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
Steven Watterson, Past Chair
Education Associate at South Carolina Department of Education. After a full career as a Naval Officer, service in CTAE for over 15 years!
Learn more about Mr. Watterson: Click Here
Rich Trinkwalder, 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, Vice 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
Candace Vinson, Secretary
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
Ricky Gunkel, Treasurer
Ricky Gunkel is the Director of Programs for Oklahoma Association Chiefs of Police. He retired as a Lieutenant from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Learn more about Lt. Gunkel (ret.): 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
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
Dr. David Barbour, North Carolina (NCDPI)
Education Consultant for Trade & Industry
Learn more about Dr. Barbour: Click Here
Frits Rizor, Ohio (ODE)
Career Technical Education Professional Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Learn more about Mr. Rizor: Click Here
Renee Reed, Oklahoma (ODCT)
Trade and Industrial Education Program Manager
Learn more about Mrs. Reed: 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
Dr. Michelle Aldrich, Wyoming (WDE)
State Career and Technical Education Director
Learn more about Mrs. Aldrich: Click Here
Frank Tetrick, West Virginia (WEDE)
Coordinator of Law and Public Safety
Learn more about Mr. Tetrick: 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
David Wilson, Agency Cohort Representative
Former police officer and currently a professor at Northern Pennsylvania Regional College.
Learn more about Mr. Wilson: 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
Chris Wood, Corporate Partner Representative
Based in Atlanta he is the Executive Director of the National Emergency Communication Institute, NECI 9-1-1.
Learn more about Mr. Wood: 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
Jeff Branyon, Post Secondary Cohort Representative
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Director of POST Academy at Truett McConnell University. Former GBI Agent, Police Chief for Baldwin Georgia and Marshall of Dahlonega.
Learn more about Mr. Branyon: Click Here