Dr. Veronica Dujon, Ph.D., is the Director for Academic Policy and Authorization at Oregon Higher Education Coordination Commission. She leads the Commission's efforts to coordinate academic programs, degree pathways, accelerated learning and student success initiatives among Oregon's public universities. Dujon also oversees degree authorization for private schools, and licensing and compliance for private career schools. Prior to joining the HECC Veronica was an Associate Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University. She received her Ph.D. in environmental sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Charlene Williams has deep ties to the Pacific Northwest. She spent the past seven years as an administrator in Southwest Washington public school districts, most recently as deputy superintendent at Evergreen Public Schools, where she has been supervising district leaders, leading the development of the district’s five-year strategic plan and launching a superintendent advisory committee.

Williams previously served as an assistant superintendent in the Camas School District from 2016 to 2022. She supervised principals, designed professional development opportunities, and facilitated district level meetings and trainings to better align district services and support to schools. This included facilitating the adoption of the district’s first equity policy, establishing affinity groups for staff and students, and the creation of community forums for Camas residents to discuss equity issues. She was a recipient of the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Award for promoting access, equity, and social justice for students.

Williams previously worked for seven years at Portland Public Schools, the largest public school district in Oregon. Her last role at the district was as the Senior Director of School Performance, where she helped redesign the teacher evaluation system in collaboration with the Portland Association of Teachers. She also worked with Peter Senge and the Waters Foundation to provide professional learning and resources for educators and leaders to implement systems thinking tools in their work.

She took on this role after serving as principal at Roosevelt High School in North Portland. While there she facilitated a collaborative grant writing process, resulting in a $7.7 million investment to transform the school, and led a focused effort to accelerate graduation rates and close the graduation gap for students of color, resulting in a promotion to campus principal. With her leadership, Roosevelt went on to significantly improve graduation rates and student performance. Williams led a collaborative team of teachers and administrators focused on closing the achievement gap across all academic areas for lower socioeconomic students and students of color through methods of acceleration. She earned multiple state and national awards for improving student achievement.

Williams arrived in Oregon in 1999 to become a math instructor, program coordinator and curriculum developer at Portland Community College. From 2002 to 2009, she served as the Director of Education and later principal at Rosemary Anderson High School, an alternative school that is part of the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).

Jana Giles has been an educator in Oregon for six years. She grew up in rural Southern Oregon and attended Title-1 K-12 public schools. Giles has taught first-grade and is currently teaching in a third-grade classroom at North Marion, as well as being the Vice President of her Local Union. Her intimate experience within rural communities, school leadership, and elementary classrooms has directly shaped her approach to education.

Bio coming soon...

Bio coming soon...

Analicia Nicholson is the Superintendent at Douglas ESD, where she leads with a focus on enhancing the educational experience for students in Douglas County. Analicia earned her undergraduate degree in public health education and promotion at Oregon State University. She furthered her education by earning a master's degree in secondary education and teaching from Willamette University. In her role as Superintendent, Analicia emphasizes the importance of keeping students at the center of the conversation, ensuring they have a sense of belonging and experience success. She believes that when students feel connected and supported, they lead healthier intellectual, emotional, and physical lives. Analicia's leadership is characterized by her ability to listen, learn, and lead, a motto that guided her through the challenges. Her efforts in connecting schools with community partners and finding creative ways to involve parents have been instrumental in serving the students of Douglas County.

Vinh Pham came to the United States as a political refuge and has forged success for himself despite all of the challenges that came his way. Before becoming a public high school teacher, he was a researcher, dancer, and college professor. He hopes to leverage his diverse array of experiences to provide a unique perspective to the work of the Educator Advancement Council and be a representative for teachers across the state of Oregon.

Hsiao-Yun Shotwell brings 18 years of diverse educational experience across K-12 and higher education settings to her role as an EAC director. She has held various leadership positions, including department chair, curriculum specialist, program and curriculum director, advisory board member, and manager of the BIPoC Educators Program. In these roles, she has led initiatives focused on curriculum development, student and teacher support, and equity-driven educational reforms. Currently, Hsiao-Yun also serves as a university supervisor for teacher candidates, guiding emerging educators in their practical training and helping them develop culturally responsive, inclusive teaching practices. Her bilingual and bicultural backgrounds enables her to navigate multicultural spaces effectively, bridging communication and understanding between diverse student and educator communities.

Bio coming soon...

Monica Weathersby was born in the south to a mixed-race family. She began working toward justice for people who look like her and others who are oppressed at a young age. Her first career was working at OHSU. She then became a teacher, where she has been trying to help create change. She is, most importantly, also the mother of four children.