Leadership – Coalition on Adult Basic Education

COABE Leadership

OUR STORY │ OUR MISSION │ WHO WE SERVE │ LEADERSHIP | REGIONAL MAP | REGIONAL CALENDAR

Chief Executive Officer

Sharon Bonney

Sharon Bonney began her career with COABE as a part-time administrator in 2009, moving up in the organization as she showed an unparalleled commitment to the field of adult education. Sharon has helped advance the organization on a number of fronts, including managing efforts to move it from a 1,300 member group in 2009 to 40,000 active members in 2022. Read bio >

COABE Executive Commitee

Voting Members of the Board

President (2023-2025)

Shaketta D. Thomas

Shaketta D. Thomas is currently the school assessment coordinator for the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC). Ms. Thomas completed her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Virginia State University, a master’s in adult education from Regent University, and is presently pursuing a Ph.D. in educational psychology, also at Regent University. Read bio >

Past President (2023-2025)

Jody Angelone

Jody Angelone has served in Adult Education for over 25 years and is currently the Staff Training & Development Coordinator for the Ohio Professional Development Network, at The Ohio State University. She has worked as a reading specialist, instructor, coordinator and program director in the context of Correctional Education, ABLE/GED, Workplace Education, Volunteer Literacy, Vocational Evaluation & Assessment and Professional Development. Read bio >

President Elect (2023-2025)

Vacant

Secretary (2023-2025)

Hector Martinez

Hector Martinez is the director for adult education at the Kansas Board of Regents. Prior to this position he served as director of the Garden City Career Connection Academy at the Garden City Community College for 14 years. Hector came from Mexico to the United States in 2000. Read bio >

Vice President of Membership (2023-2024)

Michael Matos

Michael Matos is the education technology director for scaleLIT, leading the Digital Learning Lab, digital literacy at Chicago Connected, and digital navigators. He also serves on the IACEA Board, as the senior director for Region 1 in Illinois, and as a member of the Legislative Committee. Read bio >

Treasurer (2017-2025) & Public Policy Chair

Polly Smith

Polly Smith’s hook into adult literacy began as a volunteer tutor many years ago and she has never looked back. She has received the Alaska Adult Education Association Administrator’s Award and the John L. Hulbert Award for outstanding long term contributions to adult learning. Read bio >

Regional Representatives

Voting Members of the Board

Region 1 (2020-2026)

Kristin Hempel

An educator for over 20 years, Kristin Hempel has been a passionate adult education administrator and advocate in CT for the past 7 years. Previously, she was an elementary principal in NY and a teacher and high school administrator in RI. Read Bio >

Region 2 (2022-2025)

Dr. Mary A. Maness Gaston, Ed.D.

Dr. Mary A. Maness Gaston, Ed.D., served as director for her local South Carolina Adult Ed program from 2001-2017. She was also the director of one of South Carolina’s four Regional Adult Education Technical Assistance Centers from 2009-2017, coordinating and providing professional development to other programs. Read bio >

Region 3 (2023-2026)

Karyn Goven

Karyn has been involved for more than 20 years in many facets of educational leadership, from instruction and curriculum design to administrative governance positions throughout adult and community education. Working with the state, she created nine Learning Labs in Detroit to support individuals who want to improve their education and transition to employment or training.

Read bio >

Region 4 (2022–2025)

Dr. Adrienne Fontenot

Dr. Adrienne K. Fontenot is the director of Adult Learning and Educational Programs at Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Adrienne’s passion for adult education started in 1998 when, as a student worker, she tutored adult learners who needed help with developmental education courses. Read bio >

Region 5 (2021-2024)

Stephenie Rittberger

Stephenie Rittberger, adult education coordinator for the Career Learning Center of the Black Hills, has been with adult education as a division of Black Hills Special Services Cooperative for twenty years. Her experience in adult education has been a varied and enriching experience. Mrs. Rittberger began by teaching in two rural sites. Read bio >

Region 6 (2021-2024)

John Werner

John Werner is the executive director of Sequoias Adult Education Consortium, which serves ten school districts and one community college and has a total adult education student population of just under 10,000 students in the southern region of California’s Central Valley. John is also the California Adult Education Administrators Association (CAEAA) state president and the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) Central Section past president. Read bio >

Committee and Taskforce Leadership

Nonvoting Members of the Board

NASDAE Liaison

Heidi Silver-Pacuilla

Heidi Silver-Pacuilla joined the Virginia Department of Education as the Adult Education Coordinator within the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education in May 2017 and has been deeply involved in the cross-agency implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act in Virginia. She serves on steering committees for several cross-agency grants and task forces including the Accessibility Task Force, the Sector Strategy and Career Pathways Academy, and the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services’ Career Pathways grant. Read bio >

Standing Committees

Awards/Scholarships/Incentive Grants Chair

Dr. Adrienne Fontenot

Membership Chair

Michael Matos

Professional Development Chair

Jody Angelone

Public Policy Chair

Jeffrey Abramowitz

Jeffrey Abramowitz, J.D. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Petey Greene Program and past Executive Director of Justice Partnerships and Executive Director Reentry Services for JEVS Human Services and the founder and Program Director of Looking Forward Philadelphia Reentry Program. Jeff previously served on the Executive Board of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education, COABE, where he served as Secretary, and currently co-chairs the State Advocates for Adult Education Fellowship Program. Read bio >

Task Forces

Students as Leaders Chair

Kristin Hempel

Worforce Development Chair

Stephenie Rittberger

Prison Literacy Chair "Behind and Beyond the Walls"

Danielle Cox

Danielle has been an educator since 2001. She has a broad background as a teacher, reading specialist, a principal, a curriculum developer, academic coordinator for correctional education, and now as the director of correctional education for the State of Maryland prison system. Her career has been one of helping those most in need. Read bio >

Alumni Advisor to the COABE Board

Meghan McBride

Dr. Meghan McBride is a former adult learner who has worked in education since 2007. She currently serves as the vice president for adult education at Georgia Piedmont Technical College in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, where she has worked since 2018. Read bio >

Innovations Chair

Marilyn Pitzulo

Marilyn Pitzulo serves as the Associate Chief for Workforce Strategy with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. She has over thirty years’ experience in public service and nonprofit management, the last twelve in adult education. As the State Director of Adult Education, she shepherded programs through the transition from WIA to WIOA. Read bio >

Technology Chair

Michael Matos

Michael’s combined experience includes 7 years with CPS as a high school teacher and an additional 20 years as an adult education teacher and administrator. He taught 5 subjects in ABE/GED® instruction, all levels of ESL, and was an administrator at Adult Education Community Center. Read bio >

Are you interested in serving on the COABE Board of Directors? Complete our short “Talent Bank” form.

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