Dr Ann Benson - CareerTech's Fourth Director

Feb. 11, 1999 – Dec. 31, 2002

Dr. Ann Benson

Ann Benson launched her career by teaching home economics in her hometown of Coyle. She served as curriculum specialist and assistant state director of ODCTE before being appointed state director in 1999. She led the initiative for basic skills integration in CareerTech courses to strengthen academic performance.

In her first year as state director, she championed the system’s name change from vocational education to career and technology education to more accurately reflect how career and technology education is delivered. Gov. Frank Keating signed House Bill 2128 on May 19, 2000, renaming the Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education as the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. The governing board was similarly renamed the State Board of Career and Technology Education. Not needing statutory permission, all area vo-tech schools already have substituted the term technology center in their names.

Benson was inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame in 2003 and the CareerTech Hall of Fame in 2005.

ODCTE also received a $2.2 million grant to manage the national career clusters initiative during Benson's tenure.