SkillsUSA Students Elected as Leaders of National Organization

Will Serve SkillsUSA for 2023-34 School Year

LEESBURG, Va., July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SkillsUSA students have been elected as national officers to serve nearly 400,000 members for the 2023-24 school year. The 10 high school and college/postsecondary students will serve as advocates for SkillsUSA and career and technical education (CTE) and will lead two national conferences, facilitate sessions for students and instructors and advocate on behalf of SkillsUSA to elected officials and representatives of business and industry as they represent the national organization at various events.

"Each of these students has a true passion for SkillsUSA and for CTE. Through the election process, they demonstrated a deep knowledge of the SkillsUSA Framework and a work ethic that will make them great leaders to serve our members," said Chelle Travis, executive director of SkillsUSA. "I look forward to working closely with this national officer team throughout the school year."

Elections were run by the SkillsUSA House of Delegates during the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) held June 19-23 in Atlanta. The student officers were elected through a formal process that concluded June 23 at the closing Awards Session of the NLSC when they were announced.

Newly elected SkillsUSA national officers for the High School division include:

• President — Oviya Senthil, a Computer Science student at Folsom (Calif.) High School. SkillsUSA advisors: Pamela Goldman and Andrew Bias.
• Vice President — Tyler Miles, a Graphic Communications student at Burrillville High School in Harrisville, R.I. SkillsUSA advisor: Christopher Pilling.
• Secretary — Lilia Burkes, an IT Networking student at Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center in Leonardtown, Md. SkillsUSA advisor: Mary Thompson
• Treasurer — Kayla Mathieu, a Culinary Arts student at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School in South Easton, Mass. SkillsUSA advisor: Leah Doolin.
• Region 2 Vice President — Luke Yoakum, a Culinary Arts, Hospitality, Baking and Gastronomy student at Leesburg (Fla.) High School. SkillsUSA advisor: John Bell.
• Region 3 Vice President — Naomi Domer, a Technology and Engineering student at Watertown (Wis.) High School. SkillsUSA advisor: Jesse Domer.
• Region 4 Vice President — Preet Damani, a Pre-Engineering student at Canadian Valley Tech Center – El Reno, Okla. SkillsUSA advisor: Jeff Herndon.
• Region 5 Vice President — Troy Barrera, a Biomedical student at Edward C. Reed High School in Sparks, Nev. SkillsUSA advisor: Terin Arnold.

Newly elected SkillsUSA national officers for the College/Postsecondary division include:

• President — Audrey Norris, a Games, Interactive Media and Mobile Technologies student at Boise State University, Idaho. SkillsUSA advisor: Barbara Beagles
• Vice President — Emily Pinto, a Design and Media Production student at Augusta (Ga.) Technical College. SkillsUSA advisor: Sherrie Rowe.

To run for a national office, SkillsUSA members must follow their school and state candidate process. Once qualified to run for national office, candidates begin the campaign process during the national conference to student delegates representing all 50 states and three territories. The NLSC is the largest and most diverse annual showcase of skill training in the nation with over 16,000 attendees and 110 leadership and skilled trades competitions planned and managed by industry to their standards for entry-level employees in each field.

Meet the new SkillsUSA National Officer team: http://www.skillsusa.org/about/national-officers/.

About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is America's proud champion of the skilled trades. It's a student-led partnership of education and industry that's building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing nearly 380,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. SkillsUSA's mission empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. That mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into the classroom curriculum. Through Framework instruction, students develop the character-shaping leadership skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism and more — that successful careers and lives demand. At the same time, students hone their high-level technical skills against current industry standards in more than 130 skilled trade areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding. The result? Focused, confident and highly skilled graduates who are ready to work, ready to lead and ready to make a difference in our schools, workplaces and communities. A vital solution to the skills gap, where more in-demand skilled trades positions are available than qualified professionals to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 14 million difference-making members since 1965. To learn more, visit http://www.skillsusa.org.

Media Contact

Jane DeShong Short, SkillsUSA, 703-737-0612, [email protected]

Karen Kitzel, SkillsUSA, 703-737-0607, [email protected]

SOURCE SkillsUSA