Members of PLTW’s Senior Leadership Team are taking part in a number of national events and activities. Last week, PLTW President and CEO Dr. Vince Bertram traveled to San Diego State University (SDSU) where he visited university leaders and PLTW teachers taking part in four PLTW Engineering Core Training courses, including one for the new Computer Science and Software Engineering course. Vince stopped by the Core Training classrooms and spoke with PLTW Master Teachers and teachers, thanking them for their commitment to preparing students for the global economy. He also thanked SDSU Affiliate Director Bruce Westermo for his hard work in organizing this year's Core Training programs. "California is experiencing significant growth with regard to PLTW, and Bruce has shown wonderful leadership in coordinating the expansion of training sites to accommodate the huge growth of California teachers needing training."
This week, PLTW Senior Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer David Dimmett represented Project Lead The Way at Monday's White House Summit for Working Families. The Summit was a convening of business executives, economists, labor leaders, legislators, advocates, and citizens to discuss issues facing America’s working families. It also included a special panel on STEM, and panelists highlighted the need for a more ethnically and gender diverse talent pipeline. “Key STEM leaders are increasingly aware of PLTW and our work,” Dimmett said after attending the Summit. “PLTW's work is essential for helping students enter high-demand, high-wage careers that will help them provide for their families and contribute to their communities.” See a recap of Dave’s experiences at the Summit by checking out his Twitter stream at Twitter.com/ddimmett.
Across the country in Denver, Colorado, PLTW Senior VP and Chief Program Officer Dr. Anne Jones is attending the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America conference. Hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, the fourth meeting of CGI America is focused on finding solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States. It is a working meeting that brings together leaders from the business, foundation, NGO, and government sectors to develop solutions for economic growth, long-term competitiveness, and social mobility. Dr. Jones was invited to serve on the CGI STEM Working Group to find actionable solutions to the issues of increasing the number of STEM field professionals engaging with teachers and students, developing strategies for attracting more highly qualified STEM teachers, and increasing opportunities for students to engage in STEM education programs in and out of the classroom.
And finally, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Dr. Andrea Croslyn, Chief Communications Officer Dorothy Gorman, and other members of PLTW are attending the International Society for Technology in Education 2014 Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, this weekend. The Conference is a powerhouse for technology education networking and learning. PLTW Engineering teacher and 2014 National Teacher of the Year Jeff Charbonneau is presenting a keynote address on Tuesday morning, July 1, and PLTW will also be present in the exhibit space. Look for more information on the ISTE Conference by following PLTW on Twitter at @PLTWorg or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ProjectLeadTheWay.
