The LAPSEN Board
Our Board
LAPSEN is directed by a board comprised of member state CTE leaders. AdvanceCTE and ACTE also have seats on the Board. This ensures LAPSEN stays true to its primary goal of improving LPS education. For regular guidance and support, LAPSEN has an Executive Committee.
Executive Committee
Rich Trinkwalder, Past Chair
Navy veteran. former criminal investigator and compliance specialist. Currently a high school instructor and adjunct professor. ACTE New and Related Services Division VP.
Learn more about Mr. Trinkwalder: Click Here
Kevin Bronson, Chair
Education Program Consultant for Career, Standards and Assessment Team at Kansas State Department of Education. Educator for 25 years in areas of construction, cabinetmaking and drafting design.
Learn more about Mr. Bronson: Click Here
Jonathan Wells, Vice Chair
Criminal Justice Instructor at Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Northeastern Oklahoma State University, and former police officer.
Learn more about Mr. Wells: Click Here
Teresa Bender, Secretary
Curriculum Specialist at Omaha Public Schools and former Instructional Coach. Science teacher extraordinaire.
Learn more about Mrs. Bender: Click Here
Lee Gilreath, Treasurer
Lee is the elected ACTE Law & Public Safety Section president. He is also a retired Miami-Dade S.O. Lieutenant and teaches at West Florida High School of Advanced Technology. He is also the E.D. of FPSA.
Learn more about Mr. Gilreath: Click Here
Maren Hansen, Category 1 State Representative
Education Specialist at Utah State Board of Education. She was a Health Science teacher for two decades before moving into CTE administration.
Learn more about Mrs. Hansen: Click Here
Erica Settelen, Category 2 State Representative
Academic Program Consultant for the Office of Career & Technical Education at the Kentucky Department of Education. Erica entered CTE as an Occupation-Based Educator in Culinary Arts at the secondary level and later served as a Student Achievement Coordinator.
Jordan Whittington, Category 3 State Representative
Program Director for Health and Public Safety at the Colorado Community College System. Started as a Army Combat Medic, taught Health Science and now works for the CCCS.
Learn more about Mr. Whittington: Click Here
Dave Nichols, At Large Representative
Extension Program Assistant with the MSU School of Human Sciences. Mr. Nichols also serves as the State Program Manager for Mississippi Citizen Corps of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.
Learn more about Mr. Nichols: Click Here
State Board Members
Carla Plyler, Alabama (ASDE)
Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security Education Specialist
Learn more about Mrs. Plyler: Click Here
Cathy Gunter, Arkansas (ADE)
Division of Career and Technical Education | Pathway Advisor
Shallie Johnson , California (CDE)
Educational Programs Consultant
Learn more about Ms. Johnson: Click Here
John Woodmansee, Connecticut (CTECS)
Chief of Safety and Security, Criminal Justice and Protective Services
Learn more about Mr. Woodsmansee: Click Here
Sandra Martin, Georgia (GDOE)
Program Specialist Law & Public Safety
Learn more about Mrs. Martin: Click Here
Patricia Beardeaux, Hawai’i (HSDE)
Career & Technical Education Resource Teacher
Learn more about Mrs. Beardeaux: Click Here
Elyse Matulevich, Illinois (ISBE)
Principal Consultant -Career and Technical Education
Celina Acham, Maryland (consortium)
Office of Secondary Success and Innovation Baltimore City Public Schools
Learn more about Mrs. Acham: Click Here
Candace Vinson, Michigan (DOE)
Education Consultant at Michigan Department of Education, Office of Career & Technical Education, Career Readiness Unit. Over a decade working in technical education, she was a FCS teacher .
Learn more about Mrs. Vinson: Click Here
Jenny Neiss, Minnesota (MDE)
CTE Health Science Education and Service Occupations Specialist
Learn more about Mrs. Neiss: Click Here
Allen Williams, Mississippi (MDE)
State Director – JROTC and Program Supervisor – Law & Public Safety
Learn more about Mr. Williams: Click Here
Dr. Oscar Carter, Missouri (MDESE)
Director of Skilled Technical Sciences
Learn more about Dr. Carter: Click Here
Miranda Bright, Nebraska (NDE)
Human Sciences and Education Career Field Specialist
Melissa Leeds, North Carolina (NCDPI)
Law and Public Safety Program Director at NCDPI. Melissa is a Registered Nurse and worke with emergency medical programs.
Learn more about Mrs. Leeds: Click Here
Frits Rizor, Ohio (ODE)
Career Technical Education Professional Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Learn more about Mr. Rizor: Click Here
Reagan Rager, Oklahoma (ODCT)
Trade and Industrial Education Program Manager
Learn more about Mr. Rager: Click Here
Pennsylvania, Pending
Kira Hassler-Newsom, Texas (TPSA)
Texas Public Service Association is a member of LAPSEN and represents instructors in Texas.
Learn more about Mrs. Hassler-Newsom: Click Here
Kelly Glenn, Virginia (Special)
Kelly represents the teachers of Virginia on special assignment.
Learn more about Mrs. Glenn: Click Here
Ruth Durkee, Vermont (VDE)
State Director of Career Technical Education at the Vermont Agency of Education
Learn more about Mrs. Durkee: Click Here
James Coble, West Virginia (WEDE)
Coordinator of Law and Public Safety
Learn more about Mr. Coble:
Dr. Michelle Aldrich, Wyoming (WDE)
State Career and Technical Education Director
Learn more about Mrs. Aldrich: Click Here
Cohort & Partner Board Members
Dr. Kevin Johnson, AdvanceCTE Representative
Senior Advisor at Advance CTE. He has extensive CTE administrative experience at the local, state, and national levels. Starting in the Army, his medical career led to the classroom as a health science teacher.
Learn more about Dr. Johnson: Click Here
Chief Allen Poole, Agency Cohort Representative
R. Allen Poole serves as Chief of Police for the Fulton Police Department in Fulton, KY and Law and Public Safety Pathway instructor at Fulton Independent High School, bringing over 20 years of law enforcement experience to both roles.
Learn more about Chief Poole: Click Here
Lee Gilreath, ACTE Representative
Lee is the elected ACTE Law & Public Safety Section president. He is also a retired Miami-Dade S.O. Lieutenant and teaches at West Florida High School of Advanced Technology. He is also the E.D. of FPSA.
Learn more about Mr. Gilreath: Click Here
Tom Longstreth, Corporate Partner Representative
I’m a lifelong learner and National Curriculum Specialist with deep K–12 experience in both core and intervention solutions. I partner with school districts to design smart, effective implementations that improve student achievement.
Learn more about Mr. Longstreth: Click Here
Teresa Bender, District/School Cohort Representative
Curriculum Specialist at Omaha Public Schools and former Instructional Coach. Science teacher extraordinaire.
Learn more about Mrs. Bender: Click Here
Jonathan Wells, Member Cohort Representative
CJ Instructor at Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma and former police Lieutenant at Tahlequah PD.
Learn more about Mr. Wells: Click Here
Ed Clark, Non Profit Cohort Representative
Ed is the senior paralegal at Porterfield, Harper, Mills, Motlow & Ireland PA in Birmingham, AL We specialize in insurance defense. I currently serve on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Legal Support Professionals.
Learn more about Mr. Clark: Click Here
Matt McCarthy, Post Secondary Cohort Representative
Matt is the Director of CJ at Northeast Community College. He has 20 years of LE experience & is on the Board of the Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Council, the SkillsUSA NET, and the Nebraska State Education Association.
Learn more about Mr. McCarthy: Click Here