities to provide administrative oversight for activities and plans related to Wisconsin’s post-secondary programs and services, including both AEFL and Perkins creates opportunities to partner with many entities in the state and nationally. For example, her work with Perkins is dependent upon successful collaboration with Wisconsin’s K-12 community and the Department of Public Instruction. She is currently a member of Wisconsin’s Career Readiness Partnership with a focus on implementation of the Common Core. Wisconsin is a leader in the development of Career Pathways, both for youth and adults and in that work she and her staff have reached out to numerous partners to include Wisconsin’s workforce development entities, community based organizations and both the private and public four year systems.

Ms. Cullen began her career in education as a Family and Consumer Education teacher but it was during the time she worked for the University of Wisconsin Extension that she fully realized her desire to work with adult education. Kathy has a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Education and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin Madison, with an emphasis on Adult Education. She has over 35 years of leadership experience in secondary and post-secondary education and looks forward to working with the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education and it prestigious membership.

We offer a warm welcome to Ms. Cullen, who can be reached at [email protected].

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

NASDCTEc is pleased to welcome Mr. Eric Spencer, new State Director of New Mexico.

Mr. Spencer was named director of the New Mexico Public Education Department’s (PED) College and Career Readiness Bureau in October 2012. Prior to assuming his new role, he served the PED for 12 ½ years in multiple roles to include Staff Manger for Career-Technical and Workforce Education, and most recently as the Budget Director for the Administrative Services Division.

Mr. Spencer began his career in education as a business teacher where he worked in one of New Mexico’s smaller high schools and in one of the largest high schools. His district level experience includes teaching at the elementary, middle and high school levels, working as an assistant to a principal at an elementary school, and as an assistant to a district superintendent. For the last 6 years, he has served as adjunct faculty member in the School of Business and Professional Studies at Luna Community College where he teaches accounting, finance and economics.

His bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration, and all the coursework required for his teaching and administrative licenses, were earned at New Mexico Highlands University. After completing these credentials he studied insurance and risk management at California State University – San Francisco. He continues to be a lifelong learner as he is currently studying architectural design and art at the Santa Fe Community College.

As a recipient of numerous educational awards, he has been recognized at the state and national levels for his many contributions to the education system. When asked for a goal he said “Nothing is more important to me than to ensure we provide the opportunity for all New Mexico students to engage in a meaningful and purposeful education to achieve their college and employment goals, and to support all those in the system that make it happen.”

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

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager