Career and Academic Connections (CAC) Staff

We provide products, professional development, technical assistance and leadership for career and academic development.

Guidance Coordinator

Kelly Arrington (405) 743-5159 email: karri@okcareertech.org

Kelly coordinates career guidance programs in Oklahoma technology centers and plans and assists staff in implementing statewide career guidance and advisement system direction. .
 
Contact for information regarding:

• Contact for information regarding:

  • Guidance state and federal legislation issues
  • Technology center career guidance and advisement program issues
  • Technology center guidance and integrated academic
    accreditation/evaluation
  • OkACTE Guidance Division
  • Guidance Grants
  • Career Development Strategies
  • Student Services Endorsement
  • ODCTE CAC Division Staff
  • Career Guidance professional development (conferences, workshops, etc.)
  • Public school career guidance programs
  
  

Disabilities Services Specialist

TBA (405) 743-5138     email:

The Disability Services Specialist coordinates and provides services that enhance opportunities for members of special populations to fully participate in career and technical education. 

Contact for information regarding:

• IEP and transition services related to career and technology education
• Section 504, ADA, or IDEA-B issues
• Strategies for effectively including special populations students in career and technology education
• Tech-Now Grants
• OkACTE Special Needs Division
• Interagency issues for special populations
• Special needs conference planning
• Student Services Endorsement

• Technology center guidance and integrated education accreditation/evaluation

• Assessment information

career information Specialist

Janet Hawkins  (405) 743-5123   email: jhawk@okcareertech.org

Janet creates, develops, promotes, and distributes career development products.  These products are designed to focus on the following stages in career development:  * Career Awareness   *Career Exploration   *Career Preparation.  Career information products include computer software, curriculum, posters and videos. 

Contact for information regarding:

• Career Awareness products (K-6th grades; e.g., cluster awareness, etc.)
• Career Exploration products (7th-8th. grades; e.g., magazines, videos, etc.)
• Career Preparation products (9th-12+ grades; e.g., Plans of Study, Career Clusters)
• Career Poster/Poetry Contest
• Mentoring Grants
• Using career development products for smooth transition
• School-based enterprises and teacher internships
• Product Exhibit Booth
• VIP for School Counselors
• K-8 ABC's Awards Program
• Career Activity File
• GirlTech

Coordinator of Career Information Systems

Jo Kahn  (405) 743-5404  email: jkahn@okcareertech.org

Jo coordinates and develops web based career information and guidance products, coordinates development, dissemination, and training of the Oklahoma Career Information System (OKCIS), and provides support to workforce development professionals .

Contact for information regarding:

• OKCIS - Oklahoma's Career Information System
• Career and Academic Connections Website
• Workforce Development/job placement issues
• Technology center job placement accreditation/evaluation
• Use of labor market and occupational information in workforce development and career guidance
• Electronic career guidance products
• Oklahoma Association of Career and Employment Professionals - OACEP
• Professional development for the use of electronic career guidance products in the classroom
• Workforce Investment Act issues
• WorkKeys

 

Support Specialist

Linda Houck   (405) 743-5157   email: lhouc@okcareertech.org

Linda provides technical assistance and support for Career and Academic Connections products and activities.  

Contact for information regarding:

• Career and Academic Connections Conferences and workshops
• CareerTech Sumer Conference
• Workshop registrations
• OKACTE guidance division questions
• Product inquiries
• General questions and needs relating to the Career and Academic Connections division

 

Career and Academic Systems Specialist

Natalie Gay  (405) 743-5573    email: ngay@okcareertech.org

Natalie manages, provides technical assistance and support, and training for the career information system and providies support for other Career and Academic Connections products and activities.  

Contact for information regarding:

• OKCIS- Oklahoma's Career Information System
• OKCIS Training
• Academic integration support service information
• KeyTrain
• Labor market and occupational information
• Non-traditional strategies/diversity
• Technology center guidance and integrated education accreditation/evaluation

 

College Readiness Specialist

Kim Eason (405) 743-5596 email: keaso@okcareertech.org

Kim coordinates and provides academic and career preparation services and technical assistance that supports and strengthens career and technology students successful transition into postsecondary education. .

Contact for information regarding:

• Teaching strategies

• Liaison between ODCTE and OSRHE

• STEM Academies

• Academic and career support for transition to college

• Technology Centers That Work strategies

• AP courses within Academies

  
  

Career and Academic Advisement Specialist

Tommi Leach   (405) 743-5524  email: tleac@okcareertech.org

Tommi provides expertise, consultation, and leadership in working with academic/career advisement and plan of study development with middle school, high school and tech center/postsecondary guidance systems.

• Best practices in use of ACT/EOS data for student •Technology center guidance and integrated advisement

• Guidance strategies using Plans of Study with career clusters and pathways

• Student Services Endorsement

• Counselor education meetings

• Technology center guidance and integrated advisement academic
  accreditation/evaluation

• Academic/career advisement strategies for students, counselors, teachers, and parents.