Professional Development
Testimonials:
Changed my perception of Y&Z generations. After hearing your presentation, I plan to now speak positively of these generations to help others understand them.”
Celina Garcia
Business Teacher at Alice High School
Great speaker, enjoyed it! Very relevant to today’s students and where we’re headed.”
Melissa Jimenez
CTE Teacher at Tuloso Midway High School
Thank you for focusing on CTE throughout your presentation. The info you shared was great!”
Yoelia Nava
CTE Director at Sharyland ISD
Connect, engage and answer why — a great analogy for communicating with our youth today.”
Debra Peri
Floresville ISD
This was a great eye-opening presentation that detailed my beliefs. His points were awesome.”
Phylicia Hill
CTE Coordinator at Spring ISD
Great presentation.”
Jeff Koch
CTE Director at Sealy ISD
Mark is an excellent speaker. He is engaging, informative and passionate about seeing younger generations succeed.”
John Whitten
Mount Pleasant ISD
Really loved the creaking branch illustration. Very true. Very powerful. Great presentation!”
Marsha Cummins
District CTE Coordinator at Keller ISD
Awesome info! Love the Career Tree.”
Suzi Mitchell
CTE Director at Hays CISD
He gave us hope with students that still have no sense of direction.”
Hazel Herrera
Career/College Readiness at Pecos Barstow
The Wade Factor was a powerful reminder of my real purpose.”
Larkin SeSueur
CTE Coordinator at Humble ISD
Truly inspirational.”
Guadalupe Ramirez
Coordinator of Career Programs at Ysleta ISD
Loved it!”
Martha Meyer
Student Support Facilitator at Spring Branch ISD
Great presenter!”
Julie Gatlin
CTE Director at Huffman ISD
Career Trees are game changing.”
Donna Handlin
Student Support Facilitator at Spring Branch ISD
Very inspiring presentation that was relevant to career & technical education, excellent job.”
Andrea Anderson
CTE Content Coordinator at Birdville ISD Career & Technical Education
Great presentation.”
Marlin Castanede
CTE Specialist at Judson ISD
Mindblowing — finally a complete understanding of the younger generations.”
Rhonda Fore
Health Science Instructor at Burkburnett High School/Vernon College
Loved the Wade Factor.”
Debbie Smith
CTE Director at Lubbock-Cooper ISD
Great presenter.”
Lisa Dudding
Assistant Director of CTE at Lubbock ISD
Excellent & motivational! Will definitely share with our CTE teachers as we begin a new, passionate and exciting new year.”
Thelma Anguiano
CTE Coordinator at San Felipe Del Rio CISD
Love the idea that the light at the end of the tunnel does not have to be a college degree. So many young adults give up on finding that light because it isn’t college — thank you for telling them it’s ok and giving hope.”
Christine Walker
Business & Marketing Teacher at Stratford HS
Want to read this book!”
Lisa Slattery
Business Teacher at Spring Woods High School
Fantastic!”
Kimberly Clayton
Teacher at Katy ISD
Awareness Gap — so true that we need to become aware!”
Kristy Schaper
Teacher at Stratford High School
Going to purchase your book! I wish I could get it now. Love the illustration of Wade!”
Susan Weatherton
Counselor at Klein High School
I believe Mark hit on the single most important part as our work as educators. This is a human endeavor. Making a difference means a connection must be made with our students.”
David Shenz
Executive Director College & Career Readiness at Fort Worth ISD
Great presentation. Thank you for teaching everyone about the younger generations and filling the gaps.”
Ira Florez
CTE Coordinator at Lubbock ISD
Love the tree diagram relating careers to level of education and the needs (roots) that are the foundation to success.”
Alexis Knape
CTE Coordinator at Texas City ISD
Changing the landscape takes a village but with all the stakeholders buy in and students want to vision, we can build a skilled workforce. Dynamic — thanks for setting the spark! Your insight and passion got me excited to climb a tree as this school year begins and I’m having PD for my CTE crew.”
Kristy Kercheville
CTE Director at Liberty Hill ISD
On target, best keynote speaker I have experienced in 32 years of education.”
Roger Gonzalez
CTE Director at San Felipe Del Rio CISD
Reframing my thoughts about today’s youth is critical to their success. How I perceive their effort is not who they really are.”
Theodore Mackey III
CTE Coordinator at Anna ISD
The Career Tree was amazing and I love the idea of calling students professionals.”
Mark Ballard
CTE Counselor at Garland ISD Lakeview Centennial High School
Great perspective.”
Analisa Coleman
Health Science/EMT/CAN Instructor at Kingsville ISD
How proud I am of being a CTE teacher in today’s society!”
Mary Cole
CTE/Computer Science/College & Career Readiness at Conroe ASD
Thank you for doing what you’re doing.”
Travis Clark
CTE Specialist at Hutto ISD
Affirmation that students can still be successful without an expensive college degree. Great presentation as well as relevant to the CTE world.”
Craig Grazidi
CTE Specialist at Pearland ISD
Amazing speaker!”
Carla Burns
CTE Teacher at Fort Worth ISD Trimble Tech HS
I hope to carry your enthusiasm into my classroom this fall. Thanks for making me aware of the Wade Factor. I hope to make that impact on my students.”
Terri Casto
CTE Teacher at College Station ISD
Thank you for your work with CTE, keep plowing ahead.”
Bill Jardell
CTE Director at Nederland ISD
Love the Career Tree! Enjoyed the refresher on all the different generations.”
Mindy Hampton
CTE Specialist at Region 16 ESC
Excellent presentation!”
Heather Blount
Education Specialist at Region 17 Education Service Center
Great presentation, just what I wanted.”
Stephanie Taylor
Teacher at Springtown ISD
My school district theme is Connect-Lead-Succeed. That you touched on connecting has made a renewed impact. This year we will focus on succeed.”
Opal Mobbs
Career Prep Teacher at Abilene ISD
Info was relevant and applicable to CTE professionals.”
Rachel Behnke
CTE Director at New Braunfels ISD
Thank you so much! You have eloquently articulated what I have known and believe about education.”
Kelly Muffoletto
CTE Coordinator at Piney East Perkins Consortium
The statistics were great and painted a great picture. Personal stories enhanced the message and the tree just truly hit home for me. I hope this book spreads like wildfire! This seems like such a no-brainer for education to implement. I hope that this message can spread and cause a huge organizational change in not only TX but in the US. Education must change in the US in order for students to thrive in a global economy.”
Meredith Canonico
Midlothian ISD
This information was very well presented and the message that is needed to change the narrative of CTE and college and career readiness.”
Tiffany Wilkerson
CTE/CCR District Counselor at Duncanville ISD
Thank you for the information shared on generations and education and what that means for the world of CTE.”
Nicole Esparaza
CTE Specialist at Edgewood ISD
I hope I will be a Wade so I can help my students, son and loved ones. Thank you for helping me open my eyes to understanding and re-awakening my passion for educating youth.”
Maria Moreno-Silva
Teacher at Kingsville ISD H.M King Early College High School
You always help me to refocus on the creaking branches in my life. Thank you.”
Ruthie Kneupper
Educational Specialist at Education Service Center, Region 20
Mark’s passion, energy and knowledge are contagious. You can’t help but want to get to work with the Why generation!”
Ashley Canuteson
Director of College & Career Readiness at Midway ISD
Passionate about producing change in today’s mindset of generations Y&Z.”
Patricia Santos
Career Counselor at Judson Independent SD
I really liked the statement that a program doesn’t lead to one job but 100’s of jobs.”
Zachary Green
Teacher at Pampa ISD
Most engaging and informative session.”
Megan Shutt
CTE Counselor at Rockwall ISD
The whole presentation was engaging from start to finish.”
Regina Garceau
Teacher at Spring Branch ISD
Great presentation that showed the many great benefits of CTE programs.”
Travis Utecht
CTE Director at Willis ISD
I love the ideals you have clearly defined. Excellent speaker, great presentation.”
Kendra Persohn
Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Odyssey Academy
I really enjoyed the Career Tree paradigm. Nice!”
Gerald Points
Technology Specialist at Spring ISD CTE
Validation that what I do matters!”
Mandy Hancock
FCS Teacher at Malakoff High School
Rethinking my approach to working with the younger generation.”
Richard Roark
Callalein High School
The concept of a Career Tree is powerful to help parents and students understand the purpose and power of students becoming involved in a CTE program at a young age.”
Cheryl Villanueva
Director of College & Career Readiness at Godley ISD
You’re right, our goal is to give students a competitive edge.”
Melissa Botkin
CTE Coordinator at Galena Park ISD