News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sara Hall, Deputy Director
(410) 279-3368
State Educational Technology Directors Association Announces 2010-2011 Board Members and Officers
July 9, 2010 (Washington, DC) – The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) today announced its Board of Directors and Officers for the 2010-2011 year:
- Cathy Poplin, (AZ), Chair
- Jeff Mao (ME), Vice Chair
- Bruce Umpstead (MI), Treasurer
- Karen Kahan (TX), Secretary
- Geoff Fletcher (Emeritus)
- Rick Gaisford (UT)
- Wayne Hartschuh (DE)
- Cathy Higgins (NH)
- Melinda Stanley (KS)
“We welcome the newest additions to the SETDA leadership team, Cathy Higgins and Melinda Stanley, and welcome back Jeff Mao and Rick Gaisford, both of whom were re-elected to the SETDA board,” said Cathy Poplin, 2010-2011 SETDA Board Chair. “SETDA is fortunate to have such an engaged and passionate membership that shares the belief in the critical role educational technology leadership plays in driving school improvement and innovation. I look forward to working with this strong group of state leaders to further SETDA’s growth and national leadership in support of state and local education transformation.”
Jeff Mao was re-elected to a second term on SETDA’s Board and also was elected Vice Chair. Mao has been a consistent contributor to SETDA’s Data and Innovations & Partnerships committees as well as an active Board member. Mao plans to help SETDA emerge as the respected authority on education technology trends, practices, and policies. In addition, he seeks to build capacity and foster leadership among SETDA members with a goal of elevating the role of educational technology within states. In Maine, Mao heads up MLTI, Maine’s 1:1 laptop initiative that is creating the workforce of tomorrow, today.
Rick Gaisford is returning to the board as a past Chair, solid leader, and consistent contributor to SETDA’s Innovations & Partnerships and Professional Growth Committees. His historical knowledge of SETDA’s leadership and organizational practice will be invaluable moving forward. SETDA continues to be an incubator of ideas for finding new ways, methods and tools to drive effective change. Gaisford will focus his time on the board in helping ensure SETDA is a collective voice to share all that has been learned and accomplished to the broader education audience to help guide meaningful change that improves education of students across the country.
Newly elected board member Cathy Higgins has been an active supporter of SETDA’s mission since its inception nearly a decade ago, assisting with many leadership and outreach efforts, such as SETDA publications, committees, and especially with the annual SETDA National Trends Reports. As SETDA assists states to navigate emerging new paths to learning powered with technology, Cathy brings a rich set of experiences to the board, including her work in New Hampshire with student digital portfolios, 21st Century Classrooms, federal ed-tech grants for K-12 schools and teacher preparation, and the NH Summit to Redefine Educator Development for Digital Age Learners.
Melinda Stanley, who also was newly elected to the SETDA board, has been very active in SETDA as a critical contributor and co-chair to the Professional Growth Committee and has been the proponent and co-architect of Kansas’ Technology Rich Classrooms initiative. Her expertise in implementing this large-scale program and her ability to lead by example will be a real asset to the SETDA leadership team. Melinda is currently the State Education Technology Coordinator at the Kansas State Department of Education.
“As we approach SETDA’s tenth anniversary and on the cusp of ESEA Reauthorization, we see important opportunities to develop leaders in every state to ensure we make the most of current and future investment in educational technology,” stated Douglas Levin, SETDA Executive Director. “We are excited about helping our membership work collaboratively with their state colleagues to make a real difference in the education of every student.”
About SETDA
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal association representing the technology leadership of state departments of education. The SETDA membership includes educational technology directors from the state departments of education of all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Bureau of Indian Affairs, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands. www.setda.org