Dr. Katie Graham has served as the State Director for Career & Technical Education (CTE) at the Nebraska Department of Education since 2018. In this role, she administers the Carl D. Perkins Act (as amended by Strengthening Career & Technical Education for the 21st Century Act/Perkins V) by providing state-level leadership in career and technical education, school improvement, instruction and data utilization for Nebraska’s schools and community colleges. Katie is adamant that every student has an equitable opportunity to participate and thrive in Nebraska’s CTE programs and that these programs afford students the academic and technical skills needed for their career pathway of choice. 

Katie is extensively involved in the coordination of activities between education, workforce, and economic development initiatives in the state and nationally. Along with serving on the Advance CTE Board of Directors, she also serves as a Trustee for the MBA Research and Curriculum Center and is past Chair of the Nebraska Partner Council – a collaboration between representatives of federal programs from the Departments of Education, Labor, Economic Development, and Health and Human Service. This Council works to create cross-sector partnerships and streamline efforts between programs to provide the most effective and efficient services to Nebraskans.

Prior to this role, Dr. Graham served as the Deputy State Director and the Data, Research, and Evaluation Specialist for Nebraska Career Education. Prior to joining the Nebraska Department of Education, she oversaw the development and administration of credit, non-credit, and continuing education programs for campus-based and online degree and certificate programs at Florida State University’s Center for Professional Development.