2013 COABE LAPCAE Conference Program (PDF)

2013 COABE LAPCAE Conference New OrleansGeneral SessionTuesday, March 26, 2013—8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier leads the Department’s effortsin adult education and career and technical education,as well as efforts supporting community colleges andcorrectional education. She oversees the administration of11 grant programs in these areas, totaling approximately $1.6billion annually. Dann-Messier is committed to collaboration,both within the Department and across federal agencies,including working with the U.S. Departments of Labor,Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Securityand Commerce.From 1993 to 1996, Dann-Messier worked for the Clintonadministration under Secretary Richard Riley, servingas the Secretary’s Regional Representative for Region I,which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, NewHampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.Prior to returning to the department, Dann-Messier servedfor a decade as President of the Dorcas Place Adult and FamilyLearning Center, a community-based adult education agencybased in Providence, Rhode Island. Under her leadership,Dorcas Place expanded to serve more than 1,000 adultsstatewide through a range of programs, including day andevening adult basic education, adult secondary education,English for speakers of other languages, GED classes,fi nancial literacy education, and sector-based workforceeducation and job training programs linked with employersand industry, including sector-based career academies.Dann-Messier also established and chaired the AdvisoryCouncil of Dorcas Place which opened the Rhode IslandWelcome Back Center, one of only seven programs in thenation to help foreign-trained health professionals enter thehealth care workforce.Dann-Messier currently serves as Secretary Duncan’srepresentative for the Skills for America’s Future taskforce.KeynoteSpeakerBrenda Dann-MessierU.S. Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education70 General Session