Oregon's WBEA Professional Development Institute Graduates 2010 Twila Lehman, Linn-Benton Community College Andrea Pace, Chemeketa Community College

The eleventh Professional Development Institute (PDI) co-sponsored by WBEA and local STPs graduated six professionals at the 2010 WBEA Conference held in Reno, Nevada, on February 12, 2010. Mary Ann Lammers, WBEA PDI Director and NBEA Past President, conducted the six-hour workshop. Participants had one-half of their registration fee paid by WBEA and one-half was paid by their own state or territory's professional association.

Oregon's participants this year were Twila Lehman from Linn-Benton Community College and Andrea Pace from Portland Community College.

Twila is currently in her 20th year at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, six of which have been full time. She has already served as OBEA Vice-President, President, Awards Chair, and Facilities coordinator. She is the Business Technology Lab Director at the LBCC Benton Center in Corvallis and the head advisor for the Medical Transcription program. Andrea Pace has taught for 40 years, 36 of those at the community college level. She is currently teaching at Portland Community College in Oregon and has been instrumental in the legal assistant program.

Andrea has served as the Community College Representative on the OBEA Executive Board and will begin her new position as Western Region ISBE Representative to the WBEA Board. In this position she will also serve on the ISBE Executive Board for two years.

We look forward to continued professional involvement from these outstanding ladies!

2009 WBEA PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP
Michael J. Batali, Washington

The second WBEA Professional Improvement Scholarship in the amount of $500 was presented at the 2009 WBEA Conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on February 15.

The funds for this scholarship were donated in the memories of Dr. Jane Thompson and Dr. Lloyd Bartholome, both past WBEA and NBEA presidents. Michael J. Batali from Yakima, Washington, was this year’s recipient. Michael received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education and his Master of Education degree in Business and Marketing Education from Central Washington, University, in Ellensburg.

He taught for four years at Naches Valley School District and then was hired as faculty at Yakima Valley Community College in Yakima, Washington. Michael is Microsoft Certified in Office 2007 as well as several other computer certifications.

Michael has been a member of the Washington State Business Education Association, has served on the Executive Board, has presented workshops at conferences, and has been involved with online instruction at YVCC.

He is also currently serving on several committees at YVCC, including the Legislative Committee, Curriculum Committee, and the Sabbatical leave Committee.

Recent awards have included the WBITE 2008 Outstanding Business Educator at the Post-Secondary level and the 2006 WSBEA Merit Award at the Post-Secondary level. Michael is enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Educational Studies program with a specialization in Instructional Technology

The first WBEA Professional Improvement Scholarship in the amount of $500 was presented at the 2008 WBEA Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, on May 23. The funds for this scholarship were donated in the memories of Dr. Jane Thompson and Dr. Lloyd Bartholome, both past WBEA and NBEA presidents. Michael Morrell from Monroe, Oregon, was the first recipient. Michael graduated from Oregon State University with a double degree in Business and Education in 2007. While working on his online master’s degree in business education from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, he teaches part-time at Linn-Benton Community College in the Business Technology Department. He is studying for his CPA exam this fall and will be teaching his first year at Sweet Home High School. He serves as OBEA secretary and is the new Web master for WBEA. Michael is a graduate of the WBEA Professional Development Institute and has already started several private businesses and does training for financial planning for families on the side. Both Dr. Jane and Dr. B. would be impressed by Michael’s enthusiasm and passion for business education.