LaCandice Ochoa 
LaCandice Ochoa serves as the Dean/Administrator for the Chancellor’s Office Perkins program in the Workforce and Economic Development Division (WEDD). Prior to becoming Dean, she served as the Operations Manager for WEDD. LaCandice has over 10 years’ civil service experience in program and grants management, fiscal stewardship, program evaluation, strategic planning and policy work aimed at increasing access for California’s underserved and underrepresented communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego and a Master of Science degree in Assistive Technology and Human Services from California State University, Northridge. As a Louisiana native raised in a predominately African American community, her Southern upbringing as the oldest daughter of a single parent shaped her personal and professional dedication to civil rights and equity work.

Shavina Baker 
Shavina Baker has been in education for over 13 years.  She has been a Middle School and Elementary School Principal, Director of Operations, Elementary and Middle School Teacher.  Prior to that she worked in the financial services industry and as a small business owner.

Dr. Brittney Baptiste Williams 
A native of Baton Rouge, LA, Dr. Brittney Baptiste Williams is committed to strengthening the educational opportunities of students in both vision and scope. She earned her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and her graduate degrees from Southeastern Louisiana University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dr. Williams worked extensively with the Carl D. Perkins Grant at Baton Rouge Community College for 10 years before joining the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS). As the State Director for Career and Technical Education (CTE), her focus areas include compliance, equity, CTE program alignment, training and partnerships. Dr. Williams has been an active supporter of multiple initiatives to champion career and technical education including most recently Advance CTE’s Career Cluster Kitchen Cabinet (2020- cabinet member), Associate of Career and Technical Education (ACTE)’s Postsecondary Leadership Program (2020- fellow), Advance CTE Board of Directors (2022-Region B board member), and Advance CTE’s Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship (2022-coach).

Domingo Carrasquel
Domingo Carrasquel lives in Zachary, Louisiana with his wonderful family (his wife, two sons: 12 and 7 years old, his mother, and their dog). Domingo was born and raised in Venezuela. He earned his B.S. in Business Management at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Domingo is currently working toward a master's in adult learning and development at Northwestern State University. Domingo has worked in higher education for 16 years in various roles on the business side of things. Approximately 10 of those years were at the community college level. He currently works as a Records Manager for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System in Baton Rouge. Domingo is looking forward to learning and implementing best practices for equity.

Dr. Esperanza Zenon
Dr. Esperanza Zenon is a Professor of Physical Science at River Parishes Community College (RPCC). She serves as the Primary Investigator on an NSF ATE Grant Project aimed at improving RPCC’s instrumentation program. She is also a member of the RPCC Online Course Review Committee, which establishes standards and practices for all online classes at RPCC. Dr. Zenon is very passionate about STEM equity and has served on the Executive, Membership, and Strategic Planning Committees for the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE), a consortium of state and local agencies, corporations, and national organizations that work to build educators’ capacity to implement effective solutions for increasing student access, educational equity, and workforce diversity. She is also involved with several organizations that work to make education more affordable for students through the utilization of Open Education Resources (OER), to include the Regional Leaders for Open Education (RLOE) and MERLOT. Dr. Zenon has a Master of Arts degree in Physics from Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. in Science/Mathematics Education from Southern University.

Carrie Hanson 
Carrie Hanson is the grant writer for both the secondary and postsecondary sides of Alexandria Technical and Community College’s Perkins V consortium. Carrie oversees the budget and coordinates a number of the initiatives within their grant work. She partners with Career and Technical Educators at both the secondary and post-secondary levels, as well as counselors, principals and superintendents. Carrie also assists with some of the duties for the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) students, and works with the Online College in the High School (OCHS) program.

Robert Arthur-Fleming Lowe (Robb)    
Robb Lowe has spent over 35 years working in Career and Technical Education, with five years serving in community based organizations, 15 years in secondary education at St. Paul High School, and over 17 years serving Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. His leadership roles include director, counselor, professor, and researcher. Robb holds an Master of Science in Clinical Psychology with a focus on vocational rehabilitation as well as a Education Specialist degree in Counselor Education with a focus in career development. Robb is a proud ACTE Hall of Fame member.

Eva Scates-Winston 
Eva serves as the CTE Equity Specialist in the Workforce Development Unit at Minnesota State. Her leadership role includes partnerships with the Minnesota Department of Education, other state agencies as well as Academic and Student Affairs to provide professional development, technical assistance or resources that support local CTE consortia in serving special populations. The most satisfying work includes the establishment of the equity capacity grant program and building relationships with internal and external partners through various joint initiatives that serve diverse populations. Her most recent service includes an active role in the Minnesota State Academic Equity Committee and the IAED advisory committee, contributions to Techniques, along with providing consultation to local equity initiatives in Minnesota. Currently she is a policy fellow in the Minnesota Association of CTE Administrators.

Carrie Schneider 
For the last four and a half years, Carrie Schneider has been a Research Associate in the Academic and Student Affairs division in the Minnesota State system office.  Prior to joining the Research unit at the system office, Carrie was the Associate VP of Strategic Initiatives at Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College for three years, and the Director of Institutional Research and Planning at Dakota County Technical College for six years. Before joining the Minnesota State system, Carrie worked in the market research industry for four years directing research projects.  Carrie has a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Strategic Management from St. Catherine University where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology.

As a secondary educator for nearly two decades, Michael was an instructor, assistant principal, principal, and district leader responsible for closing achievement gaps while ensuring students had opportunities to realize their dreams through a successful educational path.

As a Perkins Coordinator, Director of College Initiatives, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success at the Tennessee Board of Regents Michael’s role has comprised working with over fifty institutions of higher learning that benefited more than 200,000 students annually. The overarching goal has been to increase retention & post-secondary credential attainment among all, but in particular, students of varying race, color, national origin, gender, ability status, income level, non-traditional occupation, single parent, out of workforce, homeless, military families, those from foster care, English as a second language, or those facing additional barriers to academic achievement.

Michael has been recognized with national awards and currently serves as an active member in many non-profit organizations while actively participating on various non-profit boards/executive committees: one as the President, another as Program Chair, along with an Executive Committee and Chair of a national Public Policy Committee.

In Michael’s words, “The core of what I do daily, is to fight for those whose voices can’t be heard above the noise of the majority. Partnering with like minded states, local institutions, and nonprofit organizations around equity, provides opportunities for those individuals with barriers by advocating through legislative priorities, while researching and evaluating effective equity practices and programs, technical assistance and professional development. All the while, providing more equitable opportunities to those who otherwise would not be heard. It is an honor to partner with such organizations to make a difference in students’ lives.”

Jaci states, “I have seen the powerful impact & generational change having a quality education can have on a person's life. As a Student Success Coordinator for the Tennessee Board of Regents I work diligently to ensure all students, regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, or different abilities, have access to quality higher education in both Career & Technical Adult Education programs.”