4.14.2014

Dr Robert Sommers - CareerTech's Seventh Director

Dr. Sommers
March 29, 2013 – Present


Dr. Robert Sommers

On April 1, 2013, Robert Sommers became the seventh state director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. In July 2013, Gov. Mary Fallin also named Sommers the secretary of education and workforce development.

Sommers previously served as CEO and managing member of Carpe Diem Learning Systems, an organization created to replicate the high-performing, cost-effective Carpe Diem personalized blended learning model.
For nine years, Sommers served as CEO and superintendent of an Ohio career-technical district, Butler Technology and Career Development Schools, in Hamilton, Ohio. Under his leadership, the district doubled in size, became the highest performing career-technical district in Ohio and became known for creative educational programs, including blended learning schools. The district served more than 26,000 high school through adult students and provided customized training to companies.

For 15 years, Sommers served in several capacities with the Ohio Department of Education. He served as an agricultural supervisor, state FFA adviser, assistant director of program evaluation services and associate director for career-technical education.

Sommers’ teaching experience includes agricultural education in London, Ohio.
Sommers served as Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s education policy adviser, covering elementary through university education policy. During his tenure, Ohio implemented reforms for increased school performance transparency, teacher evaluation, school choice, digital education options and failing school transformation.
While in Detroit, he served as CEO of Cornerstone Charter Schools, where he designed the Cornerstone Health High School, a blended learning school that opened in fall 2012.

Sommers earned a doctorate in educational administration and leadership from The Ohio State University, Columbus, where he also completed his master’s degree in agricultural education. He earned a bachelor of science degree in education at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and has received several education and business awards in Ohio. He has also served in leadership positions in numerous state and national organizations, including chairman of the Performance Taskforce for the National Association of Career and Technical Education.

4.09.2014

Dr Phil Berkenbile - CareerTech's Sixth Director

Dr. Berkenbile
Jan. 7, 2004 – Feb. 7, 2013


Dr. Phil Berkenbile

Phil Berkenbile began his career in Oklahoma as an agricultural education instructor for Morrison Public Schools and later became the superintendent of schools in Morrison. He served in various positions at ODCTE, including agricultural education northwest district supervisor and curriculum specialist, agricultural education assistant state supervisor, associate state director for education services and chief of staff.

He served on several boards and task forces, including chairman of the Governor’s Taskforce on Healthcare and chairman of the Oklahoma Education Technology Trust Foundation. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in agricultural education from Oklahoma State University, and in 2006, he received the OSU Graduate of Distinction Award in Agricultural Education.

He has held several national positions including president of the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium. Berkenbile assumed this role at a pivotal time, as national and state leaders in education, including those at NASDCTEc, implemented a range of strategies to prepare students to compete in the global economy.

Berkenbile received the prestigious 2012 VIP Award from the Oklahoma FFA Association and the 2010 VIP Citation from the National FFA Organization. The VIP Citation is one of the most prestigious awards a person may receive for supporting FFA and its programs.

During Berkenbile's tenure as state director, ODCTE embraced the National Career Clusters initiative to help students create a strong pathway to careers and created science, technology, engineering and mathematics academies, including those for pre-engineering and biomedical studies, as well as offerings in biotechnology.

4.01.2014

Pete Buswell - CareerTech's Fifth Director

Mr Buswell
Jan. 13, 2003 – May 21, 2003


Pete J. Buswell

Pete Buswell was a businessman from Boston, Mass., who developed global training programs for companies such as IBM, Drake International and Data General before being named director of ODCTE.

Buswell received his master's degree in training and development from Lesley College in Cambridge, Mass. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from Northeastern University.

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