Since joining CAEL in 1987, Pam has become nationally and internationally recognized for facilitating workforce education and training programs in educational institutions, businesses, labor unions, and governmental organizations. She is also renowned for helping colleges and universities develop Prior Learning Assessment and quality assurance systems for their adult learning programs.

In 1996, Pam was acknowledged for a career devoted to expanding lifelong educational opportunities for adults with the Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa, conferred by SUNY Empire State College in Saratoga Springs, New York. In 2011, she also received an honorary doctorate from St. Leo University. As a presenter, she is regularly sought out for her vision and insights into adult learning and workforce development and their vital relationship to the future of the economy.

Pam completed her doctoral coursework at the University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School of Communications, and earned master’s degrees in both English and journalism from the University of Illinois at Champaign.

KEY STAFF LISTED BELOW ALPHABETICALLY.

Since the founding of CAEL in 1974, Diana has held numerous positions in the organization. Currently, she manages member services such as the annual CAEL International Conference, Prior Learning Assessment training workshops and webinars, and higher education publications.

Prior to this, she served as Managing Editor of The CAEL News, Director of Training for Workforce Development, and Director of Conferences and Training. More recently, Diana worked for almost five years as CAEL’s representative in South Africa at JET Education Services, a South African non-governmental organization (NGO), where she provided technical assistance for the design and implementation of a comprehensive workforce development model for South African workers.

Diana has extensive experience designing and delivering training for prior learning assessors and education advisors, and for managing these networks. She has also been instrumental in policy development and implementation of comprehensive learning systems for both employed and retrenched workers in the U.S. and South Africa.

Beth Doyle has 15 years of experience in brand building, marketing, and public relations. She is responsible for implementing web, print, email, and Web 2.0 marketing strategies for CAEL.

In her previous role as VP for Account Services at a Chicago advertising agency, Beth managed the development of successful marketing strategies, media plans, and market research for a wide range of companies, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions.

Like many lifelong learners, Beth earned her bachelor’s degree as a returning adult student at the School for New Learning at DePaul University. She also has a certificate in advertising design from the College of DuPage and completed the Executive Development Program at Michigan State University.

Susan leads the unit that provides learning services to CAEL’s employer, labor, and association clients.

Since joining CAEL in 1999, she has been instrumental in developing industry-led online education programs in the telecommunications industry, The National Coalition for Telecommunications and Learning (NACTEL) and a parallel initiative in the energy industry, the Energy Providers coalition for Education (EPCE), and has served as NACTEL’s Executive Director since 2001. Her broader work at CAEL has included the development of career pathways and maps for healthcare service providers, radiological technologists, a national web-based online career map for the telecommunications industry, and most recently career mapping for the solar energy industry. In addition, she created the first workplace Learning Advocate Network that CAEL offered.

Prior to coming to CAEL, Susan was the Director of Corporate Education at Regis University, Denver, Colorado, where she developed both credit and non-credit education and certification programs customized for corporations and professional associations, including the Society for Human Resource Management and the Project Management Institute. Two of these programs received recognition with the Peter Drucker Award for Non-Profit Innovation and the Tom Peters’ Award for Innovative Partnerships.

She has edited two books on information architecture and knowledge management--Managing Knowledge: A Practical Web-Based Approach, and Enterprise Content Services: Connecting Information and Profitability, and she led a preliminary study, Enrollment Decisions and Persistence of On-Line Learners in NACTEL and EPCE: An Exploratory Study, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and published by CAEL in 2007.

She holds a Master’s degree in Adult and Community Education from Colorado State University and works in CAEL’s Denver office.

Chari Leader Kelley has worked throughout her career on issues of access and success in higher education for historically underserved, first generation and adult students. She is Vice President for LearningCounts.org at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Her work at CAEL encompasses working with states, systems and institutions on degree completion, adult learner needs, and prior learning assessment. Her work for LearningCounts.org, an online prior learning assessment service for all adults, is what she calls “a labor of love.” A long time advocate for prior learning assessment, Dr. Leader Kelley is devoted to ensuring LearningCounts.org’s success in reaching the millions of adults who aspire to a credential or degree for career success.

Prior to joining CAEL, Dr. Leader Kelley was a national consultant working with clients that included the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), where she co-authored a concept called Project Win Win. Project Win Win is now a major IHEP degree completion initiative in multiple states and multiple college/university systems. Project Win Win has successfully re-engaged adults to complete degrees. She has also consulted extensively on issues of student access, transfer and articulation, and enrollment management.

Dr. Leader Kelley joined Excelsior College in 1996 as dean of enrollment management, later becoming vice president of enrollment management. During her tenure at the College, she worked to develop the Admissions office functions, marketing, the call center, and contributed in many ways to the college’s use of its website for a more personalized experience for students. She assisted with moving the college to electronic records, call center technology, name changes and even to online instruction. She worked for Excelsior College for nine years, but has never forgotten the college and her colleagues there.

Previous to her work at Excelsior College, Dr. Leader Kelley worked as Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Bellevue University where she was able to turn around an enrollment decline, paving the path for record enrollment growth.

Chari Leader Kelley earned all of her degrees (baccalaureate, master’s, and doctorate) while employed full-time and juggling the demands of three young children. She understands adult learners because she faced the same challenges.

Bachelor of Science in Management of Human Resources – Bellevue University (NE)
Master of Human Relations – University of Oklahoma
Ph.D. in Education from Walden University
 

Since joining CAEL in 2006, Joel has consulted on multi-stakeholder workforce initiatives in 22 states. He works with public and private partnerships to understand and address skills needs in existing and emerging sectors including energy, life sciences, transportation, manufacturing, information technology, retail, and healthcare, as well as foundational skill efforts and regional collaboration initiatives that cut across sectors and jurisdictions.

Prior to joining CAEL, Joel worked to build partnerships between the information technology industry and the public workforce investment system as a program manager at the Computing Technology Industry Association. From 1999 to 2004, he served as the Assistant Director of Workforce Solutions, the business services arm of the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development.

Joel earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University.

Amy Sherman is Associate Vice President for Policy and Strategic Alliances at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Her work focuses on increasing access to adult learning and improving its quality. In this role, Amy engages in policy research and analysis, coalition-building, advocacy, and technical assistance to state and federal policy leaders. She works closely with federal and state legislators to develop and advance legislation to strengthen America's workforce.

Amy is a national and international speaker on issues related to lifelong learning and the workforce. Her diverse areas of expertise range from supporting the mature workforce to promoting access and degree completion through Prior Learning Assessments. Amy also leads CAEL's national initiative to advance Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs), which are employer-matched educational accounts to finance lifelong learning for working adults.

Prior to joining CAEL, Amy was Executive Director of the Manufacturing Workforce Development Project (MWDP), a project of the Chicago Federation of Labor funded by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. The MWDP built a consortium of influential business and labor leaders, educational providers, and public officials. It conducted extensive research to identify the gaps in the current workforce development system. The MWDP published a well-received report with recommendations on how to improve the regional system in the manufacturing sector. The MWDP helped to set the stage for the establishment of the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council and Austin Polytechnic High School.

Amy earned her law degree with honors from Northwestern University School of Law. While serving as Dean of Students at Northwestern, the Student Bar Association established an annual Amy Sherman Student Leadership Award. Amy practiced in the area of employment law at major law firms such as Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal. Early in her career, Amy managed Emergency Services at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago and served as a financial caseworker at Cook County Hospital.

Phyllis has led CAEL’s Philadelphia regional office since 1993, and now holds the position of Vice President. She was responsible for designing and implementing the Department of Labor funded Nursing Career Lattice program in 10 sites throughout the country.

As part of her interest in designing initiatives for mature workers, Phyllis has conducted research for the Conference Board and Civic Ventures, helped to develop and implement the Tapping Mature Talent project, and created the Mentors 4 STEM program.

Phyllis and the workforce development staff have created many CAEL consulting products, including Educational Strategy Sessions, Workforce 2.0 tools, and Supervisor Circles. She has also served on the CAEL team that consulted with the MassJobs Council to shape the One-Stop Career Center System in Massachusetts.

Phyllis’ educational background includes a master's degree in teaching from Harvard University, a master's degree in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College.

Gloria joined CAEL in December 2000 as the Director of Finance and Operations and was promoted to Associate Vice President of Finance in July 2009. She manages all of CAEL’S finances including the budget.

For her entire career, she has been in accounting and finance for non-profit organizations.
Gloria holds an MBA from Purdue University and passed the CPA exam in 2001. 

Dorothy Wax, MS, PHR, CPLP has been with CAEL since January 2002, working with clients in telecommunications, finance, healthcare, and other industries to develop and provide career and educational advising programs for their active and transitioning workforce. In addition, she helps higher education institutions deliver high-quality advising services to adult learners and provides training on a variety of topics.
Dorothy’s background includes more than 20 years in non-profit management including positions in fundraising, education, human resources, and public policy. Dorothy has also worked in human resources consulting, and as a broadcast and print journalist.

Dorothy holds a master’s degree in human resource administration from Temple University, a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Moravian College, and a certificate in human resources from Cornell University.

Judy oversees CAEL’s efforts to reach out to colleges, universities, consortia, and state systems to help remove barriers for adults returning to school.  Since joining CAEL in 2006, she has presented workshops throughout the country on Prior Learning Assessment, the adult learning focused institution, and adult advising.  She has also consulted with higher education colleagues about strategies to help adults continue their education.

From 1980 to 2006, Judy was affiliated with the School of Continuing Studies at Indiana University. She most recently served as the interim dean for the university-wide school, where she was a professor. Judy oversaw the general studies associate and baccalaureate degree programs; the master’s degree program in adult education; the Indiana University high school diploma program; distance courses at the high-school, undergraduate, and graduate levels; and professional development programs.

Judy holds both a master’s degree and a doctorate from Rutgers-The State University and a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College.

Felicia L. Townsend serves as CAEL’s Senior Consultant for Higher Education Services. Felicia develops, markets, sells, and delivers higher education projects related to PLA, ALFI, and other consulting services. She has spent over 10 years in higher education having served as the Assistant Dean of Recruitment, Admissions and Marketing at Dominican University in Illinois and as the Director of Business and Industry Services at Kennedy-King College which is one of the City Colleges of Chicago; respectively. Prior to her work in higher education, she spent over six years in other industries having held account management and director level positions at two Chicago based newspapers. She also served as the Director of Marketing at a Chicago-based nonprofit arts education organization. Felicia also published a bi-annual publication which focused on the transitioning of students from secondary to postsecondary education and she has written several articles related to graduate recruitment and admissions.

Felicia served as the chair of the business and economic development committee for the Illinois 7th Congressional District; advisory board member/nominating committee co-chair for the Community Economic Development Association (CEDA Nearwest); and as a governing board member/chair of the marketing communications committee for the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP). She proudly served as a mentor to One Million Degrees (formerly Illinois Education Foundation) community college scholars. In 2011, Felicia was named to the Diversity MBA Magazine’s “Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Emerging Leaders” list.

Felicia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce/Marketing from DePaul University, a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing from the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart School of Business, and a Master of Education degree in Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is currently completing her Doctorate in Adult and Continuing Education at National-Louis University in Illinois.

In 1991, Jo joined CAEL as the Regional Director of the Denver office. For 13 years, she led and managed CAEL’s contract with Qwest and the Communications Workers of America. This work expanded to include additional contracts with other clients including Dex and AT&T Broadband.

In 1998, under Jo’s leadership, CAEL established a new line of work, Strategic Online Alliances. She is currently leading a collaborative effort within the telecommunications, electric, and nuclear utilities industries to create online degree and training programs .

Prior to CAEL, Jo served as Associate Dean of Continuing Education and Economic Development at Red Rocks Community College and was the Executive Director of Business and Industry at Arapahoe Community College.

Jo has been actively involved with the American Society for Training and Development, the National Council for Community Services and Continuing Education, and the National Society for Performance and Instruction. She has also held leadership roles with local non-profits.

Jo earned a master's degree from the University of Denver and a bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas.

Gabi joined CAEL in July 2000 as the Director of the President’s Office, where she oversaw several signature CAEL projects, including WorkforceChicago. Today, she leads CAEL’s Innovation & Policy Unit, including the Tapping Mature Talent Initiative and regional and statewide Lifelong Learning Account (LiLA) demonstrations.

Before joining CAEL, Gabi was the Communications Manager for the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women. She has an extensive background in philanthropy, having worked at both the Ford Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Gabi holds a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in English from Knox College.