(FRANKFORT, KY) – Two staff members in the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Division of School and Program Improvement have been named to leadership positions with the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA).
NAESPA is a membership organization made up of state Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) program administrators and their staff that ensures compliance with federal regulations. The organization works to see that all children – especially those living in economically disadvantaged conditions – have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education.
KDE Branch Manager Ruth Swanson and Title I, Part A Program Consultant Emily Meade have been elected to the NAESPA board.
Swanson was elected as a regional representative for Kentucky and several surrounding states. She is charged with gathering input from regional members and leading quarterly calls to discuss updates and issues.
“Throughout my 35 years in education, I’ve seen federal programs through many different lenses: from a classroom teacher, a district leader and a state program manager,” Swanson said. “Being a regional representative is a wonderful opportunity to learn from the states in our region as well as those across the nation and to support and impact education at the national level.”
Meade was elected NAESPA secretary and is charged with keeping minutes of meetings of the association and its board of directors, as well as preserving its documents and records.
“I am thrilled and honored to step into my new role as the elected secretary, and I am eager to represent the Kentucky Department of Education and support NAESPA and its board of directors,” Meade said.
Other KDE staff members have also served in leadership positions with the NAESPA: Division of School and Program Improvement Director Tara Rodriguez previously served as president and Branch Manager Erin Sudduth is the current regional board representative.
Swanson and Meade will serve two-year terms, beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
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