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Annual conference celebrates outstanding educators, strengthens collaboration and provides professional development opportunities to support Maine’s future workforce
Hundreds of career and technical education (CTE) instructors and education leaders from across Maine gathered at Lewiston Regional Technical Center on Friday, October 9, for the 2026 Maine CTE Fall Conference, a day dedicated to professional development, collaboration and celebrating the educators preparing Maine students for careers in the skilled trades and beyond.
Hosted by the Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education (MACTE) in partnership with ACTE Maine, the annual conference brought together educators representing a wide range of technical programs, including construction, automotive technology, healthcare, culinary arts, welding, forestry and many others.
The day began with opening remarks from MACTE President Bill Tracy, followed by an introduction from MACTE Executive Director Consultant Amy Marston and remarks from Maine businessman Shawn Moody. The opening program also included recognition of outstanding CTE educators and leaders whose work is making a difference for students and communities across the state.
“I was impressed by today’s conference and what it brought together,” said Amy Marston, Executive Director Consultant for MACTE. “To have so many CTE educators from all over Maine under one roof, sharing ideas, talking about their programs and learning from each other is pretty incredible. There was so much energy in the building, and you could just see how much these instructors care about what they do and the students they teach. It’s a great reminder of just how much is happening in career and technical education in our state.”
Celebrating Excellence in Career and Technical Education
The conference recognized six individuals for their outstanding contributions to career and technical education:
• New Teacher of the Year: Rich Jamison, Automotive Technology Instructor, Hancock County Technical Center, recognized for creating student opportunities through industry partnerships, apprenticeships and automotive program development.
• Teacher Educator of the Year: Julie Keblinsky, Director of Teaching and Learning for AOS 91 Mount Desert Island Regional School System and Adjunct Professor in Eastern Maine Community College’s CTE Teacher Certification Program, recognized for her leadership in preparing and mentoring new CTE instructors and strengthening instructional practices across the state.
• Counseling and Career Development Professional Award: Hope High, Student Services Coordinator, Hancock County Technical Center, recognized for helping students navigate CTE, college and career pathways.
• Carl Perkins Community Service Award: Michelle Cote, Health Occupations Instructor, Hancock County Technical Center, recognized for integrating community service and real-world healthcare experiences into student learning.
• Teacher of the Year: Lauren Remington, former Early Childhood Education Instructor at St. Croix Regional Technical Center and current Content Manager for ACTE, recognized for her innovative program development, leadership and commitment to expanding educational opportunities.
• Administrator of the Year: Bill Tracy, Director of Hancock County Technical Center and MACTE President, recognized for his leadership in expanding CTE programming, strengthening partnerships and increasing opportunities for students.
Following the opening program, instructors gathered in program-specific technical update sessions, giving educators from similar disciplines an opportunity to discuss curriculum, share best practices, address common challenges and learn from programs across Maine.
Lunch featured food prepared and served by students and culinary programs, including food trucks from Capital Area Technical Center and The Green Ladle at Lewiston Regional Technical Center, providing another opportunity to showcase the hands-on learning taking place in Maine’s CTE schools.
The afternoon featured a variety of professional development sessions focused on helping instructors strengthen their programs and bring new ideas into their classrooms. Topics included transitioning from working in the trades to teaching, engaging students in social media content creation, developing career pathways through apprenticeships, exploring careers in forestry and more.
The annual Fall Conference is one of several opportunities throughout the year for Maine’s CTE educators and administrators to come together, learn from one another and strengthen programs across the state. With Maine employers continuing to face workforce challenges, the work happening in CTE classrooms remains an important part of preparing the next generation of skilled workers.
