Congratulations to Angela Holt for being nominated for the Coalition on Adult Basic Education Board!

Westerns director of ACCELs College and Career Readiness program and High School Equivalency chief examiner is in the running for COABEs Region VI representative spot.

Holt started her adult education career path in 2007 when she became a part-time English Language Learning instructor at WNC. After finding the experience so rewarding, Holt modified her higher education goals to pursue a career in adult literacy and language.

Helping others realize their personal, life and work goals, and being a part of their support system is an honor, Holt said. Where the job can sometimes get hectic and crazy with bureaucracy and paperwork, the one thing I love the most are the people.

A variety of issues might deter students from returning to school to increase their English skills or to prepare for the High School Equivalency exam. In order to earn the equivalency of a high school diploma, there have been cases where Holt has seen students overcome barriers of homelessness, substance abuse, low-literacy and language fluency and go on to become college graduates and business owners.

Thats the one thing about the ACCEL program, it transforms lives, Holt said. We witnessed that time and time again with so many students who come in facing many, many barriers: alcoholism, drug abuse, divorce, then go on to get their High School Equivalency (HSE) and watch them take those barriers and kick them aside and come to take classes here at the college and get a degree.

Some of Holts credentials for being elected to COABE are:

• Nevada Adult Educatorsboard member since 2016 (chair since 2019)
• Presenter at state, regional and national conferences, including COABE, on English Language Transition, GED Boot Camp and IET co-enrollment instructional models
• She is a 2019 graduate of the Carson City Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute and was elected to serve as vice chair of the Chambers Leadership Advisory Committee
• Serves her community on the boards of local workforce investment group Nevadaworks and local nonprofit C.I.R.C.L.E.S., which helps people elevate out of poverty.
• She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Linguistics and a minor in TESOL from the University of Nevada, Reno
• She has a masters certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University.

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education represents the system of 65,000 adult educators across the United States.COABE has more than 28,000 active members, and serves nearly 50,000 individuals annually through programmingand special events.

Holt is running against John Werner for the Region IV representative post. The election runs through March 23 and winners will be announced on March 24.