Board of Directors
Arkansas
Member Since 2006
Lori Lamb is the Director of Alternative Education for Arkansas Department of Education. Employed with ADE since 2004, She has been in education since 1985 and in alternative education since 1987. Her experience in elementary through Junior high school programs are the bulk of her teaching while she has also enjoyed homebound activities with high school students. Her experience in foster care allows great understanding to the immense struggles of children in our educational settings. Lori was a foster child briefly, and in turn raised foster children for nearly ten years. Lori proudly serves as an advisor for the Arkansas Association of Alternative Educators and is appointed by Governor Beebe to serve as a Commissioner of the Pygmalion Commission on Nontraditional Education.
Lori is available to conduct professional development sessions in the following broad areas: alternative education, student discipline strategies, motivating the alternative educator, building a state’s infrastructure for alternative learning, constructing a sense of school/program community and changing the challenging child.
Robert L. Eichorn, M.Ed., Treasurer
Virginia
Member Since 2009
Robert L. Eichorn is currently the Principal of New Directions Alternative Education Center in Manassas, Virginia. He has served students in alternative education since 1990. Mr. Eichorn began his career in residential mental health as a teacher, went on to facilitate program management in a host of inter-agency alternative school settings, and subsequently opened several new alternative schools. He holds four degrees and five certifications in education. Mr. Eichorn is a member of numerous professional organizations targeting alternative education and leadership development. He and his students have been recognized at the local, regional, and national level for their achievements.
Mr. Eichorn is available to conduct professional development seminars in the following areas: alternative and non-traditional school creation, data-driven success, inter-agency collaboration, effective reorganization of alternative education programs, turn-around schools, special education services in alternative education programs, digital instruction, portfolio assessment, and standards based teaching and learning.
C.W. Gardenhire, Ed.D., Secretary
Arkansas
Member Since 2008
Dr. Gardenhire is an ALE Program Advisor with the Arkansas Department of Education where he monitors and coordinates program development according to best practices, state/federal regulations, and law. He organizes and presents specialized training for teachers, administrators, and parents. Dr. Gardenhire joined the military straight out of high school; he is a Persian Gulf Veteran having served as an 82nd Airborne Paratrooper before being honorably discharged to start his collegiate career. Upon graduating with his bachelors, he began professionally working with at-risk students and has spent his whole career since working with at-risk students in various capacities. Dr. Gardenhire has been an administrator, dean, teacher, and case manager; he has held positions in a variety of settings including behavioral hospitals, day schools, juvenile correctional facility, and alternative learning environments in the public schools. Dr. Gardenhire is an instructional coach trainer and youth suicide prevention trainer of trainers. Dr. Gardenhire holds B.A.degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology, M.Ed. in Secondary Education, and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Supervision.
Specific areas of research interest and presentation include: ALE leadership at the school, district, and state level, ALE organizational structure/culture development, and organizational evaluation.
Kay W. Davenport, Ed.S., Board Member
Tennessee
Member Since 2008
Kay, a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, has been principal of Smyrna West Alternative School, grades 6-12, for the past eight years and in education for 32 years. She has led a team of twenty faculty and staff to connect students to their talents while helping them to advance academically. Believing that the education system is the cornerstone of the community, Kay has served as secretary of Leadership Rutherford, President of North Rutherford Soccer League, facilitator at the World Scholar Athlete Games, and Board Member of Smyrna’s Sister City Committee with Zama, Japan. Kay is now serving on Governor Bredesen’s appointed Board for Volunteer Tennessee and is coordinator for the Rutherford County School District Learn and Serve Grant for 2009-2012.
Smyrna West is a past recipient of the Tennessee Learn and Serve Grant, a grant designed to help implement the methodology of service-learning. The National Dropout Prevention Center identifies service-learning as an effective dropout prevention strategy. When students and teachers are engaged in the educational process together, students’ grades, attendance, and lifestyle choices improve. All Smyrna West faculty members have been trained in service-learning. Furthermore, with the support of the Rotary Club of Smyrna, which serves as a PTO for Smyrna West, service-learning is infused in all curricula.
Utaff Wayne Gordon, M.Ed., Board Member
Georgia
Member Since 2011
Utaff Wayne Gordon has spent over 25 years as a science instructor in public school systems in South Carolina and Georgia. He received a Masters degree in Education from Cambridge College in 2008 and a Bachelor of Science from South Carolina State University majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.
Mr. Gordon taught science on a variety of levels from the integrated sciences to life and earth science. On the secondary level, he has provided instruction in the following disciplines: physical science, biology, ecology, anatomy and physiology and physics. He has served on school leadership teams with the responsibility for the development of Focus School Renewal Plans and revision of faculty handbooks. He coaches high school basketball on the varsity level and consistently produces teams that are the elite in conference or regional play.
Mr. Gordon has conducted professional development in the areas of at-risk youth, education of the African-American male and collaborative learning strategies using sports teams. He had the honor of attending and presenting at national conferences for High Schools That Work/Making Middle Grades Work.
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Edward Lowther, Ed.D., Board Member
Virgina
Member Since 2007
Dr. Edward G. Lowther is a professional educator. He earned a Doctoral degree in Education Leadership, an Education Specialist degree in Special Education and Administration & Supervision Prek -12, a Masters degree in Special Education, and a Bachelor in Therapeutic Recreation.
His areas of expertise range from education to therapeutic recreation to music. He has been an education practitioner and leader in the areas of special education, (teacher, administrator and professor) transition coordinator for alternative education, education consultant and presenter, private music teacher, and a high school marching band instructor.
Edward resides in Woodbridge, Virginia (which is located 20 miles south of Washington, DC) with his wife, Angie and their 5 children, triplets Rachel, Joshua, and Emily born in 1994, Aaron born in 2000, and Madeline born 2004.
Dr. Lowther is available to share his expertise in the following areas: alternative education, behavior management, curriculum development, and special education.
Denise Riley, M.S., Board Member
Oklahoma
Member Since 2007
Denise Riley is the Assistant Director of the Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center (OTAC) in Cushing, Oklahoma. She has been in education since 1965 and employed with OTAC specifically since 1989. She also serves on the Oklahoma State Department of Education Advisory Board and the Oklahoma School of Math and Science.
Denise presents and speaks on the following topics: designing alternative education, creating statewide support, coaching methods for evaluation in alternative education, and program development.
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Tom Trautman, Ed.D., Board Member
Oklahoma
Member Since 2007
Tom Trautman, Ed.D., currently serves as the Vice President for Curriculum with The American Education Corporation. He joined the Company in his current position in May 2000. His responsibilities include curriculum design and establishment of future curriculum direction, design and oversight of state standards alignment to instructional content, interface of student learning and curriculum with technology, training and supervision, assisting school districts align technology integration with instructional goals, conduct and oversee scientific-based research investigating invention effectiveness.
Tom also serves as an Online Faculty Member with the University of Phoenix where he mentors doctoral students through the dissertation process in the School of Advanced Studies. Most students are pursuing their doctorate in Educational Leadership.From 1997 to 2000, Dr. Trautman was the Vice President of Electronic Learning Environments in Phoenix, Arizona. He worked with The Menta Group of Illinois in various capacities from 1982 to 1997. The roles included psychological assessment and planning educational and instructional programs for children and adolescents, administration of school programs, and fiscal management. His extensive experience with children in educational and therapeutic environments has led to a deep understanding of how to shape experiences, relationships, and environments to maximize student learning. From 1990 to 1997, Dr. Trautman served as the Executive Director of The Menta Group's Arizona operations.
Dr. Trautman has a doctorate in Educational Psychology from Northern Illinois University and Master's degree in School Psychology from Alfred University.
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