Spotlight Award
Lance Allee
For almost 10 years, Lance Allee, program specialist in the TANF/Adult Education and Family Literacy division, has been engaged in designing a project to help Oklahomans without high school diplomas.
In the past two years, he succeeded in developing the concept. A bill passed the legislature and became law to establish the new Career Readiness Diploma, which helps more Oklahomans earn high school equivalency diplomas faster and enter postsecondary education or obtain and retain jobs easier.
The program became active in February and helped more than 60 people by the end of April.
Team Spotlight Award
Counseling and Career Development
Staff members in the Counseling and Career Development division at CareerTech have navigated changing positions by going above and beyond to serve teachers and students across Oklahoma.
Educational regional coordinators were re-officed to CCD and some of CCDs positions changed into regional coordinators, and no one was sure what would happen. The change, however, brought new energy to the division.
The regional career development coordinators built new connections with administrators, counselors and teachers across the state, even in white spaces. Their presence in one-on-one meetings and county and area superintendent meetings generated more understanding and interest in CareerTech courses and programs.
They have given schools information sources to help them better serve students and teachers, information about services that were available but not used and support with a face. Their human interaction has created positive change for students and teachers.
Rising Star Awards
Colton Duncan
In less than a year at CareerTech, Colton Duncan has made an exceptional impact. He quickly mastered the responsibilities of his role as a human resources generalist and has consistently shown initiative by taking on new tasks and responsibilities outside of his assigned duties.
His willingness to step in where needed, adapt to new challenges and expand his knowledge has made him a valuable asset to the team.
His positive attitude, strong work ethic, flexibility and commitment to helping the HR department succeed reflect his professionalism and potential for continued success.
In addition to his HR duties, he accepted the responsibility of serving as the Employees Association treasurer, demonstrating his leadership, reliability and commitment to supporting his coworkers and CareerTech.
Dustin Ford
Dustin Ford, information system development lead in the Information Technology Administration division, consistently demonstrates an exceptional ability to work through complex issues in CTIMS and often takes on challenges that are well beyond the scope of his assigned duties.
When he is faced with system discrepancies, data inconsistencies and user confusion, he does not resolve only the immediate issue; he digs deeper to identify root causes, prevent recurrence and improve processes for others across the agency.
On many occasions, he has stepped in to troubleshoot high-impact CTIMS concerns, providing clear guidance and solutions directly support accurate reporting and program integrity.
He serves as a go-to resource for colleagues, helping others navigate CTIMS and other applications as well. He doesn’t limit his support to direct requests, but anticipates needs and develops helpful resources to contribute to a more efficient and knowledgeable team.
He is also positive and kind and approaches challenges with patience, professionalism and willingness to help. He remains encouraging and focuses on solutions, which fosters collaboration and trust.
