In order for our members to know the individuals who serve them at the national level, NASDCTEc presents a blog series called “Meet Your Board Members;” today we are featuring Mike Raponi, Region IX Representative, and State Director of Nevada. Region IX encompasses Arizona, California and Nevada.

Mike Raponi has worked in technical education for over twenty-seven years as a teacher and program administrator, including his current position as director for the Office of Career Technical Education (CTE) at the Nevada Department of Education. He has a bachelor’s degree in industrial education from the University of Wisconsin–Stout and a master’s degree in adult education and from Oregon State University. Mike also holds a school administration endorsement.

At the Department of Education, Mike is responsible for staff supervision, grants administration, and program development for CTE and adult education. His primary focus for CTE has been the development of common state standards, common course names and sequences, end-of-program assessments, curriculum frameworks and programs of study for all of CTE. This work is to provide the infrastructure to support state-level priorities for economic and workforce development.

Mike’s background includes time spent in the grocery and construction industries, and service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras.

Mr. Raponi said his states’ work in developing a common set of standards for employability skills based on the twenty-one Workplace Readiness Standards established by the Commonwealth of Virginia, was recently adopted by the Nevada State Board of Education.

When asked for his goals as NASDCTEc Region IX representative, Mr. Raponi said he was excited to move forward on initiatives to help CTE nationwide, and to assist states in achieving goals of the new vision for CTE.

Mr. Raponi brings a rich history of CTE knowledge to the table and can be reached at mraponi@doe.nv.gov.

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

In order for our members to know the individuals who serve them at the national level, NASDCTEc presents a blog series called “Meet Your Board Members;” today we are featuring June Sanford, Region I Representative, and State Director of Connecticut. Region I encompasses Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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 (CTE) 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 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 for all students grades 6-12 under the Connecticut Plan for Secondary School Reform.

On the national level, as Connecticut State Director of CTE since 2003, June is a former President of the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) and has recently rejoined the Association Board of Directors. During her tenure as President, a new Vision for Career Technical Education was established, “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 goal as NASDCTEc Region I representative, Ms. Sanford said “To share the tremendous importance of Career Technical Education as preparation for all students to be successful in life and in the global economy.”

June brings a wealth of experience and insight into the Region I leadership role. We thank Ms. Sanford for sharing her personal insight and goal 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 presents a blog series called “Meet Your Board Members;” today we are featuring Eleni Papadakis, Region X Representative, and State Director of Washington. Region X encompasses Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Eleni Papadakis was appointed by Washington’s Governor Christine Gregoire in 2007 as the Executive Director of the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, more commonly known as the Workforce Board. Business, labor and government stakeholders are equally represented on this tri-partite board, which oversees 18 different state and federal funding streams in the state’s comprehensive workforce development system.

Eleni came to Washington with more than 25 years of experience in the workforce development arena–from service delivery through state and federal policy work. Eleni came to Washington from Commonwealth Corporation, a Massachusetts quasi-public corporation, where she established the Center for Workforce Innovation, a research and demonstration arm of the state’s workforce development system, and a national consulting organization on economic and workforce development strategies Leading up to that role, Eleni oversaw the development and implementation of numerous state-wide and regional initiatives, for special population groups and for targeted industry sectors, including biotechnology, fiber optics, manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, telecommunications and software. She also helped facilitate Massachusetts’ transition to WIA and the development of a state plan to eradicate healthcare workforce shortages.

Eleni has also worked in business–including operating her own small business, a bistro-entertainment venue–and lead a multi-service community-based organization for 9 years. Eleni holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Assumption College and Bachelors in Psychology from Clark University, both in Worcester, Massachusetts.

When asked for her goals as a Board Member, Eleni said “My interests are in making certain that high quality Career Technical Education is accessible to all students, that we have clear and accessible pathways from secondary to post-secondary education, and that career success for all students is our ultimate mission.”

NASDCTEc appreciates Eleni’s willingness to serve as a Board member. She can be reached at EPapadakis@wtb.wa.gov.

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager