October 22, 2018 – Silver Spring, MD – Today, Advance CTE is honored to announce their State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leadership awards. Wendi Morton, CTE Coordinator of Federal and State Programs at the Utah State Board of Education, received the Rising Star award. Richard Katt, the former State CTE Director at the Nebraska Department of Education, and John T. Pulver, Associate Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Career & Technical Administrators (PACTA), each received the Distinguished Leadership award. The three honorees have been selected due to the incredible contributions they each have made to their states and the field at large.
Morton began her career in the classroom as a business and marketing instructor before joining the Utah State Board of Education. Though she has only been in her current role for three and a half years, she has overhauled the state’s program approval process to guarantee that every learner is participating in a high-quality program of study. She has worked across departments to ensure that both full- and part-time instructors are able to be licensed seamlessly, enabling all students to be taught by knowledgeable experts. Her commitment to CTE is evident both on the job and in her own community, where she participates in the school board and programs in her hometown.
During his 17 years as the State CTE Director in Nebraska, Katt transformed CTE by focusing on advancing high-quality CTE, impacting the lives of over 91,000 learners each year. He led many critical statewide initiatives, such as: acting as the driving force behind the development of the reVISION strategic planning process, providing school districts with the opportunity to analyze and transform their CTE systems; leading a state-wide effort to rebrand CTE to address negative stereotypes; developing the Nebraska Career Education Model, which has been replicated across the country and collaborating with Nebraska School Counseling and departments of labor and economic development to develop Nebraska Career Connections as a free resource to all Nebraskans. Katt’s vision made Nebraska a national model for CTE, and Katt has received numerous awards and accolades for his commitment to improving CTE over the years.
Pulver has worked tirelessly to advocate for CTE at the state and national levels. He met with multiple Congressional staff during the reauthorization of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) to ensure that the new law met the needs of today’s and future learners. At the state level, Pulver and his team have had extensive input into Pennsylvania’s CTE-related legislation and policy. In addition to advocating for learners in his state, Pulver has transformed professional development for instructors and administrators in the state, ensuring that all participants gain the skills and knowledge they need to deliver high-quality CTE.
“These individuals have all shown incredible initiative in taking a hard look at their CTE system and dedicated themselves to making it even better,” said Kimberly Green, Executive Director of Advance CTE. “They have all made remarkable contributions to CTE in their states, and we are so fortunate that they have lent their passion and talents to CTE.”
Contact: Katie Fitzgerald,
kfitzgerald@careertech.org, 301-588-9630
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About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Advance CTE was formerly known as the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc).
