CCTE has enriched both my professional and personal life. An active member of the CCTE community since 2008 while enrolled at the University of San Francisco’s Ed.D program, I have had the good fortune to form professional and personal relationships that have positively influenced my work with students in higher education. I have served as an executive board member for CCTE from 2017 – 2020 and currently am a member of the board on CAPSE/TED, an affiliate of CCTE.
I started my educational career as a K-12 special educator in Los Angeles and currently, work as a full-time lecturer in the Department of Special Education at California State University Northridge, Dominguez Hills and East Bay. My considerable working in the field with student teachers, interns, advanced candidates, and the administrators and paraeducators that support them in their classrooms makes me a great candidate for the board position. As a teacher educator with a balanced point-of-view, I can provide insight and leadership as a board member.
During the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdown in 2020, I spent my spare time becoming a certified yoga teacher. Amazingly, the training has “spilled” into my professional life in that I use some of the awareness and mindfulness techniques when working with teacher candidates and interns in the field.
Several years ago, Alan Jones reached out to me about assisting with conference preparations such as organizing the Special Interest Groups. I was glad to chip in. More recently, I have been asked by the Executive Board to play a bigger role with Laurie Hansen as the Co-assistant to the Executive Secretary. This Spring, you may have seen me “manning the reception table” in Sacramento for SPAN 2022. A smile here, as I began my work life just out of university in the travel business and the experience brought back memories of those days.
Dr. Boomgard is a Lecturer in the Department of Special Education at California State University Northridge.