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Winter Quarterly Newsletter

Dearest PACE Division Members,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. We are writing to update you on the latest news within our association and to remind you of the upcoming events and opportunities that are available to you as members.

Firstly, we would like to thank you for your continued support and participation in the PACE Division. Your membership is important to us, and we appreciate all that you do to contribute to our mission.

In the past few months, we have been working hard to expand our member benefits and to provide new opportunities for professional development and networking. We have also been actively seeking out new partnerships and sponsorships to help support our mission and to bring added value to our members.

One of the upcoming events that we are particularly excited about is the Postsecondary CTE Summit, which will be held in Chicago this coming September. This event will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, and is a great opportunity to connect with other members and to learn more about the latest developments in postsecondary education.

In addition to the Postsecondary CTE Summit, we also have the National Policy Seminar (NPS) and webinars planned for the coming months, covering topics such as professional development, industry trends, and best practices. We encourage you to check out our calendar and to register for any events that you are interested in.

Don't forget to also check out our website here for additional resources and information, as well as to stay up-to-date on the latest news and events. 

Cheers to the new year, and to the new opportunities that it may bring!

PACE Division News

ACTE's CareerTech VISION 2023 was held in bright and sunny Phoenix, Arizona from Nov. 30-Dec. 2. 

My deepest gratitude to John Noel (PACE Awards Chairperson and Oklahoma PACE Leader) for not only compiling our treasured “Blue Book'' but also hand delivering them to the conference. I would also like to extend a special thank you to all of our volunteer awards judges who reviewed and selected all PACE Award submissions. 

 A sincere thank you to PACE Vision Planning Committee Member, Brian Rick who connected us with Dr/ C.J. Worley who serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Phoenix College.

C.J. delivered a presentation based on his own experience with rolling out 4-year degree programs at community colleges. His presentation also addressed the local economic and industry drivers. Mr. C.J. Wurster also provided opportunities for open discussion and post-conference follow-up.         

An extended thank you to Mr. Jason Roth and this year’s PACE sponsor, Autodesk for their support of our VISION events. Mr. Roth engaged with our membership throughout VISION and discussed Autodesk’s desire to continue and grow their participation in our division's future events.

Mr. Jason Roth is the Engineering and Manufacturing Education Program Manager for Autodesk. He is also an accomplished engineer turned seasoned educator, initially graduated from Purdue University at Indianapolis in Mechanical Engineering Technology and later a graduate degree from Ball State University in Technology Education. He ascended from a parts cleaner to an engineer at VDS Racing Engines and later as a project engineer for a division of Pratt & Whitney.

In Indiana Jason transformed a struggling high school tech program and eventually continued his educational journey as a Program Chair for Design Technology, Athletic Director, and then Assistant Dean at Ivy Tech Community College. Today, as an Education Manager at Autodesk, he continues to inspire and guide learners in their pursuit of new skills and personal growth.

I was extremely thrilled for the number of attendees that we had for this event as well as for the turn-out during our PACE Reception that was held on the evening of Dec. 1 at the convention center.

The reception would not have been a success without the sponsorship and contributions from our friend of PACE, Autodesk. Mr. Jason Roth engaged our attendees with a brief overview of his organization and words of encouragement for advancing the work we are all doing for CTE and Adult Education. We were truly honored. 

Additionally, my sincerest gratitude to PACE Leaders; Dr. Sophia Alston, Brett Richardson, Robb Lowe, (Incoming PACE Vice President) Shawn Freie, Jeffrey Sullivan and Brian Rick who were major contributors to the success of our division’s programs at VISION.

A Word From Our Autodesk Sponsor

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PACE Awards Chairperson, Mr. John Noel presented our nominees and award winners during the business meeting and opening session at VISION. We would like to recognize and honor this year’s award recipients:

2023 PACE Ambassador of the Year              

Winner – Shawn Freie

2023 PACE Award of Excellence                   

Winner – Jona K Squires

2023 PACE Economic Development Award   

Winner – Teri Cothren

2023 PACE Diversity and Inclusion Award    

Winner – Chante Sourignavong

2023 PACE Outstanding Training Activity       

Winner – Lauren Wren

2023 PACE Innovation Award                         

Winner – Speranta E Klees

During our opening session, reception and hospitality room we recognized our selected PACE Experienced Fellow, Mr. Quentin Kelly. Mr. Kelly graciously addressed our members with a few words of gratitude for his selection.

Mr. Kelly is a Career and Technical Coordinator for Louisiana’s Community & Technical College Systems.

Mr. Quentin Kelly, Sr. was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is a 10-year military veteran, serving six years in the Army and four years in the U.S. Air Force. He has a Master's in Public Administration from The University of Louisiana Monroe.  Quentin is a devoted family man who cherishes his role as a husband and father. He enjoys cycling and coaching his kids' YMCA youth sports team and we are proud to have him representing the PACE Division through his appointment to the National ACTE Fellowship Program.

We are very honored to have Mr. Kelly representing the PACE Division this year. 

The 2024 Postsecondary CTE Summit, “The Future of Postsecondary CTE”, will be held Sept. 18-20 in Chicago, Illinois. Registration will open soon. To register and find out more information please use the following link. Call for proposal submissions will be open Feb.12-May 3.

Download Conference Strands and Themes

Please join us for a year of postsecondary focus and support with our webinar series and recorded webinars.

ACTE is pleased to begin hosting all free webinars on our premier online learning network, CTE Learn, which also features more than 180 for-credit CTE courses along with numerous free resources. If you’re not already an ACTE CTE Learn user, register here and sign in to access both upcoming and recorded webinars.

To register or login use the following link. Sign up for upcoming webinars upon registration/login on the right hand side of the page. Recorded Webinars are categorized on the left hand side.

Upcoming Webinars

Bridging Access and Equity Gaps in Postsecondary CTE

Access and equity are critical issues in postsecondary CTE. This webinar will focus on ways professionals and educators can find and address access and equity gaps.

Postsecondary CTE Research Fellows Program

Join us as we learn more about the Postsecondary CTE Research Fellows Program. This program is aimed at strengthening postsecondary CTE research. Meet the director and former fellows in this highly anticipated panel. Past and current research projects will be revealed, and we will learn why research is important to move the field forward.

Bridging Access and Equity Gaps in Postsecondary CTE

Access and equity are critical issues in postsecondary CTE. This webinar will focus on ways professionals and educators can find and address access and equity gaps.

NextLevel Fellows Program

Do you want to become a stronger leader? If so, come learn about this nationally recognized program focused on supporting the next generation of leaders in postsecondary CTE. Meet alumni of the NextLevel Postsecondary CTE Leaders at ACTE, sponsored by the ECMC Foundation, and hear about their experiences and how this program has catapulted them professionally and personally.

Book Launch: Curriculum Development & Design in CTE

Join us as we meet the authors of this new book. We will explore the need for this resource in career and technical (CTE) and reveal how the book was developed. Discover how this book can help you design a curriculum that will support your CTE students.

To view the full list of recorded webinars visit CTE Learn.

Transitioning Update for PACE’s Incoming Leader

Our incoming PACE Vice President, Shawn Freie joined me during VISION to address our attending members, and assist me throughout our multiple sessions.

Shawn will continue her mentorship during the NPS this March in Washington, D.C. and will be officially installed into the PACE Vice President position during the July 2024 Board Meeting. I have deeply appreciated this time with her and I am confident that this succession process will be highly beneficial to our PACE Division. 

We look forward to continuing to serve you and to support your professional development as members of our association and division.

Yours in Education,

Kristina Ropos

VP, ACTE Postsecondary, Adult and Career Education Division

Executive Director of CTE

Oakmont Education

Columbus, Ohio

From ACTE

ACTE Announces Board of Directors 2024 Election Results

ACTE's recent board of directors election was open to the Association’s membership of approximately 25,000 career and technical education (CTE) professionals. We are grateful to all of the candidates for their willingness to serve the Association. Congratulations to the winners:

• Dustin Davis-Austin, Region II Vice President-elect
• Martin Hanley, Region III Vice President-elect
• Karin Davis, Family and Consumer Sciences Education Division Vice President-elect
• LaDonna Selvidge, Health Science Education Division Vice President
• Richard Trinkwalder, New and Related Services Division Vice President-elect
• Jan Jardine, Work-based Learning Division Vice President

Further, given that one person applied to serve in each of the following positions, the board of directors voted to appoint:

• Shani Watkins, President-elect
• Craig Statucki, Region V Vice President
• Matthew Eddy, Agricultural Education Division Vice President

Celebrate CTE Month!

Generously sponsored by NAHB

Join us as we celebrate CTE Month^®, generously sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Each year in February, we celebrate educators like you and spread awareness about the importance of CTE by sharing your success stories via #CTEMonth on social media, encouraging your students to participate in this year’s CTE Month-NASA HUNCH student video challenge, “Why Go to the Moon?,” gearing up with festive CTE Month merchandise at shopacte.com to show your support for CTE, and much more!

2024 Events

Hone Your CTE Advocacy Skills & Raise Awareness for CTE

With a featured event from the CTE Research Network

Come voice your opinion on CTE policy and programming, and share what your community needs, at ACTE’s National Policy Seminar, happening March 17–20 in Arlington, Virginia. Featured sessions will cover best practices for influencing federal policy and CTE advocacy and messaging. And on the last day of the event, March 20, the CTE Research Network will address topics that will help expand the evidence base for CTE.

Achieve 100 Award

Apply for the Achieve 100 Award 



ACTE’s Achieve 100 Award is presented to schools and institutions that achieve 100% ACTE membership among their CTE staff and faculty. This is a distinguished award that showcases an organization’s dedication and commitment to CTE. Applications are due Feb. 1.

ACTE Digital Badge