ALBANY, NY – December 4, 2024 – The New York Association for Career and Technical Education (NYSACTE) Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE – Sponsored by ECMC Foundation – proudly announces their inaugural cohort of Postsecondary State CTE Leadership Fellows. The NYSACTE Fellowship strives to address the growing shortage of postsecondary CTE leaders by closing representation gaps and removing barriers to leadership advancement within New York State.
“New York’s Career Technical Education (CTE) programs are as diverse as the students they serve, with over 40% of our postsecondary learners identifying as Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian, and nearly equal representation of men and women,” said Erin Smith, president of NYSACTE. “It’s crucial that we develop leaders who not only understand this diversity but are ready to support and uplift it. That’s what the NYSACTE Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship is all about—giving these emerging leaders the tools and connections they need to make a real difference. We’re incredibly grateful to Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation for helping bring this vision to life. Their partnership allows us to tap into a national framework and adapt it to meet the unique needs of New York State.”
“As Director of Career Readiness and Workforce Partnerships at the New York State Education Department (NYSED), I am honored to recognize the inaugural cohort of the NYSACTE Postsecondary CTE State Leaders Fellowship,” said Amy Cox, director of career readiness & workforce partnerships with the New York State Education Department. “This distinguished group represents the rich diversity of New York’s CTE community. They are a testament to the talent and commitment needed to address the evolving challenges of postsecondary CTE. Drawn from SUNY, CUNY, and secondary education institutions across upstate New York, Long Island, and New York City (NYC), these Fellows are dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for over 100,000 postsecondary CTE learners statewide. Their selection followed a rigorous review process conducted by a board of experts from secondary, postsecondary, and the CTE Technical Assistance Center, ensuring a cohort uniquely positioned to lead with innovation and equity. This fellowship affirms New York’s role as a national model in advancing CTE excellence and leadership.”
The NYSACTE Fellowship builds upon the Advance CTE national fellowship and will address a critical need for more diverse representation within New York State postsecondary institutions and State CTE leadership.
“Now in our third cohort of the Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE – Sponsored by ECMC Foundation, we are thrilled to share what we have learned to help create the NYSACTE Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship,” said Dr. Emily Passias, deputy executive director of Advance CTE. “New York state was chosen as the pilot for launching the in-state Fellowship model through a competitive application process because of the state’s emphasis on further developing a robust postsecondary CTE system to support emerging industry fields. Our commitment is not only to help develop a sound, diverse CTE leadership talent pipeline in NY State but also to empower NYSACTE to equip their Fellows with the skills and knowledge to create CTE policies that dismantle and rebuild inequitable systems so that all learners can access and succeed in high-quality CTE programs.”
Through their participation, Fellows will establish a talent pipeline of New York postsecondary CTE leaders fiercely committed to creating an accessible and racially just postsecondary CTE system. Fellows gain strategic, equity-minded leadership skills and build networks to help address systemic inequities through one-on-one mentoring, workshops, a local real-world project, and events.
“The expansion of the Advance CTE national Fellowship model to a pilot program in New York required a network and the dedication of professionals seeking to connect and align their postsecondary CTE ecosystems with a continued desire to focus on building a diverse leadership pipeline, “ said Dr. Kevin R. Johnson, Sr., senior advisor at Advance CTE. “As we launch the inaugural cohort, I am excited to see the data-driven innovative strategies implemented by the 15 Fellows selected to close the gaps in postsecondary CTE awareness and access, enrollment, and performance for all learners in the state of New York.”
The Fellowship would not be possible without the generous support of ECMC Foundation.
“We are proud to support this Fellowship, which aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders in postsecondary Career Technical Education (CTE),” said Jacob Fraire, president of ECMC Foundation. “By investing in the professional growth of these dedicated individuals, we are not only enhancing their leadership capabilities but also fostering a more equitable CTE system in New York State.”
