The fifth cohort of COABE’s State Advocates for Adult Education Fellowship (SAAEF) kicked off at the national conference in March 2025. The initial SAAEF launched in March 2021, when COABE selected activists and leaders to champion the cause of adult education WIOA Title II programs. The State Advocates for Adult Education Fellowship (SAAEF) is a hands-on advocacy training program for adult educators, adult learners, and friends of adult education. During the yearlong program, fellows join an impactful and engaging community of practice where they will learn how to work with the media, their communities, and policymakers to create change benefiting adult learners and adult education programs.

Meet the Fellows Meet the Fellow Alumni

Congratulations to the Fellows that have been selected for the 2025 State Advocate for Adult Education Fellowship! 

Alabama
Allena Williams
Bishop State

Alaska
Deepika Ramesh Perumal
Alaska Literacy Program Inc.

Arkansas
Theresa Baggett
Crawford County Adult Education Center

California
Ilse Pollet
Independent Consultant

Colorado
Jacinda Lay
Emily Griffith Technical College

Connecticut
Madelyn Cruz
Middletown Adult Education

Delaware
Carleen Jones
Organization of Adult Alumni and Students in Service

District of Columbia
Elizabeth Winn Bowman
Briya Public Charter School

Florida
Lorri Benjamin
Brevard Adult & Community Education

Georgia
Christine Miller
Georgia State University

Idaho
Christine Hagedorn Reilly
State of Idaho – Career Technical Education

Illinois
Luis Narvaez
City Colleges of Chicago

Indiana
Denise Esslinger
Warren Adult & Continuing Education

Iowa
AE Mohammed Elmahi
Hawkeye Community College

Kentucky
Ashley Vincent Poore
Madisonville Community College Adult Education

Louisiana
Sarina Lirette
River Parishes Community College

Maine
Lynn Sheehan
York Adult Education

Maryland
Andrea Fricks
Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education

Massachusetts
Kristy Johnson
LARE Institute

Michigan
Kristen Swiantek
Michigan Adult, Community, & Alternative Education Association

Mississippi
Sarah Ward
Grenada Adult Education Center

Missouri
Netty Doyle
Literacy KC

Nebraska
Julie Grives
Lincoln Literacy

New York
Chantal Michaux
Buffalo Public Schools

North Carolina
Michael Ellis
Wake Technical Community College

Ohio
Erika Simmons
The Academy for Urban Scholars

Pennsylvania
Kieran Farrell
Beyond Literacy

Rhode Island
Sheryl Buchanan
Genesis Center

South Carolina
Lara Kolb
Clarendon County Adult Education

Tennessee
Kirsten Albritton
Meharry Medical College, C.A.P.E. Program

Texas
Irene Ramos
Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education

Utah
Katie Donoviel
English Skills Learning Center

Virginia
Andrea Clements
Region 5 Adult Education

Washington
Ahmed Fahad
Highline College

West Virginia
Heather Tharp
Southern Educational Service Cooperative

Wisconsin
Dana Glasstein
Waukesha County Technical College

Wyoming
Rochelle Hampton
Casper College Castellow Adult Learning Center

SAAEF Testimonials