Future-Ready Programs That Make Your School Stand Out: Proving Your Value

About the Presenters

Jan Jardine has spent 25 years in Career and Technical Education, with a passion for helping students discover their strengths, explore possibilities, and confidently prepare for what comes next. Most recently, Jan served as the Director of Provo CAPS and the Work-Based Learning Coordinator in Provo City School District, where she connected students with authentic projects, industry professionals, and experiences that brought learning to life. Jan is also a national leader in work-based learning, serving as Vice President of ACTE’s Work-Based Learning Division and contributing to national conversations around high-quality WBL and career-connected learning. She has been recognized with ACTE’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In her new role with Aspen Peaks School District, Jan is coordinating the district’s APEX Planning Grant and supporting Career and Technical Education programs. Across all of her work, Jan believes students thrive when they can see the relevance of what they are learning and connect it to a future they can envision for themselves.

Gideon Sanders has been in education for the past 27 years, witnessing the shift toward a more technical and STEM-oriented educational environment. The cross pollination of STEM with traditional curricula has produced much greater project-based learning and experience-based exposure for students seeking gainful employment in a particular field. In the role as Director of Partnerships and Internships at McKinley Technology High School, the premier flagship STEM school in DCPS, and then as Director for Innovative Strategies for Grand Rapids Public Schools, he coordinated over 50 STEM-related events and arranged for more than 700 meaningful field trips exposing students to industry partners, internship opportunities, and career paths. Currently, Gideon teaches at Grand Rapids Community College as an Adjunct Instructor and is in the Ferris State University Community College Leadership doctoral program. 

Yoelia Nava serves as the Administrator for Adult Education and Literacy Development at Region One Education Service Center. She brings extensive experience in education, counseling, career development, and student support. Prior to her current role, Yoelia served as a Career and Technical Education director for 10 years and as a school counselor for 10 years, supporting elementary and high school students in academic achievement, personal and social development, and career planning. Her experience includes developing sustainable Career and Technical Education programs that prepare students for successful careers and post-secondary education. A key strength of Yoelia’s leadership is her ability to streamline systems and processes to enhance operational efficiency and improve program outcomes. In her current position, she is committed to expanding adult education and literacy opportunities, strengthening partnerships, and empowering learners to achieve their educational, career, and personal goals.

About the Moderator

As the Senior Vice President of Community Partnerships, Martha McCabe leads a team actively developing cross-sector partnerships strategically engaged with Project Lead The Way (PLTW) students, educators, and administrators across the country. Prior to coming to PLTW, Martha served as the Executive Director of the Kansas City Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (KC STEM) Alliance for the past 10 years, advocating for robust STEM education for all students. Through Martha’s leadership, their work garnered national recognition as a best-practice model replicated in a variety of cities across the U.S., most notably the Mass STEM Hub in Boston. She received both her graduate and undergraduate degrees in exercise physiology and kinesiology from the University of Kansas and now resides in Kansas City, MO.

Inspiring PreK-12 Students and Teachers in Thousands of Schools Across the U.S.

School and district leaders need a solution that cultivates confidence and career readiness—and PLTW checks all the boxes. As a nonprofit organization founded by educators and driven by education leaders, we've spent more than 28 years equipping students with the technical knowledge, transferable skills, and career confidence they need to thrive—through programs that integrate real-world industry partnerships, best-in-class teacher training, and our proven activity-, project-, problem-based (APB) instructional model.