In March 2021, 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 are learning how to work with the media, their communities, and policymakers to create change benefiting adult learners and adult education programs. Final impact reports are in process, and this year’s cohort will move in to the mentorship phase.

Meet the 2021 Fellow Alumni Meet the 2022 Fellows

Congratulations to the Fellows that have been selected for the 2022 State Advocate for Adult Education Fellowship! 

Alabama

Mary Rainey
Shelton State Community College

Alaska

Heidi Graves
Kenai Peninsula College

Arkansas

Marsha Taylor
Arkansas Adult Learning Resource Center

California

Karina Ravkina-Matousov
Los Angeles Unified School District

Colorado

Jonathan Huie
Asian Pacific Development Center

Connecticut

Jim Spafford
Manchester Adult & Continuing Education

District Of Columbia

Beth Kushner
Briya Public Charter School

Florida

Corydon Strawser
Orange Technical College (OCPS) and University of Central Florida

Georgia

Diane Hollis Harrell
Troup County CLCP

Idaho

Trevi Hardy
College of Western Idaho

Illinois

Rebecca Eller-Molitas
Elgin Community College and New Readers Press

Indiana

Christy McIntyre-Gray
Wayne Township Adult Education

Iowa

Jennifer Seil
Des Moines Area Community College

Kansas

Christiane Unruh
Butler Community College Adult Education program

Kentucky

Donnie Osborn
KEDC Adult Education

Louisiana

Kelsey D. Vallee
Louisiana Delta Community College

Maine

Heidi Durgin
Oxford Hills/Nezinscot Adult Education

Michigan

Carrie Mae Roper
Literacy Center of West Michigan

Minnesota

Laura Kim-Lowe
MORE

Mississippi

Daphne Monix Higgins
Holmes Community College

Missouri

Kevin White
Literacy KC

New Hampshire

Ginette Chandler
Second Start

New Mexico

Susan Yasenka
NMAEA

New York

Stacie Evans
City University of New York

Ohio

Courtney Brown
Eastern Gateway Community College

Oklahoma

Saeed Sarani
ORO Development Corporation

Oregon

Julie Rossi
Retired Rogue Community College ABS Department

Pennsylvania

Cheryl Hiester
The Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon

South Carolina

Tyrone Frasier
Georgetown County Adult Education

Tennessee

LaToya Montrell Newson
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Adult Education Division

Texas

Christina Anne Robinson
Houston Community College

Utah

Nicki Wake
Provo City School District

Vermont

Brian Kravitz
Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Inc.

Virginia

Latasha Drax
Penninsula Regional

Washington

Asha Lickley Dore
Shoreline Community College

West Virginia

Jennifer Donaho
Eastern Panhandle Instructional Cooperative

Wisconsin

Ashleigh Henrichs
Wisconsin Literacy