Meet Shani Watkins
ACTE Region V Vice President
Email: shani.watkins@westsoundtech.org
Region: V
Division: Administration
Occupation: Director
Employment History
Director, West Sound Tech Skills Center: 2015–present; principal, Seattle Skills Center: 2013–present; assistant CTE director, Tacoma Public Schools: 2010–13; director, bachelor’s degree program, Central Washington University: 2006–2010; instructional facilitator, CTE, Tacoma Public Schools: 2002–06
Education
MBA, Grand Canyon University; M.Ed., organizational systems, Grand Canyon University; M.Ed., focus on business and marketing education, Central Washington University; B.S., business education, Central Washington University; B.S., accounting, Central Washington University
National ACTE Involvement
ACTE’s CareerTech VISION presenter: 2016, 2018; VISION attendee: 2015–19; ACTE/NCLA Best Practices and Innovations in CTE Conference presenter: 2016–17; National Policy Seminar attendee: 2015–17, 2019; CTE Support Fund supporter: 2015–16; won scholarship to attend Best Practices in 2016 as a first-time attendee
Regional ACTE Involvement
Policy committee member: 2017–2020; membership committee member: 2017–19; Region V Conference presenter: 2018–19
State ACTE Involvement
Washington ACTE (WA-ACTE) past president: 2019–2020; WA-ACTE president: 2018–19; president-elect: 2017–18; legislative committee member; membership committee member; awards committee member; in-service committee member; annual attendee and presenter of the WA-ACTE summer conference
Other CTE Involvement
Washington Association of Career and Technical Administrators (WACTA) past president – president – president-elect: 2014–17; WACTA secretary: 2012–13; legislative committee member; awards committee member; in-service committee member; WACTA fall and spring conference presenter: annually; Washington State Skills Center Association member and web master: 2013–present; Washington State Business Education Association member and conference participant
Platform Statement
My name is Shani Watkins, and I am running for ACTE Region V vice president. I am excited to represent ACTE and Region V members for the next three years. I will do my best to represent your needs and support your work in career and technical education.
I have been fortunate to be a part of the Region V Policy Committee for the past three years as well as president-elect, president and past-president of Washington ACTE, and president-elect, president and past-president of the Washington Association of Career and Technical Administrators. I believe that these experiences can help me support both ACTE and Region V.
Career and technical education is my heart and passion. I believe that, to provide relevant, engaging, educational leadership that ensures all students are positioned for career success, we must work collaboratively to ensure success for all. I want to celebrate the success happening locally, regionally and nationally together and encourage models that can be replicated. We are in a critical time of change; let’s work together to create opportunities and overcome barriers! Together, we can ensure all CTE teachers are prepared for change and support student career success.
