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This morning please extend a warm note of congratulations to the following 2009 Board Elected Members:
NCEA Election Results
President Elect Tom Widlowski
Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Hall
Region 4 Joe Torrisi
Region 5 Bob Steeh
Region 6 Scott Wallner
Congratulations to all and much success in the coming year!
Nominees for 2008 President-Elect |
 Tom Widlowski
As
you may attest, being involved and seeing the community education process at
work over time is a rewarding experience. It inspires the regeneration in the
belief that each of us makes a difference. I received my official exposure upon
attending the National Center for Community Education’s “Boot Camp” in 1986. To
this day, I remain a Community Education Director with Charleston County
Schools in Charleston, South Carolina (Region II).
All
around us, efforts are being made to enhance communities. It is important for us to reaffirm our
organizational identity by helping those engaged in strengthening communities
to view their efforts as, well, Community Education. It is essential to make these
connections to bring about growth and diversity in our membership and as an
organization. Equally important is to
remain grounded in the traditional philosophic beliefs of community education.
Maintaining the balance between knowledge acquired and seizing new directions
is a challenge for NCEA.
As
a past NCEA Board member (2005-07), I have had the opportunity to be involved
in the development of the strategic plan of NCEA. I am familiar with Board
activities and currently serve as co-chair of the NCEA Legislative Committee.
In seeking the office as NCEA President-Elect, it is my hope that, in
cooperation with the Board, its committees and affiliates, we inspire and
empower our members to become more effective leaders. |
Nominees for 2008 Secretary/Treasurer |
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 Donna Grein
Hello!
My name is Donna Grein and I want to serve all of you as Treasurer/Secretary
for NCEA. Currently, I am an educational consultant with the New Mexico Public
Education Department where I work in the dynamic and transformative Rural
Education Bureau. We are starting the fourth year of an exciting initiative to
revitalize the rural communities and schools in the state. My responsibilities
are to work with a number of organizations devoted to improving educational and
economic conditions in New Mexico:
the Outdoor Classroom Initiative, Action
for Healthy Kids, No Child Left Inside Initiative, and the New Mexico Rural Revitalization Initiative
(NMRRI), efforts to address the special needs of our remote and
marginalized rural communities.
I
hold an undergraduate degree in medical technology, a master’s degree in Occupational
Education, and an education specialist degree in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong
Education. In addition, I serve on the boards for the New Mexico Community
Education Association, the Food and Agriculture Policy Council, and the
Environmental Education Association of New Mexico. This year, I am the co-chair
for the NCEA Awards Committee as well as serving on the NCEA Conference
Committee for the Rural Revitalization Program Strand. Both my husband and I
love the outdoors and we have traveled extensively in the United States and Canada in our fifth-wheel trailer
with our two dogs and cat. Hiking and visiting archaeological sites in the
Southwest are among our favorite outdoor activities.
My
education, work experiences, and strong belief in the power of community
education have prepared me well for the Secretary/Treasurer of the National
Community Education Association. Thank you for considering me for this
important position.
 Laurel Hall
Hi!
My name is Laurel Hall. This is my 11th
year as the Community Education Coordinator for Ozark Mountain Technical Center
in Mountain Grove, Missouri. Beginning
my first year I led the development of a Community Education Program that
continues to offers a variety of classes to meet community needs. My duties
include hiring and supervising instructors; marketing and promotion of program;
monitoring program funding (revenue vs. expenses); managing enrollment and
program evaluations; providing services to community; developing community
partnerships and facilitating community based needs assessments and committee
participation.
My
educational background consists of a Masters of Science in Education from
Southwest Baptist University in 2000 and a Bachelor of Science in Business
Education in 1998 from Missouri State University and an Associate of Applied
Science in Business Administration in 1995.
In April 2003, I also obtained my Vocational Education Certification as
an Adult Education Supervisor.
While
serving as Community Education Coordinator, I have been active in the Missouri
Association of Adult Continuing Community Education (MAACCE) organization. After attending the Leadership Development
Institute I was elected Community Education Chairperson and served on the
MAACCE Board for two years in this position.
At the MAACCE 2005 Conference I was elected for a three-year term as
MAACCE President-Elect, President, and Past-President. The duties required during this three-year
term included: Conference planning, Board Meetings, Constitution and By-Law
changes and additions. My three-year
term ended during the 2008 National COABE/MAACCE Conference in April. However I still plan to volunteer on the
MAACCE Planning Committee for the 2009 Conference and to stay active in this
rewarding organization.
Joining
NCEA has been a rewarding and valuable experience. The many benefits, knowledge, and networking
available with our organization is tremendous.
The Reno Conference was excellent and allowed the opportunity to gain
new ideas and information while attending this conference. The contacts and friends I made during this
conference were wonderful and remain very important to me. I was unable to attend the 2007 NCEA
Conference in Minneapolis but look forward to this year’s upcoming
conference.
The
experience that I gained serving on the MAACCE Board, my work experience as a
Community Education Coordinator and my education in business provide the
background needed for the Secretary/Treasurer position on the NCEA Board. I appreciate your votes and if elected I will
do my best to serve this organization to the best of my ability.
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Nominees for 2008 Region 4
(South Central - AK, KS, LA, MO, OK,
TX) |
 Sally Kirkpatrick
My name is Sally Kirkpatrick and I am
Director of Community Relations for Vidor Independent School District in Texas,
a position I have held for three years.
I am in my second year of service on the Board of Directors of the Texas
Community Education Association. I
served one year as a regional director, coordinating regional meetings and
contacting members in the region.
Currently, I hold the position of treasurer.
Community Education is an important
part of my job here in Vidor and I love having the opportunity to work with
other community educators across the state.
I have cultivated new friendships and borrowed ideas that have worked
well for me here in Vidor.
Being an avid reader and having
taught myself to play flute and bass guitar for my fiftieth birthday, it is
evident that I am a strong believer in lifelong learning! I would love to find new ways to encourage
school districts across our great state and nation to implement Community
Education programming so that others may have the opportunities our Southeast
Texas residents have…. to continue learning even after the mortarboards have
been tossed into the air at graduation.
We have wonderful schools, but they often sit dark and empty in the
evenings, on weekends, and during the summer. I hope to work with others across
Texas and the U.S.A. to change this.
 Joe Torrisi
Hello, my name is Joe Torrisi, CE Specialist
for St Louis City Public Schools since 1985. I have placed my name in nomination
as a candidate for Region 4.
In my 23 years of community education, I
have had the honor of working for John Windom, past NCEA President and an
original member of the NCEA Hall of Fame. Windom taught me Community Education
is a process that involves all stakeholders. The Community Council concept is
important for a high quality community education program to evolve and get
positive results.
The concept applies to the NCEA and South
Central region. We are a diverse region of six states, each a stakeholder in
the regional and national levels. I would like to see more opportunities for
sharing.
My strengths are ability to develop unique
and outstanding programs to fulfill needs including childhood obesity, special
ed recreation, reading programs, fighting hunger. I have experience at
coordinating advocacy efforts for community ed and bicycling on city and state
levels. I believe schools and communities are connected and must work together
to achieve success.
I have been elected to numerous leadership
positions, including state co-chairperson. On the national level, I have been
to four NCEA conventions. It would be an honor to serve on the Board of
Directors.
I am not afraid of work, and will work hard
to serve my fellow community educators. My email is joseph.torrisi@slps.org, if you want
to know more. Thank you for the opportunity to share.
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Nominees for 2008 Region 5
(Great Lakes - IL, IN, MI, OH) |
 Bob Steeh
My
name is Bob Steeh, Community Education Director for the Novi (Michigan)
Community School District for the past eleven years. I have served as President
of the Michigan Association for Community and Adult Education (MACAE) for two years and Chairperson for Legislative
Affairs for approximately 10 years.
I am
honored to be nominated as the NCEA Region 5 Board representative.
A
focus of our nation’s legislative agenda is education, employment, and creating
a highly skilled workforce. This presidential election year, and the
candidate’s focus on “change”, presents NCEA with an opportunity to position
ourselves as key players in the re-shaping of education and the partnership
between schools and communities.
We
can do this by developing a strategic plan to market the national program and
community education. We must:
--Educate
and show the value and importance of Community Education to our local School
Districts.
--Present
this plan to include superintendents and school boards.
--Bring
the training of community education administrators back to the colleges and
universities.
To
start this process, I would propose that NCEA organize a summit made up of
State Association Executive Directors and other key players to discuss the
development of a universal marketing plan.
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Nominees for 2008 Region 6
(North Central - IA, MN, NE, ND, SD, WI) |
 Scott Wallner
My
name is Scott Wallner, and I am honored to be a Candidate for NCEA Region 6
Representative.
I
have worked in adult and community education for the past 18 years in a variety
of roles including volunteer, adult basic education teacher, adult basic
education coordinator, and community education director. In addition, I have served on numerous
committees, boards, councils, and other groups working to improve local
communities. I have thoroughly enjoyed
these experiences, and find the community education philosophy to be highly
compatible with my own beliefs and skill sets.
My
current position is Program Supervisor for the Central Minnesota Adult Basic
Education Consortium. Central Minnesota
ABE is a partnership of 16 school districts and two governmental entities,
operating through St. Cloud Community Education—ISD 742. Central Minnesota ABE serves about 1,600
adult learners per year.
I’ve
held a variety of leadership positions with the Minnesota Community Education
Association, and am a longtime member of NCEA as well. I became an NCEA ACE Fellow in 2006. |
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Membership Database
1/30/2006
Search the online Member Database. This great tool is just one of the resources NCEA members can utilize.
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