In September, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the second cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE—Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The Advance CTE — ECMCF Fellows include representation across multiple demographic categories reflecting the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in Career Technical Education (CTE)  that closes racial representation gaps and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement. 

Over the next several weeks, this blog series will introduce each Fellow participating in the second cohort of emerging leaders from 14 states, including 12 professionals of color.

Dr. Tempestt Adams, North Carolina 

Dr. Tempestt Adams’  career path has cultivated a passion for teacher preparation, career and technical education (CTE), and college and career readiness. Currently, she serves as an assistant professor of CTE at Appalachian State University. Dr. Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing education from North Carolina State University, a master’s degree in business administration from Pfeiffer University, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Shelsi Barber-Carter, Arkansas 

Shelsi Barber-Carter has over 12 years of experience in education administration, including coordinating postsecondary programs and managing regional and state teams to implement Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) programs. Currently, she serves as an education and career consultant while pursuing a doctoral degree in educational administrative leadership and research at Liberty University. She received a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a master’s degree in public administration from Southern University A&M College.