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SVCC Alumnus to Speak at May 13 Commencement

   Written by on May 4, 2017 at 10:05 am

stephen e parkerKEYSVILLE – Stephen E. Parker, Director, Education and Workforce, National Governor’s Association (NGA), is a proud graduate of Southside Virginia Community College.  He will deliver the commencement address at the SVCC graduation ceremony on May 13, 2017 at the John H. Daniel Campus in Keysville, Virginia.  The event begins at 9:30 a.m.

Parker directs policy and advocacy for education and workforce issues, including early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary education, workforce development and child nutrition. He is responsible for the development and implementation of governor’s strategic priorities through the Education and Workforce Committee. Parker is the liaison between governors and the federal government on education, human services and workforce issues.

Parker led the process to create the governor’s plan to re-design the federal education system, released in 2015. He developed and executed NGA’s campaign to re-write federal K-12 education policy, which ultimately resulted in passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act and governor’s first endorsement of any federal legislation in twenty years.

Parker also managed governor’s partnership with Congress to pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, updating federal job training policy for the first time in 16 years.

Prior to working for the nation’s governors, Parker served as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Timothy M. Kaine, where he managed statewide public awareness campaigns across more than 15 agencies and managed the development of the governor’s legislative priorities. He also served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard.

Parker serves on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach. He also serves as a member of the Hopkins House Programs and Assessments Committee, where he helps increase access to early childhood education in Alexandria, Virginia.

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