Official Government Website
Author: Megan O'Rourke
We’ve reorganized the Division to serve you better!
The Idaho Division of Career Technical Education (IDCTE) is pleased to announce we’ve reorganized some of our departments to improve communication and resource allocation and allow our internal teams to work more collaboratively, holistically, and proactively.
This reorganization created two new departments—Program Services and Educator Services—and provided opportunities to promote some of our hard-working employees:
Adrian San Miguel’s title of Director of Postsecondary and Workforce Training has been changed to Director of Program Services to reflect the work of his department better. He will continue to provide leadership and oversight of postsecondary, adult, and federal programs. Reporting to San Miguel are James Barrett-Spencer, Lisa Costa, and Justin Touchstone.
Barrett-Spencer will serve as Assistant Director of Federal and Related Programs. In his new role, he will continue to provide direct oversight of Perkins and oversee all federal grant programs, adult education, and other specialized training programs. He previously served as the Federal Compliance Coordinator.
Costa will serve as Assistant Director of Student Leadership and lead the Student Leadership team’s efforts to support local programs in providing student leadership opportunities through our seven CTSOs. Previously, she served as one of our Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) managers, providing leadership to FCCLA and DECA.
Touchstone will serve as Assistant Director of Program Quality and will lead the Program Quality team to ensure quality program delivery and support through Idaho’s secondary and postsecondary CTE programs. He previously served as Senior Program Quality Manager. He will continue to maintain his Engineering and Technology Education program portfolio.
The Educator Services department consists of our Professional Development and Educator Certification teams. Dona Orr will now serve as Director of Professional Development and will provide oversight for IDCTE’s Professional Development services. Orr’s initial focus will be refining and launching an individualized InSpIRE Educator Program and building on the success of our current InSpIRE model. In her prior role, Orr served as the Director of Secondary Education, where she provided leadership over the statewide secondary CTE system.
Kristi Enger will now serve as the Director of Educator Certification. In addition to focusing on educator certification, she will act as the liaison between IDCTE and the University of Idaho and Idaho State University’s teacher educator preparation programs. Previously, Enger served as the Director of Certification and Professional Development and played a critical role in developing the current InSpIRE Teacher Educator program and overseeing Educator Certification.
Please join us in congratulating our employees on their new roles. An updated organization chart is now available. Feel free to reach out to our staff if you have any questions or comments. We hope these changes better serve the students, educators, and employers involved in Idaho’s CTE system.
Idaho Division of Career Technical Education announces its 2021 Leadership Institute cohort
The Idaho Division of Career Technical Education (IDCTE) is pleased to announce the newest members of its Leadership Institute. Sponsored by IDCTE, the Institute is a three-year program designed to prepare the next generation of district, regional, and state leaders in Career Technical Education (CTE) through meaningful, collaborative, and reflective leadership experiences that are forward-thinking and change-oriented. Participants learn about state and national governance and laws, organization and administration and funding, and support for career technical education institutions.
To participate in the Institute, a member must apply and be recommended by their supervisor, and be a member of the Association for Career and Technical Education. Applicants are then ranked based on their qualifications and selected by the IDCTE staff to ensure equal geographic and institutional representation across the state. Only five members are initiated into the Institute each year, and 18 cohorts have completed the program since its inception in 1999. Its 90 graduates have become leaders of secondary, postsecondary and adult programs in Idaho.
The following 2021 cohort members were welcomed into the Institute during the kick-off meeting held last week in Boise:
Teresa Danielson is a family and consumer sciences teacher at Mountain View High School in Meridian. According to Cliff Rice, Danielson’s principal, she is “organized, passionate, and driven to give her students and her organization 100% every day.” Danielson has received New Teacher of the Year awards from both Career Technical Educators of Idaho and the Idaho Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences. She serves as the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) advisor for District 3, advises the six state FCCLA officers, and is a frequent consultant for state and national events. She has a master’s degree in education in career and technical education leadership from Utah State University.
Vicki Isakson serves as director of Workforce Training and Community Education at North Idaho College (NIC). Lita Burns, vice president for instruction at NIC, considers Isakson to be a strong collaborator who will “build bridges and pathways across the state.” Among her many accomplishments, Isakson developed the first school-to-registered apprenticeship programs in Idaho and created the long-running Hard Hats, Hammers, and Hot Dogs annual event to introduce students to the construction, manufacturing and wood products industries. She is currently seeking approval of nine federal Registered Apprenticeship Programs to provide instruction and sponsorship for workforce training. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University and is a certified master trainer in the Workplace Excellence Series.
Chet Jackson is the instructor for residential construction technology at Cassia Regional Technical Center (CRTC). He believes the job force crisis is an ongoing issue in Idaho and should be addressed by educating the public regarding the importance of hands-on careers. According to Curtis Richins, CRTC’s director, Jackson has excitement, enthusiasm, and “the ability to monitor his students’ desires and assess students’ needs.” This has led to joint projects with other CRTC departments and the establishment of a new cabinetry program, thus providing students with even more employable skills. He holds a bachelor’s degree in workplace training and leadership from Idaho State University and is working on a master’s degree.
Stephanie Mai is the Program Quality Manager for Health Professions and Public Safety at IDCTE. Her vision is for CTE pathway programs to become as highly regarded as AP and honors classes. Her experience as a postsecondary instructor and serving on several boards and technical advisory committees enable her to see future CTE programs as collaborations among high school, higher education institutions, and industry. “Stephanie is such a positive, fun person, and has an incredible ability to connect with others and build relationships with them. The Institute will help her see processes and approaches through the lens of others in the CTE system, which will help IDCTE be more responsive to its stakeholders,” said Adrian San Miguel, director of program services at IDCTE and Mai’s supervisor. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and performance from Idaho State University and is currently working on her CTE administrator’s certification.
Dr. Yvonne Thurber is the principal of Sandcreek Middle School in Idaho Falls. She hopes helping CTE grow in Idaho will strengthen the economy and provide opportunities for rewarding careers without the time and expense of a four-year institution. Thurber is a project leadership liaison who works diligently to ensure that her teachers in family consumer science, technology, and construction and engineering have the same opportunities as high school teachers. “Dr. Thurber has a firm commitment to doing the right thing for students. She is willing to have crucial conversations and make necessary changes to achieve better outcomes for her students,” said Dr. Scott Woolstenhulme, Bonneville School District superintendent. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Idaho State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Northwest Nazarene University.
“We’re excited to welcome this talented group of educators to the Leadership Institute and look forward to continuing to build leadership skills for those within our career technical education system in Idaho,” said Clay Long, state administrator.