Advisory Board Profiles
The National Tech Prep Network receives continual input on conference and membership matters from a group of six advisory board members, each of whom are involved in local and state Tech Prep initiatives.

The Board's current membership includes:

Mark N. Turner Employee Development Specialist, Learning Training and Development The Boeing Company

Mark is a product of Tech Prep initiatives. In the mid 1970's Mark was selected to participate in a new program in which high school students constructed a residential home. Since that experience Mark's career has been focused on employee training, education and development. Since 1998, Mark has been a program and project manager for the Boeing Company Educator Internship and Tech Prep student programs. Mark also serves on the Washington State Tech Prep Advisory Council in addition to various other boards and committees supporting education and training activities.

Ezra C. Penermon Manager of Technical Workforce Development Programs Texas Instruments Dallas, Texas

Ezra Penermon has worked in a variety of positions in the semiconductor industry for over twenty years. For the past five years, he has served as a Texas Instruments liason by working closely with technical education programs at community colleges, technical schools, secondary schools, and local tech prep consortia across Texas. In addition, Ezra serves on various boards and workforce related committees including Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex Workforce Boards and Chambers of Commerce.

Ray Timlin Director of Continuing Education Mercer County Career Center Mercer, Pennsylvania

Ray Timlin is currently the Continuing Education Supervisor at the Mercer County Career Center in Mercer, Pa. He recently left the Arizona Department of Education as its postsecondary liaison. Ray also has experience as the Tech Prep Grant Coordinator of the Southcentral Tech Prep Consortium at Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, Pa. Previous to his work at Harrisburg Area Community College, Ray was the director of the Kent Tech Prep Consortium at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, for eight years. His previous administrative experience included the coordination of professional development and curriculum design for the Mahoning Area Consortium Tech Prep housed at Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio.

Prior to accepting the position of director of the Kent Tech Prep Consortium, Ray was a faculty member for seven years in the Department of Secondary Education at Youngstown State University, and taught a graduate-level course in curriculum theory and development, undergraduate methods courses, and clinical activity courses. While at YSU, he also served as campus supervisor for student teachers and coordinated pre-service teachers in the field.

Ray was selected to participate as a scholar in the 2002-2003 National Leadership Institute with the National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education. He is also a past president of the National Association for Tech Prep Leadership (NATPL).

Ahmed Sabie Director, Kentucky Tech Prep Education Program, Office of Career and Technical Education

Dr. Ahmed Sabie currently serves as the director of the Kentucky Tech Prep Education Program, New Teacher Institute, New Principal Institute, and New Teacher Academy in the Department for Workforce Investment, Office of Career and Technical Education which is part of the Kentucky Education Cabinet.

Dr. Sabie has been involved with Tech Prep on the state level since 1991; he was the first Kentucky Tech Prep Director. He now serves on the National Tech Prep Network 2007 Conference Planning committee and the National Tech Prep Advisory team.

Dr. Sabie is very supportive of the Industrial Education and Technology Department at Morehead State University. He serves on the Morehead State University Industrial Education and Technology Advisory Board and plays an active part in meetings and workshops.

Along with being published in numerous state and national publications and membership in various state and national professional and educational associations, Dr. Sabie served as the 2004-2005 president of the Southeastern Trade and Industrial Education Conference (STIEC) after serving as its vice-president in 2003-2004. STIEC has 12 member states and is a professional organization that deals with issues related to career and technical education, technology use, distance learning, and education and workforce initiatives.

Mark A. Chambers Tech Prep Coordinator, Northeast Missouri Tech Prep Consortium Moberly Area Community College Moberly, Missouri

Before getting his degree in English education in 1986, Mark Chambers served as an aviation maintenance technician in the U.S. Navy. This unique background allows Mark to see the important link between career and technical and academic education. Mark taught English for two years in small rural secondary schools in Missouri. Then in 1990, he went into grant work for the Glendale/Peoria YMCA in Phoenix, Arizona, where he developed curriculum and ran the sports and youth camps.

Mark started at Moberly Area Community College in 1996 coordinating the School-To-Work program. He worked closely with the Tech Prep consortium creating a strong link between the two programs. In 2000, Mark became the Tech Prep Coordinator for the Northeast Missouri Tech Prep Consortium. The consortium consists of 16 counties and 33 school districts. He is a member of the National Association for Tech Prep Leadership the Missouri Guidance Advisory Committee, the Missouri Service Learning Advisory Council, and the Moberly Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. Mark also serves on the Workforce Investment Board Youth Council.