It has been a joy and a privilege to advocate for students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds throughout my career. Working with students ages 5- 40+ has taught me the power of relationship building and I am passionate about seeing all students reach their full academic, personal and career potential. Twenty five years in education has shown me that students thrive when they are supported and encouraged. Successfully launching these students into adulthood and rewarding careers requires rigorous, relevant academic preparation coupled with industry knowledge and technical skills, Over the years, preparing students for life after formal education has become a driving force in my career. I want Maine students to be able to meet the challenges of today's workplace and have the skills and knowledge needed to strengthen the Maine economy - hoping of course, that young adults will choose to live and work in Maine!Students need to information about the range of career opportunities that exist in Maine and elsewhere. To broaden students' career knowledge I have expanded high school career exploration curriculum by creating and presenting college and career planning workshops, spearheading career fairs, identifying experiential learning opportunities, and organizing classroom-based career presentations with local business leaders. I speak with everyone - including those I meet on airplanes or on line at the grocery store - about their careers and how they got to where they are. I actively seek out professional development end recently completed the Facilitating Career Development and the High School College and Career Planning courses. through Peak-Careers.I am a strong collaborator and have served as the liaison between academic departments, administrators, and students throughout my career. I have twenty years experience with K-12 schools and five years experience in Higher Education where I also earned an Ed. M. in Higher Ed Administration. I have the ability to quickly build positive relationships with all stakeholders, meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment, and learn new skills required to stay current in educational settings. I am passionate about helping educational institutions at every level build and maintain partnerships with local businesses and employers to enhance student outcomes by connecting learning with rewarding career opportunities.