Professional Development
Testimonials:
This was worth the whole conference. Mark understands completely what we are facing today and has the plan to move us forward!”
Elaine Vaughan
HEB-ISD Bedford
Absolutely the best presentation. I can’t wait for the book.”
Tammy Hendren
Counselor at NRTC
After 25 years of teaching CTE, I thought I knew everything, was I wrong. I need to redesign my program.”
Lee Kounovsky
Teacher at Ecco High School Building 10
Loved the pacing. We have a sense of urgency when we only have students for 180 hours of their lives. Every hour must be significant!”
Valerie Backus
CTE Liaison at Temecula Valley USD
Your presentation helped me to see through my own biases to view how students determine their lifestyle and career choices. Thank you.”
Rob France
Tech & Engineering Teacher at Waunakee High School
Relevant and on-point. Exactly what I was looking for, equipped me with strategies I can use immediately. Thank you.”
Nancy Overton
HS Recruiter/HS Relations at Central Tech
How do we change the societal myth that every student needs to go to college? Armed with research like this! Great, useful information.”
Kristina Guy
West-MEC
Mark was very engaging and provided tremendous examples from real-world best practices in CTE.”
Steve Pankey
Enrollment Manager at Metropolitan Community College
Purposeful information delivered with high energy and amusing anecdotes.”
Debbie Waken
Tulsa Tech
Thank you for helping to challenge the way I view younger generations — not with a deficit lens, but with an asset lens!”
Jessica Thompson Fall
College Completion Coach at Lee College
Inspiring. Can’t wait to get back and re-evaluate our recruiting strategies.”
Catherine Nicholson
CTE Chair/Instructor at Cuyahoga Falls High School
So many great ideas and a way to focus.”
Lori Ferguson
Director at Regional Career & Tech Center at Coventry High School
This was outstanding!”
Regina Morrone
Program Manager at Fairfax County Public Schools
Very high energy, enthusiastic presentation.”
Ken Miller
Pre Engineering Instructor at Eastland Career Center
Excellent presenter.”
R. Taylor
Supervisor at Prince Georges County Public Schools
Very insightful.”
David St. Clair
Director at Southern Career & Technical Center
Y&Z Generations are amazing! Finally someone who looks at them positively!”
Julia Kaiser
Principal at Andrada Polytechnic High School
Mr. Perna is a dynamic speaker and is very knowledgeable about his topic. Great motivational speaker.”
Deborah Hooks
CTE Director at Pensacola State College
The trees are amazing. You have provided a key to transformation of speaking to the heart of our students.”
Margaret Thornton
CTE Coordinator at Central Piedmont Community College
This was great. I’m a millennial and I work among the baby boomers and gen x. You said what I say to them all the time.”
Nzingha Williams
CTE Coordinator at Central Piedmont Community College
Mark Perna is a dynamic speaker who shared incredible personal and professional insight in helping our younger generations focus, plan and take action.”
Nancy Duran
Executive Director for CTE at Killeen Independent School District
I’m a millennial and what you said about work with a purpose and experience is everything resonated with me. Thank you for offering a new perspective and not bashing millennials.”
Diana Terry
Counselor for Industrial & Technical Studies at Lee College
The Wade vs April story hit home. It is all about people, excellence and passion.”
Jason Kulasa
Andrew High School
I can’t wait to get back and share with my colleagues and then put these ideas into action. Thank you!”
Stephanie Jansen
Muskego High School
Loved the Career Trees.”
Jennifer McGuire
School Counselor at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School
The Career Tree visual is excellent. This was so timely!”
Lakisha Bonner
Coordinator, Counseling and Career Development at Fayette County Schools
Reinvigorating myself was the purpose of attending. Thank you.”
Cindy Walters
Director of Alternative Programs at Southwest Metro Intermediate District
Loved the Career Tree concept!”
Robyn Taylor
Principal at James T Hutchison High School
This was fantastic, exactly what I have been looking for.”
David Decker
Teacher at Littleton High School
This was an incredible session. Hugely motivating and content I can use tomorrow.”
Jennifer Boyd
Curriculum Specialist at Davenport Community Schools
Super excited about changing our marketing and recruitment. Love the positive energy. I’ll be bringing it back to school with me!”
Katie Clark
Applied Academics Instructor at Bath Regional Career & Tech Center
Relevant information, very engaging, great speaker.”
Denise Saldamando
West-MEC
Excellent information! I gained a lot of strategies that I believe will help our CTE programs — Mahalo! Will absolutely use all the knowledge I learned about young generations.”
Tommylynn Benavente
Professor at University of Hawaii – Leeward CC
Many excellent ideas!”
Karen Anderson
Teacher at Dawson-Boyd School
I have never said yes so much in a professional development session as I have today.”
Jenean Fazenbaker
Counselor at Center for Career and Technical Education
Thanks for planting the idea that CTE is at the forefront of education — very excited about the possibilities!”
Constance Jesukaitis
FACS Instructor at Proviso West High School
Will share with other state leaders, very helpful as a parent of teens!”
Heather Luchte
Director, Performance Management at Idaho Career & Technical Education
Loved all the recruiting ideas and action ideas we can begin to use immediately.”
Celena Mills
Associate Superintendent of CTE Program at Montcalm Area ISD/Career Center
I appreciated the blend of information, background on students and practical strategies.”
Lateefah Durant
Officer, College and Career Readiness at Prince Georges County Public Schools
Mark should present every year because he’s learning and experiencing so much each year that he can provide new material each time.”
Greg Wilson
Dean of Applied Technology at Pima Community College
Great session with awesome information.”
Staci Gardner
Health Science Instructor at Gadsden City High School
Interactive and informative.”
Leo Gordon
CTE Educational Coach at United Federation of Teachers