Dr. Crystal D. Gardner was selected for the second, 15-member cohort of the Postsecondary State Career Technical Education Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE— Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. This 15-month national Fellowship strives to advance diverse state postsecondary Career Technical Education leadership through an intensive experience of workshops, coaching, and a real-world project dedicated to building the knowledge and social capital to be a skilled, equity-minded state leader. Dr. Gardner is an experienced educator with a record of success in improving school systems and championing culturally responsive professional development at the secondary and postsecondary level. She currently serves as the Instructional Supervisor for the Houston Community College Alternative Teacher Certification Program. In this role, Dr. Gardner oversees instructional operations, program development, quality control, and compliance management. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Prairie View A&M University and both a master’s degree and doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Texas Southern University.