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2026 CACTE CAREERTECH SUMMIT WELCOMES YOU!
July 19-23, 2026
PUEBLO CONVENTION CENTER
Pueblo, CO

FAQs and up-to-date conference information can be found on the 2026 CACTE CareerTech Summit Page.
Registration rates, lodging information, and the Call for Proposals link are located there.

For General Conference Questions, contact Sheri Bryant, Assistant Director & Conference Coordinator, at [email protected]
For Exhibitor Questions and Support, contact Janet Brophy, Summit Assistant, at [email protected]


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Thursday, July 23
 

7:30am MDT

Registration Check-in Open
Thursday July 23, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am MDT
Have questions on this last day?  We probably have answers!
Thursday July 23, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am MDT
Registration Desk - Outside Fortino Hall Pueblo Convention Center

7:30am MDT

AM Beverage Service (included for all)
Thursday July 23, 2026 7:30am - 11:30am MDT
Enjoy coffee, hot tea and/or iced tea while you visit with fellow attendees.
Thursday July 23, 2026 7:30am - 11:30am MDT
PCC Hallways Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

Adult CTE Pathways Rooted in Equity, Care, and Completion
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
This session shares how we are building an Adult/Postsecondary CTE pathway that centers both completion and care for the whole learner. Grounded in Adult Education, CTE, care for the whole person, and accompaniment, our approach focuses on meeting students where they are and walking alongside them toward their goals. We’ll share how we connect programs, strengthen advising, and create intentional pathways that support persistence. We’ll also speak honestly about challenges and lessons learned. Participants will explore how equity, relationships, and cross-program collaboration can shape more responsive and effective pathways (ACE) for adult learners.
Speakers
avatar for Lauren Jones

Lauren Jones

Prog Dir Special Pops, CCD, Colorado Community College System
A dynamic education + training professional who delivers content energetically + meaningfully. I consider myself a creative - always drawn to art, expression, openness, willingness to grow and be true. A counselor, a creator, a gardener, an artist, a lover of all things ecologically... Read More →
avatar for Anna Super

Anna Super

Dir of First Yr Program Experience, Arapahoe Community College
Student services professional with experience leading diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Continually strives to make evidence-based decisions with a student-centered approach.
avatar for Junior Reina Toc

Junior Reina Toc

Director of ENLACE, Red Rocks Community College
Junior Reina Toc, PhD, is an educator, and community builder dedicated to advancing equity and belonging in higher education. He has over 17 years of experience in strategic program management, community engagement, advancement, international education, and student success across... Read More →
avatar for Melissa Toering

Melissa Toering

TSC GED Instructor, Trinidad State College
Practice, Fellowship, and Knowledge = these are my core functions Civil Service, Learning, Including, Growing, Cheering, Creating = these are my core passions
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Meeting Room 2/3 Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

Advocacy is in Everyone’s Job Title
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
In today’s rapidly evolving environment, advocacy for career and technical education is more important than ever—it is an essential responsibility for educators, administrators and leaders in every area of CTE. This session will help you respond to current policy issues by equipping you with practical strategies to champion your programs at the local, state and national levels. Learn how to identify and reach critical audiences, utilize key communication strategies, tell your CTE story, leverage data and partnerships, and use national association resources to elevate your voice and impact. Attendees will leave with clear, actionable steps to integrate advocacy into their daily roles and a renewed understanding that advancing CTE requires the support of our entire community!
Speakers
avatar for Alisha Hyslop

Alisha Hyslop

Chief Policy, Research & Content Officer, ACTE
Dr. Alisha Hyslop has spent 25 years working in career and technical education and is
currently the Chief Policy, Research & Content Officer at the national Association for
Career and Technical Education. At ACTE, Alisha leads the organization’s policy,
advocacy, research, program... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Fortino Grand Hall C-East Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

Discovering Student Strengths: Colorado Career Advising Tool to Guide Pathways and Workforce Readiness
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
This interactive breakout session introduces a strengths-based advising model that helps students connect their personal strengths to career pathways and workforce opportunities. Participants will experience the process firsthand by completing a brief strengths assessment using IndigoPathway or the Colorado Career Advising (CCA) Tool and engaging in a guided reflection activity modeled after real advising conversations used in schools and CTE programs.

Facilitators will walk participants through key components of the student strengths report and demonstrate how assessment insights can support career exploration, pathway planning, and meaningful advising conversations. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for helping students articulate their talents, connect learning to industry opportunities, and strengthen career-connected learning across CTE programs.
Speakers
avatar for Phillip Inzerillo

Phillip Inzerillo

Director of Partnerships, Indigo Impact Initiative
Phillip Inzerillo builds partnerships connecting schools, employers, and communities to expand career-connected learning. With Indigo Impact Initiative, he supports implementation of strengths-based advising tools nationwide, including Colorado Career Advising and My Colorado Journey... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Fortino Grand Hall C-West Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

Innovations in CTE Teacher Recruitment/Retention (Innovation Grant Panel)
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
This session will highlight Innovations in CTE Grant projects related to CTE teacher recruitment and retention.  Join Greeley School District and Red Rocks Community College to hear more about projects that can be replicated related to teacher externships and how that supports partnership, WBL expansion and program quality as well as RRCC's expanded onboarding process supporting teachers (secondary and postsecondary) coming straight from industry into the classroom. 
Speakers
avatar for Victoria Crownover

Victoria Crownover

Associate State Director of CTE, Colorado Community College System
Victoria is the Associate State CTE Director and will serve as a facilitator for CTE and Julesburg, Lamar Community College, Littleton, Strasburg, Westminster, and Woodland Park team members implementing FY26 Innovations in CTE Grant projects who will be featured.
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Heroes Pavillion Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

On-Ramps to Registered Apprenticeships for Youth and Young Adults
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
In this session we will provide: overview of the Colorado Apprenticeship system, Registered Apprenticeship 101, Registered Apprenticeship Directory Hands-on-Activity, a share out of work to date via the CTE / Apprenticeship Alignment grant and the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center.
Speakers
avatar for Maddy Oaks

Maddy Oaks

Education Alignment Specialist, Apprenticeship Colorado
Prior to her current role as the Education Alignment Specialist at Apprenticeship Colorado, Maddy served as a Program Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), where she worked to improve grant strategies and support adult education and literacy programs under the... Read More →
avatar for Debbie Shackelford

Debbie Shackelford

Youth Engagement Specialist, Apprenticeship Colorado
Debbie Shackelford began her career in Financial Services, establishing successful divisions in Cash Management and Corporate Training. Driven by a passion for empowering others, she moved to the Pikes Peak Workforce Center, serving on the training team and later as Program Manager... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Meeting Room 4/5 Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

Opening Doors: Career Exploration for Students with Disabilities, Multilingual Learners, and Every Other Student in the Room
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
What happens when career exploration is designed for your most complex learners first? This session introduces Opening Doors, a structured career exploration model built for students who need the most support — and powerful enough for every student in the room. CTE educators, special education co-teachers, and ACE instructors will leave with a practical, classroom-ready differentiation framework grounded in what educators observe every day — and aligned with the accommodations already required by your students' IEPs, 504s, and ELL designations. Grounded in live implementation at Cherry Creek School District and the equity-first design principles behind CTEsoft, this session is equal parts philosophy and ready-to-use practice. Attendees will engage through guided discussion, a live framework walkthrough, and small-group application to their own context. Deliverables include the Opening Doors companion whitepaper, sample scaffolded activity structures, and a live demo of CTEsoft's differentiated curriculum generation.
Speakers
avatar for Chris Groote

Chris Groote

CEO, The Third Road
Chris Groote is an international speaker, author, and founder of Elk Mountain Concepts, with two decades in corporate management and entrepreneurial training. A passionate advocate for teaching business ownership to young adults regardless of background or degree, he co-founded The... Read More →
avatar for Jen Swiney

Jen Swiney

Chief Education Officer and ACE Teacher, The Third Road & CCSD
Jen Swiney is an ACE-Certified CTE Educator at Cherry Creek School District, where she designs career programming for students with IEPs and ELLs. She is the Chief Education Officer; co-founded CTEsoft and The Third Road on a simple belief: every student deserves a clear path forward... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Exhibit Hall A2 Pueblo Convention Center

9:00am MDT

Preparing Students for an AI-Driven Workforce
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping industries, eliminating some roles, and creating entirely new ones — and today's students will enter a job market that looks completely different. 


This session will take a deep dive into at the latest Colorado, national, and global workforce data, examine how industries are leveraging AI, which careers and tasks are most vulnerable to automation, and how educators can help students build the essential skills that AI cannot replace. 


Through collaborative activities, real-world examples, and group discussions, attendees will leave with practical classroom strategies and information they can share with their students. 
Speakers
avatar for Lisa Hollingsworth

Lisa Hollingsworth

Internship Coordinator, Mapleton Early Career Prep
Lisa Hollingworth has been a dedicated educator for 25 years and currently serves as Internship Coordinator at Mapleton Early Career Prep. Lisa was selected as JA Educator of the Year in 2025, and recently won the ACTE Rising Star Award.
avatar for Christy Biedron

Christy Biedron

Senior Director of Education, Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain
Christy Biedron is the Senior Director of Education at Junior Achievement, a statewide organization that provides no-cost career-connected and work-based learning opportunities and financial literacy curriculum to Colorado schools and teachers.
Thursday July 23, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Exhibit Hall A1 Pueblo Convention Center

10:00am MDT

Avoid the Burnout
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Description: Are you overwhelmed by a long to-do list? Juggling teaching multiple preps and all of your other CTE duties? Do you feel like your passion and flame for this profession are burning out? You are not alone. Join Emily as she shares tips and tricks for managing your to-do list, completing extra duties, and keeping your passion for CTE burning bright! Teachers at any point in their career will benefit from this workshop, but it will be geared to 3-7 year teachers. Engaging discussion, tools, and activities will be implemented to assist in gaining skills and ideas to help teachers avoid the burnout that CTE teaching can bring. 
Speakers
avatar for Emily Baylie

Emily Baylie

Agricultural Education Instructor, Limon Public Schools
Wife, mom, Ag Teacher. Passionate about agricultural literacy, education, and advocacy and rural life and living.
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Heroes Pavillion Pueblo Convention Center

10:00am MDT

Behind the Bills: The CACTE Legislative Fellowship Experience
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
This breakout session will focus on the CACTE Legislative Fellowship and how valuable participation can be to support the landscape and future of CTE. The session will provide an overview of the Fellowship itself and how it plays a role in advocating for state legislation impacting CTE programs, funding priorities, accountability measures, and emerging workforce initiatives.
 
Participants will gain insight into why participation can influence program design, as well as industry partnerships, and student opportunities. Other key points covered include; an overview of the 2-year fellowship commitment, the application process, tasks to expect, goals and outcomes to be attained and a broad understanding of practical strategies for advocacy, relationship-building with lawmakers, and effectively communicating the value of CTE in today’s economy.
 
Attendees will leave with a better understanding of why the Fellowship was created, who can benefit from participation and why this role is critical to the sustainability and function of CTE in Colorado.
Speakers
avatar for Nikki Carter

Nikki Carter

CTE Director, Widefield School District 3
Nikki Carter serves as the CTE Director for Widefield District 3, where she has worked since 2005. Previous roles include Business Teacher and Work-Based Learning Coordinator. Currently, she oversees Perkins, program approvals, CTA reporting, and supports Widefield’s off-site skilled... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Exhibit Hall A2 Pueblo Convention Center

10:00am MDT

Colorado's 2030 Energy Goals: What It Means For Your Students!
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Join Colorado educators who spent the summer learning from industry leaders in the climate industry! In 2025, the Colorado Climate Workforce Analysis & Plan assessed the current climate workforce and forecasts the future employment demands. Learn about climate projects across the state and how to engage students in this sector. Attendees will also have the opportunity to share feedback with the state on a new resource being created for K12. 
Speakers
avatar for Megan Christensen

Megan Christensen

Climate Workforce Development Manager, CWDC
Climate Workforce Development Manager Megan works to align workforce priorities in clean energy sectors across the state in a shared role with the Colorado Workforce Development Council and the Colorado Energy Office.Previous to joining the CWDC and the CEO, Megan worked in career... Read More →
avatar for Sami Mooney

Sami Mooney

BusinessEd Alignment Consultant, CWDC
The Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is a Governor-appointed, public-private partnership with the purpose to advise, oversee, and integrate the work of the Colorado talent development network. The CWDC Office is the work unit that supports the Council. Our vision is that... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Meeting Room 4/5 Pueblo Convention Center

10:00am MDT

Leveraging CTE Career Development Programs for MTSS and Dropout Prevention
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Through examination of the Alternative Cooperative Education (ACE) program in Colorado, this presentation will look at how CTE career development programs designed for special populations can serve as high-impact interventions within MTSS. Creating CTE pathways that include academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports, schools can address disengagement, improve persistence, and reduce dropout rates among historically underserved learners.
Attendees will examine strategies, implementation, and data that show CTE not as an alternative track, but as an effective intervention for dropout prevention.
Speakers
avatar for Alexa Green

Alexa Green

ACE Teacher/WBL Liaison, William J. Palmer High School
Alexa Green currently teaches ACE Career Development at Palmer High School in Colorado Springs. She is a champion for special populations throughout CTE. Alexa currently serves as the secretary on the ACTE Board for the CTE for All Division and is an ACTE mentor for CTE for All for... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Fortino Grand Hall C-East Pueblo Convention Center

10:00am MDT

Multimodal AI Meets Collaborative Robotics - An Integrated Hands-On Approach
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Discover a fun and creative approach to teaching key AI concepts and technologies essential for emerging careers in the robotics and automation industry—including generative AI, multimodal AI, and artificial vision using Dobot Robotics’ educational solutions. This hands-on session showcases the new Dobot E6 Magician series, AI Teaching Kit, Vision Kit, and AI Drawing Kit, which allow students to explore real-world applications like object recognition, automated sorting, and creative AI-generated art projects.


Participants will see practical examples of integrating robotics with generative AI for tasks such as intelligent drawing, vision-guided manipulation, and industry-
simulated workflows. Designed for CTE programs, these affordable, classroom-ready tools bridge the gap between theory and practice while aligning with modern manufacturing and automation standards.


Attendees will leave inspired with strategies to spark student excitement, build career-ready skills, and overcome barriers to teaching advanced AI in secondary and postsecondary settings.
Speakers
avatar for Songwei Wang, Ph.D.

Songwei Wang, Ph.D.

R&D Specialist (North America), Dobot Robotics
Songwei Wang, Ph.D., is a Research and Development Specialist at Dobot Robotics North America. With a background in robotics and AI from the University of Texas at Arlington, he specializes in making industrial robotics, computer vision, and generative AI accessible for education... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Meeting Room 2/3 Pueblo Convention Center

10:00am MDT

Vocabulary in Action
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Give vocabulary the boost it deserves! This session features a collection of fun, effective, and hands-on vocabulary activities designed to help students internalize essential terms in personal finance, entrepreneurship, and more. Participants will experience both individual tasks and team-based challenges that promote active learning, reinforce key concepts, and support long-term retention. Walk away with ready-to-use tools and ideas to make vocabulary instruction more engaging, collaborative, and impactful—no flashcards required.
Speakers
KW

Kathy Werner

Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, Swink School District

avatar for Robin Palmer

Robin Palmer

Education Specialist, Take Charge Today
Robin Palmer is passionate about providing high quality professional development for teachers and helping students develop skills that they will use far beyond high school.  As an Arizona educator, Robin shared her passions by teaching Entrepreneurship and Financial Math, classes... Read More →
Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Fortino Grand Hall C-West Pueblo Convention Center

11:00am MDT

General Session 3
Thursday July 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:30am MDT
Say a final farewell to the 2026 CACTE CareerTech Summit!

Will your name be the lucky winner for a FREE 2027 CACTE Summit Registration? Gift cards? CTE Swag?

Don't miss out - be there!


2026 CACTE CareerTech Summit Evaluation
Thursday July 23, 2026 11:00am - 11:30am MDT
Fortino Grand Hall A/B Pueblo Convention Center
 
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