From a Distance...

 
Online Newsletter for Arkansas Distance Learning

From the ARDLA President
by Valerie Wilson

I would like to thank the Association for allowing me to attend the United States Distance Learning Association Conference that was held in St. Louis last month. It was an exceptional conference and I am considering adding it as an annual trip that I take for my college. I was certainly pleased to see award recipients from Arkansas.

The new web site is up. We are still tweaking things but I must say it is a tremendous improvement from what we had. The planning for the conference is coming along quite nice. The Call for Proposal is out and available on the web site. Cathi Swan is this year’s conference committee chair so contact her if you have ideas for sessions or other conference-related issues.

The agencies that will make up the Agency Advisory Committee, chaired by Max Kolstad, have been identified and approved by the board. They are

• Arkansas Department of Higher Education

• Arkansas Department of Education

• Arkansas Department of Workforce Education

• UAMS (telemedicine)

• Arkansas Department of Information Systems

• Arkansas Science and Technology Authority

• Arkansas Parole Board

Max will be identifying individuals from each of these agencies to fill these positions.

Kristy Carter, Professional Development Committee Chair, has presented some very promising ideas as professional development opportunity options for the Association. We will provide more information as things are finalized.

Belinda Kittrell was recently appointed chair of the Nominating and Election Committee. If you would like to serve on that committee, contact Belinda at Belinda.kittrell@arkansas.gov or me at vwilson@sautech.edu.

Karen Liebhaber, Association secretary, has finished the first draft of the membership directory which will be published and made available to other Association members and conference vendors. If you do NOT want your name published on that list, please be sure and contact Karen at karenl@blackrivertech.org.

Thanks again for your participation in and support of the Arkansas Distance Learning Association.

About the Author 

Valerie Wilson is the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology at SAU Tech.  She earned her A.S. in Business Administration from SAU Tech, a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University, and an M.B.A. from Henderson State University.  She is a 1996 graduate of Leadership Camden Area, 2007 graduate of Leadership Arkansas’ inaugural class, and a Blackboard Certified Trainer. 

Valerie is active in many civic and professional organizations including president of the Camden Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Executive Director of the Camden/Ouachita County Community Housing Development Organization, Inc., past president and current personnel/nominating committee chair of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Ouachita County, president of the Ouachita County Single Parent Scholarship Fund Board of Directors, president of the SAU Tech chapter of the Arkansas Association of Women in Two-Year Colleges, and chair for the Junior Leadership Scholarship Fundraising Committee. 

Valerie is very active in Shady Grove Baptist Church where she is also deaconess, church typist, director of all choirs, vacation bible school superintendent, and assistant Sunday school teacher for the young adult class. 

Valerie and her husband Travis have four children, Travis, Santresa, Michael and Tracey; five grandchildren Jaquestin, Amauryae, Sydnee, Aerial, and Isis; and four god children Corey, LaYonda, Dekerrion, and Amyia.

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