Technical Work Group

Judith A. Alamprese, PhD is a principal scientist at Abt Associates, Inc. She has directed research, evaluation, technical assistance, and policy projects in adult education and workforce development for over 30 years. Her work has addressed topics, including state systemic change, interagency coordination, program and teacher effectiveness, implementation of federal and state policies, transition to postsecondary education and employment, and Adult Career Pathways system development. In the area of ABE transition, Ms. Alamprese is directing the technical assistance for the OVAE funded project Policy to Performance as well as an OVAE funded study of ABE transition reading. She also directs the Oregon Pathways for Adult Basic Skills Transition to Education and Work initiative and evaluates the Points of Entry project funded by the Open Society Foundation. She has developed models for program improvement and policy development that have resulted in state and local enhancements in professional development and interagency coordination. Ms. Alamprese served on two adult literacy committees for the National Academies and on several advisory boards for adult education research. She is a well published author and frequently requested speaker at national events. Ms. Alamprese was a member of the U.S. Delegation to the 6th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) hosted by the government of Brazil in 2009, and participated in the Shanghai International Forum on Lifelong Learning in 2010.

Debra D. Bragg, PhD is a professor in the department of education policy, organization and leadership at the University of Illinois, and director of the Office of Community College Research and Leadership. Her research focuses on P-20 education policy, with a special interest in the transition of youth and adults to college and careers. She has led research funded by federal, state, and foundation sponsors, including examining the participation of underserved students in college transition and Adult Career Pathways. Recent studies include evaluations of bridge and career pathway programs funded by the Joyce Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, and applied baccalaureate programs funded by the Lumina Foundation for Education. Dr. Bragg holds a doctorate from The Ohio State University. She is the recipient of the career teaching and distinguished research awards from the College of Education at the University of Illinois and the senior scholar award from the Council for the Study of Community Colleges.

Brenda Brecke is an educational consultant with expertise in project management, technical assistance, facilitation, research, and grant monitoring and evaluation for community colleges and education agencies. In addition, she is a subject matter expert in Adult Career Pathways as well as workforce development. Ms. Brecke currently serves on the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation Board and the Oregon Coast Community Action Board. Ms. Brecke retired from Southwestern Oregon Community College in June 2008 after 20 years in community college leadership. At the college, she held various positions, including dean of resource development and grants management, dean of workforce development, associate dean of workforce development and professional technical education, and director of the adult learning skills program. She authored the report Envisioning the Future: Career Pathways as a System Framework Fully Implemented in the Community College, the second in the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) career pathways series. She also managed various national, state, and local grants, including the multi-year College and Career Transitions Initiative (CCTI), a League for Innovation Adult Career Pathways initiative, the statewide capacity building projects grant, Oregon Pathways Alliance, and numerous Carl Perkins and adult basic education grants. Ms. Brecke holds a master’s degree in adult education from Oregon State University.

Lea Anne Crooks is the executive director at Ivy Tech Corporate College. Ms. Crooks joined the College in 1992 as an adjunct instructor and moved on to become a project manager in her current department in 1994. She was named the executive director in 1999. During her 18 years with the College, Ms. Crooks has developed strong partnerships with the area’s business and industry, and participates with numerous charitable organizations. Her work with Adult Career Pathways is primarily focused on three prison programs, where the College instructors work with offenders in various career programs that are connected to the College. Ms. Crooks holds a master’s degree in human resource development from Indiana State University.

Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield is a senior policy analyst for the workforce development team at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) which is based in Washington, D.C. Ms. Duke-Benfield’s focus is access to and success in adult education/English as a second language and postsecondary education and training. She analyzes and advocates for federal and state workforce and education policies that better serve low income adults and older youth and provides technical assistance to state and local advocates and governments in these areas. Ms. Duke-Benfield provided technical assistance to states participating in the Joyce Foundation’s Shifting Gears project, which sought to strengthen adult education, workforce development, and postsecondary education policies to increase the number of Midwestern workers with marketable credentials. For several years, she spearheaded CLASP’s work and currently advises the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), the Higher Education Act, and related federal postsecondary legislation. Previously, Ms. Duke-Benfield was a research associate at the Urban Institute, where she contributed to several evaluations of state level welfare reform and anti-poverty programs. She was a national associate of the National Center on Public Policy and Higher Education. She holds a master’s degree from Emory University.

Ricardo A. Estrada, EdD is an expert in the field of education with over 25 years of higher education experience. In Chicago, Illinois, he held several positions in the community college and private education sectors, including professor of business for accounting and management; chairperson of the business and management department; associate dean of student services; executive dean of finance and administration; and dean of the executive campus. During his professional career, Dr. Estrada has contributed to the development of several adult education, vocational, and workforce development models that support the career advancement of non-traditional student populations. Some of those models include: Inclusive Admission Model for Community Colleges, General Career Bridge Model, and Career Pathways 101. Dr. Estrada co-authored How to Build Bridge Programs that Fit into a Career Pathway, funded by the Illinois Community College Board and the Joyce Foundation’s Shifting Gears project. He is currently the vice president of education and programs with Institute del Progreso Latino and has developed and implemented a new educational system within the workforce field. Dr. Estrada’s experience in curriculum and program development qualified him as a member of the career pathways panel of experts for the U S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, where he has presented his experience and large body of work in career bridges and pathways. Dr. Estrada holds a doctorate in adult education from National Louis University of Chicago.

Maria Flynn is the vice president of Jobs for the Future’s (JFF) Economic Opportunity Group.
As the vice president, Ms. Flynn leads JFF’s work to help low skilled adults advance to family sustaining careers while enabling employers to build and sustain a productive workforce. Ms. Flynn guides the activities of several key JFF projects and partnerships, including the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Jobs to Careers, and Breaking Through. Ms. Flynn’s background includes nearly 20 years of experience in the workforce development field. She previously served as administrator of the Office of Policy Development and Research in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (DOL-ETA). There she oversaw the assessment and development of employment and training policies, managed the design of the agency’s research and evaluation strategy, and provided direct support to agency budget and appropriations activities. As the agency’s policy director, Ms. Flynn played a key role in the development and implementation of the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development initiative (WIRED). Within DOLETA, Ms. Flynn led the One-Stop Operations Division developing the policy and technical assistance framework that allowed states and local communities to establish comprehensive one-stop delivery systems. She also served as team leader for the interagency policy group charged with implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Ms. Flynn holds a master’s degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Foster is the senior director for Adult Education and Family Literacy and state director for the GED® testing administration at the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Ms. Foster has been with the ICCB for 11 years and in adult education for more than 22 years. She oversees approximately 100 state and federally funded adult education and family literacy programs as well as 78 GED® testing centers in Illinois. Ms. Foster participates as a partner in the Illinois Shifting Gears initiative, a Joyce Foundation sponsored project, and serves on the executive committee of the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium (NAEPDC) and the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE) as well as the National Reporting Standards (NRS) technical work group. In addition, she has recently worked on the release of a new strategic plan for adult education entitled, Creating Pathways for Adult Learners. She also currently serves as the project coordinator for the Illinois Accelerating Opportunity initiative, a Jobs for the Future (JFF) initiative. In the past, Ms. Foster has worked on several transition initiatives that examine using bridge programs as a method of linking students without a high school diploma or who lack English language skills to Adult Career Pathways.

Jeffrey C. Gove is the Ohio Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) state director, and has held this position since December 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Gove worked for 18 years with the Ohio Department of Education. He first led a statewide interagency welfare reform, the ABLE/JOBS program, which was a collaboration to increase adult education services through ABLE programs to persons on public assistance. He then transitioned to a position as a regional ABLE consultant. Before working for the state government, Mr. Gove was in the non-profit sector with the Columbus Urban League, St. Stephen’s settlement house, and the Connecticut Citizen Action Group. Mr. Gove continues to maintain his role as the point person for interagency collaboration and One-Stop partnerships, and represents ABLE on the Ohio Association for Adult and Continuing Education (OAACE) Board. Mr. Gove graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and minor in psychology.

Kimberly A. Green is an expert on federal policy impacting career and technical education (CTE) for the past 18 years. Working closely with Congress, the Administration, and a broad range of stakeholders, she represents the interests of, and seeks support for, CTE. In addition to this policy work, Ms. Green helped establish, implement, and grow the states’ Career Clusters initiative, which is designed to transform CTE so that it can meet the needs of the nation, its economy, employers, and students. Ms. Green is also an affiliate of the National Research Center for CTE’s Technical Assistance Academy, which is currently focused on helping states develop “green” programs of study. Ms. Green is involved in a variety of boards and committees, including the Manufacturing Skills Standards Leadership Council and the National Career Academy Coalition Executive Committee. Ms. Green is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Dr. Susan Hoyne is an instructional dean at Shoreline Community College in Seattle, Washington. She currently oversees the following programs: science, mathematics, automotive, manufacturing, engineering, energy, and computer science. She has been in the community college system for over 20 years as a faculty member, program chair, and dean. Her experience in adult learning includes work with career pathways, Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST)/Career Navigator programs, work-based learning, and stackable certificates. In addition, she has taught overseas in Australia, Japan, India, and Ecuador. Dr. Hoyne holds a doctorate from the University of Washington in development and cognition, with studies in linguistics, second language Acquisition, and metacognition.

Kenneth Hurley is in his 44th year of teaching mathematics. He has taught at the secondary and postsecondary levels in Tennessee, Florida, Brazil, and currently in Arizona. He has just completed serving as the district math chair at Central Arizona College where he continues to teach. Mr. Hurley has been active in using and promoting the teaching of mathematics contextually for over 20 years. He has been honored for teaching excellence by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) and was twice awarded a teaching chair for excellence at Polk State College, Florida. Mr. Hurley holds a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Tennessee.