Colleen Pate

BS Education – Western Michigan University
MA Marketing Education – Western Michigan University

Colleen started her career as an assistant professor at Western Michigan University and then later taught at Enloe High School in Raleigh, NC. She was a career development coordinator at Heide Trask High and the counseling department chair. At Trask HS, Colleen implemented several career development and guidance practices that were awarded best practices by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. These programs included “Campaign College” a program geared to students and parents on the college admission process. “Campaign College” met the 3rd Tuesday of every month and covered various topics and workshops to assist students and families to be successful in gaining college access.

“Steps 2 Success” a comprehensive career guidance program was developed by Colleen and a school counselor and included career readiness assessment and modules aligned to college guidance. Both “Campaign College” and “Steps 2 Success” were showcased at the North Carolina Career Technical Summer Conference. “Steps 2 Success” was a keynote presentation. Colleen also wrote many grants during her tenure at Heide Trask. “Soar at Trask” was one grant funded opportunity that created a book club with students to improve SAT scores. by having the students read selected books, featured passages and vocabulary that was often found on the SAT tests. As a career development coordinator, Colleen oversaw all work based opportunities for students including job shadowing, internships and apprenticeships.

Colleen opened Pender Early College as the career development coordinator and then went on to work at Isaac Bear Early College High School where she was a Career Development Coordinator for ten years. For the past three years Colleen has been the Program Director at Isaac Bear. As the program director at Isaac Bear Early College, Colleen’s role was very similar to the role of an assistant principal. Colleen also oversaw testing for the school. Colleen continued to do summer academic enrichment camps in this role which included Camp MED and Forensic Science Camp. Colleen holds a Global National Certification in Career Development and received the “National” NCDA Outstanding Career Development Facilitator Award from the National Career Development Association. Colleen started competitive swimming at age five and continues to lap swim regularly. Traveling is a big part of Colleen’s life and she and her husband Steve have been to over 70 countries.