The Horace Mann League

COLLEEN WILCOX VITA

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D. Educational Administration, 1986 University of Southern California
M.S. Speech Pathology, 1974 University of Arizona
B.S. Speech and Hearing Sciences, 1971 University of Iowa

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

County Superintendent of Schools
Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose, California. Administer a county office of education serving 36 local school districts and community colleges with a combined student population of over 350,000. Serve as chief administrative officer that reports to a seven member elected County Board of Education. Manage a budget of over $200 million and a staff over 1,700. Initiate and administer policies and provide educational leadership throughout the county. 1994-Present.

Superintendent of Schools
Northern Suburban Special Education District, Highland Park, Illinois. Administered an intermediate school district serving 22 local districts and operating four special purpose schools. Served as chief executive officer. Reported to a Governing Board of 22 School Board members and an Executive Committee of seven. Initiated and administered policies and provided leadership and direction. 1988 -1994.

Executive Director, Pupil Services and Special Education
Tucson Unified Schools, Tucson, Arizona. Administered programs for both disabled and gifted students as well as the health, psychological and social work services for a student population of 56,000. Supervised 10 assistant directors and assigned staff of over 900 to perform management, remedial, diagnostic and inservice activities. Managed 28 million-dollar budget and served on superintendent's cabinet, curriculum council and management negotiating team. 1983 -88.

Program Administrator
Los Angeles County Schools, Los Angeles, California. Administered 5 district speech and language programs. Supervised 30 speech and language pathologists and provided staff development. Supervised interns in their clinical fellowship and for state licensure. Coordinated college recruitment, program evaluation and chaired Sabbatical Review Committee. 1979 -83.

Program Specialist
Los Angeles County Schools, Los Angeles, California. Provided staff development and technical supervision of speech and language specialists in the Severe Language Disorders Program. Served on Bilingual Advisory Board and developed Bilingual Language Assessment Battery. 1977 -79.

Aphasia Specialist
Los Angeles County Schools, Los Angeles, California. Served as a self-contained and itinerant teacher of the severely language delayed at both the elementary and the high school levels. Facilitated transition of students into regular school placement and served on bilingual diagnostic team. 1975 -77.

Assistant Professor
California State University, Los Angeles. Taught courses in speech and hearing disorders and supervised graduate clinical practicum. 1977 -78 part time.

Speech and Language Specialist
Tucson Unified Schools. Provided speech, language and hearing evaluation and remediation in 5 schools with predominately African-American, American Indian and Hispanic populations. 1974 -75.

Speech and Language Consultant
Headstart, Nogales, Arizona. Provided hearing, speech, and language evaluations of Spanish -speaking preschoolers. Inserviced teachers in language development and facilitation. 1974 part time.

Director of Speech Pathology
Peace Corps, Instituto Guatemalteca Seguridad Social, Guatemala. Developed curriculum and implemented program in speech pathology and audiology. Taught college courses and opened clinic in state rehabilitation center; directed and supervised clinical activities. 1971 -72.

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION

• Educational Administration Services Credential - California
• Standard Teaching Credential, Speech & Hearing - California
• Severely Handicapped Teaching Credential - California
• Learning Handicapped Teaching Credential - California
• State Licensed Speech Pathologist - California Board of Medical Examiners
• Superintendent Credential - Illinois, Arizona
• Certificate of Supervision - Illinois, Arizona
• State Approved Director of Special Education - Illinois
• Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Pathology - ASHA

SELECTED HONORS

• PTA – Service Award for 2001, Region V
• Mike Kutsuris Award (San Jose Rotary) for 2000
• California State Superintendent of the Year for 1999, ACSA
• Woman of Achievement for 1999, Women’s Fund
• Superintendent of the Year, ACSA 1999
• YMCA Volunteer of the Year Award for 2001
• Who's Who in the World
• World Who's Who of Women
• International Who's Who of Intellectuals
• Outstanding Young Women in America
• Who's Who in American Education
• Pi Beta Phi, Province Service Award
• Harriet R. Johnston Scholarship Award
• Barns Drill Award Scholarship

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

• American Leadership Forum – Class XIII, 2001
• American Musical Theatre, Board of Directors, 1996-99
• American Speech, Language and Hearing Assoc. Foundation, Board of Directors, 1994-97
• American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, 1979-99
• Legislative Counselor, Arizona, 1986-88
• Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA), 1988-2007, Board of Directors, 2001-07
• California County Superintendents Education Services Association, 1994-2007, Board of Directors, 1995-01, President-elect, 1998, President, 1999
• Commonwealth Club of Silicon Valley, Board of Directors, 1998-2007 (Chair)
• Design Response, Board of Directors, 1996-99, Chair, Education Committee
• Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County, Founding Member of Advisory Council, 1998-2005
• Horace Mann League, Board of Directors, 1990-2007
• Joint Venture/Silicon Valley, Board of Directors, 1996-2002
• Leadership California Alumni, Graduate 1997
• Walden West Foundation, Founding member, Board of Directors, 1996-2002
• Workforce Silicon Valley, Board of Directors, Co-Chair, 1995-2001
• YMCA of Santa Clara Valley

• Chair 2002-2004
• Chair Elect, 2000-02
• Board Development, Chair, 1997-2002
• Campaign Committee Chair, 1997-2001
• Board of Directors, Vice Chair, 1995-99

• YWCA, Advisory Board, 1998-2007
• Resource Area For Teachers (RAFT), Advisory Board, 2000-2007
• Rotary Club - Tucson, 1987-88 / San Jose, 1995-2007
• Youth Education in Science Committee
• Chair, Vocational Award Committee
• Membership Development Committee
• Rotaplast Committee
• Silicon Valley Business Ink, Advisory Committee, 2000-04
• University of Arizona Administrators Steering Council, 1984 -86
• Junior League of Evanston and Tucson, 1985-94
  • Board of Directors, 1990
  • Community Training Coordinator, 1985
  • Political Action Delegate, 1986 -87

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL PAPERS

"Meeting the New Requirements of No Child Left Behind,” Perspectives: A Journal of Research and Opinion About Educational Services Agencies – Published by the Association of Educational Service Agencies, 2004

"The Things that Work in Public Schools, A Collection of Programs that Work to Improve Student Achievement and Strengthen Public Education” – Published by the Horace Mann League (contributing author), 2004

Stuttering – 8-Hour Training Video – Louisiana State University & Washington State University, 1999

"Creating Opportunities for Effective and Equitable Use of Technology: A Partnership Model” T.H.E.Technological Horizons in Education Journal, October 1996.

"Transition and Access: School to Work and Adult Life,” California Career Education Journal, March 1995.

"Errors and Omissions Insurance,” Illinois Association of School Business Officials, Joint IASB/IASBO/IASA Conference, 1991.

"Cooperative Staff Development,” Illinois Council for Exceptional Children, 1991 Annual Convention.

"Special Education Reform for the 21st Century,” Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois, Luncheon Keynote, 1991 State Conference.

"Making It Happen: Implementing LRE,” International TASH Conference, 1990.

"The Regular Education Initiative and Its Impact on Service Agencies,” American Association of Educational Services Agencies, 1990.

"Changing Service Delivery Models: A Guide to Integrating Students with Severe Handicaps,” International Special Education Congress, Wales, 1990.

"Accessibility for the Handicapped," The Council of Educational Facilities Planners, International, 1990.

"School Integration - Different Perspectives,” National Association for Down Syndrome, 1990.

"The Acting Out Adolescent: To Hospitalize or Not,” Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1990.

"LRE in Illinois,” Illinois Council for Exceptional Children, 1989.

Understanding & Preventing AIDS, Keith C. Terry Publications, L.A., CA, 1987.

"Orienting Classroom Teachers to Hearing Impairments,” American Speech - Language & Hearing Association, 1987.

"Teaching AIDS in Schools,” Arizona School Health Conference, 1987.

"AIDS Education in the Schools: When and How,” Arizona Conference on Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, 1987.

"AIDS Education,” Arizona School Administrators' Conference, 1987.

"AIDS: Individual Rights and Public Protection,” Arizona Public Health Assoc., 1986.

The Relationships Among Student Characteristics and Service Provisions for Speech and Language Disordered Students, USC, 1986.

Communicative Disorder Models of Service Delivery in the Schools, Co -Author, West Virginia State Department of Education, 1985.

Let's Share, Co -Author/Illustrator, Word Making Productions, Salt Lake City, 1983.

"Assessment of Bilingual Children: Procedures and Personnel,” American Association of Neurologically Handicapped Children, 1981.

"Testing a Child in a Language You Don't Speak,” American Speech, Language and Hearing Association, 1980.

"A Phonatory Feedback -Based Treatment Model for Stuttering,” California Speech and Hearing Association, 1978.

"AIDS Education in the Schools: When and How,” Arizona Conference on Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, 1987.

"AIDS Education,” Arizona School Administrators' Conference, 1987.

KEYNOTE SPEECHES

Cogswell College Commencement Ceremony, 2006    
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, 2005                   
Annual Women in Leadership Awards
YMCA California Leadership Conference, 2004
Cornerstone Annual Awards Breakfast, 2003
National Conference on Asset Development, 2003
San Jose Police Annual Awards Ceremony, 2003
Democratic Forum of Silicon Valley, 2003
South Bay Piping Industry Expo, 2002
Junior Achievement 15th Annual Business Hall of Fame, 2001
Santa Clara County Housing Authority Awards Ceremony, 2000
East Valley YMCA Young Achievers Annual Dinner, 2000
ACSA Conference for Human Resource Personnel, 2000
Sunnyvale Education Foundation Annual Dinner, 1999
Littler Mendelson Education Law Conference, Monterey, 1998
YMCA Child Care Conference, Santa Clara County, 1997
YMCA Diversity Conference, Santa Clara County, 1997
Democratic Party Annual Luncheon, Santa Clara County, 1997
World Forum Fulbright Teacher Exchange, Santa Clara County, 1996
Federal Credit Union Annual Dinner, San Mateo County, 1996
California Career Education Conference, State of California, 1996
San Jose Chamber of Commerce Annual Breakfast, 1995
California Speech, Language and Hearing Association Annual Luncheon, Santa Clara County, 1995
Parent Teacher Association Annual Meeting, 1995, 1999

12/22/06