Instructors + Advisory Committee

Claudia Buxton

For 40+ years Claudia's passion has been serving in public education mostly, although not exclusively, at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Prior to Claudia’s work as an Observer for South Seattle College’s CTE Practicum, Claudia served for 15 years as a high school Business Education instructor, about 8 years as a High School College and Career Readiness Counselor in two districts, 12 years as a CTE Administrator and Director for three school districts, 9 years as Director of Sno-Isle Skills Center, two years as a K-12 Mentor Teacher, and two years as Director, Leadership Snohomish County. Claudia has a B.A. in Business Education from Northwest Nazarene University (Nampa, ID), a 5th year at the University of Washington, an M.Ed from Seattle University and post-Master’s degree work from John F. Kennedy University as well as many in-state universities.

Bryan Erickson

Bryan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in CTE. Erickson has taught the following subjects for over 30 years; Business and Marketing, Diversified Occupations, Student Leadership, Work-based learning, Career Specialist. Assistant Director for Career and Technical Education in the Evergreen School District, Adjunct professor for CWU for 13 years. He has taught courses in Work Coordination Techniques, History and Philosophy of Career and Technical Education, School Law and Leadership. Bryan has served on numerous state OSPI program and curriculum committees. His degrees and certificates are in AA., BA, Speech Communications and Business, M.Ed. Education Administration. K-12 Certificate, P-12 Administrator, CTE Director Certificate.

Chance Gower

Chance is the Career & Technical Education Director for the Highline School District.

Brenda Grabski

Brenda is a business and marketing teacher in the Olympia School District and previously taught at Black Hills High School and Centralia High School. She also serves as a DECA Advisor. Prior to teaching she was an account and finance manager with BP Oil and Exploration. Brenda is a member of ACTE, WA-ACTE, WAME, WSBEA, WEA. Former Professional Development Chair for WAME. Degrees: MBA, BS in Business Education and BS in Accounting. National Board Certified Teacher.

Betty Johnson

Betty has taught Career and Technical Education (CTE) for 38 years ranging from middle school to college ages and is currently an adjunct instructor for the CTE Training Center for Bates Technical College. She has been teaching CTE Philosophy of Career and Technical Education and CTE Work-based Learning Coordination courses for the past nine years. Betty worked for 15 years with the Renton School District as a Business and Education instructor and with Orting School District as Business and Marketing Education instructor and CTE Director for the District, which included middle school and high school programs. She was an FBLA Advisor for 32 years and a DECA Advisor with the student store program.

Thomas Kaup

Thomas Kaup decided to become a teacher because of two films: “To Sir With Love”, about a teacher who wins over students others had given up on, and “Goodbye Mr. Chips”, a story about a professor at a university in England. Thomas is completing his 32nd year of teaching at Auburn High School and is co-author of Middle School Journalism, published by Teaching-Point.net. He has a B.A. in English from the University of St. Thomas, Masters in Theology and Literature Degree from the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Chicago, and an M.ED in Instructional Design from Western Governors University. Thomas received his CTE Certification from South in 2016. He is a National Board Certified Teacher as well as a Master Journalism Educator. Thomas was the Washington Adviser of the Year in 2014, a Special Recognition Adviser by the Dow Jones News Fund in 2015, Auburn High School Teacher of the Year, 2016, and in 2018 received the Dorothy McPhillips Distinguished Service Award from the Washington Journalism Education Association. Thomas currently teaches Newspaper, Yearbook, and Visual Communication at Auburn High School. Thomas is thrilled to be teaching in the CTE Program at South!

Sue Longstreth

Sue has worked in career & technical education for over 30 years. She is retired as the Director of Career & Technical Education for the Marysville School District, where she supervised 12 programs housed in seven small learning communities. She served as the state-wide staff person for the student organization-HOSA. Other previous work experience includes serving as an Associate Dean at Front Range Community College in Ft. Collins, Colorado, the Executive Director of the State Council on Vocational Education for Washington, Director of Applied Learning at the Chief Leschi Schools in Puyallup, and Director of CTE for the Bremerton School District. She has a Master’s degree in education and a PhD in vocational education administration from Colorado State University. Sue has served on South’s CTE Professional Education Advisory Committee since 2005.

Thomas Mosby

Thomas is is the Career and College Counselor for North Mason High School. He is also Adjunct faculty for University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies in Education Administration and Leadership and Masters in Teaching programs. He has been involved in public education at the Elementary, middle, secondary and post- secondary levels as a teacher, counselor or administrator for over 25 years. During his time in K-12 education he has spent the past 19 years as a Career and Technical Administrator. Dr. Mosby has served on South’s CTE Professional Education Advisory Committee since 2001.

Tammy Price

Tammy has taught Floriculture, a Career and Technical Education course since 2002 at Everett High School in Everett Public Schools and as an occasional summer course at Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center in Mukilteo. In addition has been a Work-Based Learning Coordinator and taught computer applications. She completed her CTE Teaching Certification at South Seattle’s program in 2007. Her previous work experience included 12 years in the floral industry as a floral designer and flower shop manager. She has an AS in Horticulture from Louisiana Tech University, a BA in Culture/Literature/Arts from UW-Bothell, as well as a Master's Degree in Educational Technology and a Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching from Boise State University where she was invited to join Kappa Delta Pi an Honor Society for outstanding educational professionals. Tammy has served on South’s CTE Professional Education Advisory Committee since 2007.

Susie Roberts

Susie has been a high school and adult vocational teacher for 25 years. Currently she teaches a variety of marketing classes (Sports and Entertainment, Marketing Essentials, Sales and Advertising, Retail Store Management) at Edmonds Woodway High School in the Edmonds School District and is a DECA Chapter Advisor. She also enjoys teaching IB Business Management because students love the challenge of the IB Curriculum. Susie also served the Edmonds School District as a Career Specialist and was a member of the Washington DECA Board for two years. She was President of the Washington Association of Marketing Educator and was named WAME Marketing Educator of the Year in 2015. Susie has also served on the Executive Board of WA-ACTE. As Co-chair of her Business & Marketing department, she enjoys the inner workings of staffing, scheduling, and connecting with industry. As a graduate of the University of Washington and a teacher with industry experience and a CTE Certification, she has had several careers in the travel and retail industries.

Lance Wrzeskinksi

Most recently Lance has accepted the position of Project Coordinator for Career Connect Washington at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI. He previously served as Business and Marketing Program Supervisor at OSPI where he worked with the Business and Marketing Pathways along with FBLA and DECA board positions. Work Based learning has also be an assigned focus during his time at OSPI. He currently continues to serve on the National Governors Association State Policy Academy on Scaling High Quality Work-Based Learning. Prior to accepting the job at OSPI, he was an Associate Professor of Business Administration, teaching business and accounting classes at Centralia College and advising the school's Rotaract Club. He taught High School Business Education at W.F. West in Chehalis, Pe Ell High School, and White Pass High School for the 11 years before accepting the position at Centralia College.

Grace Brady Bellevue School District, South CTE Instructor, CTE Administrator

Grace Brady is currently employed in the Bellevue School District as the Career & Technical Education Curriculum Developer. Prior to this, she spent 26 years at Redmond High School teaching Business and Marketing, was the lead DECA Advisor, served as the CTE Department Chair, and lead a staff team as coordinator for the Senior Graduation Portfolio and High School & Beyond Plan. She also developed and taught Microsoft technology certification classes for district classified staff for 6 years. Before this, Grace’s first teaching job was with Trend Business College after coming from the health care and business industries. Grace has served as Treasurer and Membership Officer for the Washington Association of Marketing Educators and is currently a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international altruistic teacher sorority, and a member of the King County Career & Technical Administrators.

Geoffrey Gilmore Northshore School District, CTE Teacher

Geoffrey currently teaches English & business courses at Inglemoor High School. He joined the staff in 1997. Previous to that time, he taught English, social studies, learning center classes and modern dance at Canyon Park Junior High School, starting in 1980. His teaching career commenced at Lincoln High School in East Los Angeles in 1977. Geoffrey attended California State University at Los Angeles where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English in 1975 and a Master’s degree in Education with a focus on gifted education in 1980. Geoffrey is also a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT). He is also the owner of Geoffrey Gilmore Signature, an award winning event design/planning company. He has earned the distinctive Certified Special Event Professional (CSEP) designation from ISES. Geoffrey is the winner of the 2006 Applause Award for “Best Non-Profit Event under $25,000” and one of ten 2007 national finalist for his innovative design of a couture dining table setting for the 2007 “The Special Event” Conference in Los Angeles. He is also the winner of the 2008 Applause Award for “Best Achievement in Logistics” and the winner of the 2009 ISES Esprit Award for “Best Industry Contribution.” He has served on the South Seattle College Advisory Board since 2009.

Sue Longstreth, Ph.D. South CTE Instructor, Retired CTE Director, OSPI

Sue has worked in career & technical education for over 30 years. She is retired as the Director of Career & Technical Education for the Marysville School District, where she supervised 12 programs housed in seven small learning communities. She served as the state-wide staff person for the student organization-HOSA. Other previous work experience includes serving as an Associate Dean at Front Range Community College in Ft. Collins, Colorado, the Executive Director of the State Council on Vocational Education for Washington, Director of Applied Learning at the Chief Leschi Schools in Puyallup, and Director of CTE for the Bremerton School District. She has a Master’s degree in education and a PhD in vocational education administration from Colorado State University. Sue has served on South’s CTE Professional Education Advisory Committee since 2005.

Jennifer McLellan College and Career Coordinator (CTE Director) Mercer Island School District

A Mercer Island and Northwest native, Jennifer lived on Mercer Island in her early years before moving to Bellevue and graduating from Bellevue HS and heading to college. She is a teacher in the Business and Marketing Department at Mercer Island HS and is also the College and Career Coordinator for the district. Jennifer has taught Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science, Social Studies, Marketing, Retail Marketing, and International Entrepreneurship in the public schools across the state. She is currently the College and Career Coordinator (CTE Director) for the Mercer Island School District. While being in that role, the district has quadrupled enrollment in the Radio Broadcast classes and has won numerous national ‘Golden Microphone’ awards. The Horticulture program has achieved national attention. The Business and Marketing department continues to be a powerhouse in the DECA program as the 4th largest in the state with consistent competitors to international competition. Jennifer’s current class, International Entrepreneurship, is a class at Mercer Island High School where students create a company, Mercer Trade Inc., and spend the year navigating the intricacies of managing all aspects of an entrepreneurial entity. As a district, MISD has re-joined WANIC and continues to send students to that program to explore their career interests. The MISD College and Career Readiness Department continues to work to provide the best lesson content coupled with industry skills to help these students develop their individual career pathways.

Thomas Mosby, Ed.D. Career & College Counselor, North Mason School District, South CTE Instructor

Thomas is the Career and College Counselor for North Mason High School. He is also an adjunct Professor for University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies in Education Administration and Leadership and Masters in Teaching programs. He has been involved in public education at the Elementary, middle, secondary and post- secondary levels as a teacher, counselor,athletic coach and school and district level administrator for over 25 years. During his time in K-12 education he has spent the past 19 years as a Career and Technical Administrator. Dr. Mosby has served as a member of the South Seattle College CTE Professional Education Advisory Board since 2001.

Tammy H. Price Everett School District CTE Teacher, South CTE Instructor

Tammy has taught Floriculture, a Career and Technical Education course since 2002 at Everett High School in Everett Public Schools and as an occasional summer course at Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center in Mukilteo. In addition has been a Work-Based Learning Coordinator and taught computer applications. She completed her CTE Teaching Certification at South Seattle’s program in 2007. Her previous work experience included 12 years in the floral industry as a floral designer and flower shop manager. She has an AS in Horticulture from Louisiana Tech University, a BA in Culture/Literature/Arts from UW-Bothell, as well as a Master's Degree in Educational Technology and a Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching from Boise State University where she was invited to join Kappa Delta Pi an Honor Society for outstanding educational professionals. Tammy has served on South’s CTE Professional Education Advisory Committee since 2007.

Roxanne Trees Former CTE Administrator and teacher, South Instructor

As a lifetime mentor, systems thinker and cheerleader for teachers and programs in Career and Technical Education (CTE), Roxanne recently received the 2018 ACTE National Lifetime Achievement award. Her family’s varied CTE careers along with early 4-H and school leadership inspired an interest in Family & Consumer Sciences (FACS). Her degrees include an A.A. from Yakima Valley College and a B.S. in FCS Education from UW. A Masters in Curriculum and Instruction thesis topic was how to motivate change in large groups. Roxanne was a FACS instructor at Garfield and Ingraham HS in Seattle Public Schools (SPS) before being recruited as the CTE Health & Human Services Pathway lead for the district. CTE certifications include FCS, Work based Learning, and CTE Administration. As a Practicum Observer for the South Seattle College (SSC) Field Experience, she helps teachers gain their certification while increasing CTE standards, real world applications, 21^st Century Skills, Stem, Industry standards and student leadership. Roxanne encourages teachers to view their SSC experience through the lens of a future CTE leader, adviser, or director.

Nicholas Washburn Industry Representative

Nicholas Washburn graduated from UW with a Bachelor in Business Administration and has over 10 years experience as a software developer and all aspects of project life-cycles. He has worked in Healthcare for much of that time managing data systems for hospitals, and is currently employed as a Microsoft contractor on a game development project. He has served on the South Seattle College Advisory Board since 2017.

Aric Weiker Bellevue School District CTE Teacher, South CTE Program Completer

Aric Weiker teaches Personal Finance, Business Management, Accounting and Retail Management at Interlake High School, an International Baccalaureate public school, in Bellevue, WA. He is the co-advisor of the school’s DECA program and student store and lives nearby on Mercer Island with his wife and two teenage children. Mr. Weiker got hooked on teaching four years ago after volunteering for Junior Achievement when he was still working in Business Development for Microsoft in Redmond, WA. Mr. Weiker’s Microsoft career focused on partnerships, technology licensing and intellectual property management. He earned an MBA from the University of Washington and holds undergraduate degrees in journalism and environmental conservation from the University of Colorado.