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P-16 Council Members

The Wyoming P-16 Education Council is a non-partisan, non-governmental, non-profit partnership of state leaders from business, education, and government. The P-16 Education Council seeks to create greater coherence in Wyoming's education system from pre-Kindergarten through the baccalaureate degree (P-16). The council consists of the following individuals and the agencies they represent.

Executive Director Kelley Pelissier

Kelley Pelissier joined the Council as Executive Director in November 2009.  She came to the Council via the Legislative Service Office, where she worked 13 years as a program evaluator, researching and writing program evaluation reports on all aspects of state government.  She also has experience working in both state and city government, as well as the non-profit sector (Wyoming Council for the Humanities). 

She says that her best qualification for the P-16 Council position (and her greatest achievement) is being the mother of a daughter graduating in the class of 2011 - the first class for which the Hathaway Success Curriculum has been fully implemented.  As a parent, she also sees the P-16 mission of ensuring a seamless transition between high school and postsecondary education as critical.

The Wyoming Department of Education is providing office space for the Council in Room 280 of Cheyenne's Hathaway Building - where Kelley invites you to stop in when you are in Cheyenne.  She can be reached at 307-340-2431 or p-16wyo(at)live.com.

Executive Committee

1. Rollin Abernethy, President, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, representing the President of the University of Wyoming, founding member
2. Michael Ceballos, Vice President, President -Qwest Wyoming, representing the business sector and the public
3. Kathryn Valido, Treasurer, President of the Wyoming Education Association, representing K-16 school employees
4. Joe Simpson, Deputy State Superintendent of Schools, representing State Superintendent of Public Instruction, founding member
5. Joe McCann, Wyoming Community College Commission, Programs Team Manager

Council Members

1. Rob Black, Governor’s appointee, Department of Workforce Services
2. Rep. Bernadine Craft, Member, Legislature’s Joint Education Committee, representing policymakers
3. Sen. Hank Coe, Co-Chair, Legislature’s Joint Education Committee, representing policymakers,
4. Carol Kirkwood, Laramie High School teacher with 37 years of experience, representing P-16 educators
5. Audrey Kleinsasser, Director and Professor, Wyoming School-University Partnership, representing post-secondary education
6. Karla Leach, President of Western Wyoming Community College, Governor’s appointee
7. Jim Lowham, Deputy of Planning, Wyoming School Facilities Commission, former Natrona Co. District Superintendent
8. Sen. Mike Massie, representing early childhood education
9. Bill Sniffin, President and CEO, Wyoming Inc; Governor’s appointee, representing the business sector and the public
10. Carol Stewart, Sheridan High School, Reading Facilitator/Specialist, representing P-16 educators
11. Charles Ware, representing the business sector and the public, founding member

Wyoming P-16 Education Council members Jim Lowham (right) and Joe McCann (left) converse during a council retreat in Riverton, June 8-10, 2010.

Mike Ceballos (Qwest Wyoming) and Rob Black (Department of Workforce Services) participated in the Wyoming P-16 Education Council retreat in June 2010.