NCPN Conference 2010
     Featured Speakers 

Opening General Session
Thursday, October 21, 2:30–3:45 p.m.
Dr. Bennie Lambert
Vice President for Student Development
Lone Star College-North Harris
Houston, Texas 

Dr. Bennie Lambert is passionate about education and serves as the Vice President for Student Development at Lone Star College-North Harris in Houston, Texas. For the past ten years, Bennie has traveled the country extensively, promoting education, excellence, and success through training and development programs. He has served a consultant for numerous colleges, universities, and businesses, including Chevron, Kellogg Brown and Root, Iowa Department of Corrections, the Houston Astros and the San Francisco 49ers to name a few. Bennie has also done stand-up comedy professionally for several years. His comedic talents have been showcased on Comedy Central.

 
Opening General Session
Thursday, October 21, 2:30–3:45 p.m.
Brenda Dann-Messier
Assistant Secretary, OVAE
U.S. Department of Education

Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier was nominated by President Obama to be the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education on July 14, 2009. On October 5, 2009 she was confirmed by the United States Senate and began her official duties on October 13, 2009.  Prior to coming to the United States Department of Education Dr. Dann-Messier served for a decade as the President of Dorcas Place a community-based adult education agency based in Providence, Rhode Island. While working to expand educational and career opportunities for low-income, low-literacy adults, Brenda has been commended by the Rhode Island Department of Education for her commitment to the low-skilled learner.

NCPN Member Luncheon
Friday, October 22, 12:15–1:45 p.m.
Reagan Flowers
Founder and CEO of C-STEM

Dr. Reagan Flowers is an action researcher, author, a visionary, a scientist, an educator, and most importantly a pioneer. For more than fifteen years, the success of young people has been the driving force behind her innovative ideas as a teacher, guidance counselor, dean of students, school improvement facilitator, and now the founder and CEO of C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc.

In 2002, Dr. Reagan Flowers, coined the term STEM when she developed C-STEM to support teacher development, real-world problem-solving, and application of learning within Pre K-12 classrooms. The STEM pipeline (feeder pattern) design has impacted well over 25,000 students, 500 teachers and has an international presence. Dr. Flowers methods and pedagogy are featured in books she authored, The CSTEM Sea Turtle Challenge: A Feeder Pattern Approach to Reaching All Students and CSTEM Pedagogy: Your Guide to Project-Based Learning. What makes her work in STEM education so impactful is her extensive background in public education, STEM research, work with underrepresented youth, and grassroots experience with implementing sustainable STEM programs. The inspiration and innovation behind CSTEM is continually motivated by her firsthand experiences which allow her to create opportunities that provide unlimited possibilities for both students and teachers.

Closing General Session
Saturday, October 22, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 noon
Brad Cohen
Teacher, Author, Speaker
Front of the Class (Hallmark Hall of Fame movie recently aired on CBS)

Brad will speak about “The Power of ONE: All it Takes is for One Person to Make a Difference in a Life of a Child.” Some of his keynote will be taken from “FRONT OF THE CLASS”, the movie about his inspiring true story of incredible challenges and unwavering determination. As a child with Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder of the brain that causes the body to make strange sounds and uncontrollable violent twitches, Brad was beaten, mocked and shunned. As an adult, Brad overcame all odds to become an award-winning teacher of the year for the state of Georgia. The road in between was a roller coaster ride in perseverance.

Brad is an inspiration in overcoming life’s challenges. Nothing, not even Tourette Syndrome, stops him from pursuing—and achieving—his goals. From the depths of abuse that his teachers piled on him, Brad became determined to become the teacher he never had. After several dozen rejection letters, Brad finally found a teaching home where he taught second-graders not only reading, writing and math, but also about love and acceptance of all people.

Brad will have a book signing following the Closing Session. Books are $15 and DVDs are $25.  Checks and cash will be accepted.)

	Jeannie Bragg ACTE Outstanding Guidance Professional CTE Counselor, John H. Guyer High School, Denton, Texas			Jim Brazell Radical Platypus Group a VentureRAMP, Inc. Company
	Dean Folkers Deputy Executive Director National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium			Richard "Dick" Hinckley President and CEO CORD
	David Thornburg CEO Thornburg Center for Professional Development