Member

After a decade with General Motors in Michigan, Dr. Annette Parker attended Lansing Community College (LCC) where she later served as lab assistant, faculty and administrator. After 17 years at LCC, she accepted a leadership position with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) to develop and lead a National Science Foundation (NSF), Advanced Technical Education (ATE) National Center of Excellence.

Dr. Parker served as the Principal Investigator of the successful Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC) project, which included partners from six of the world’s largest automobile companies, 34 automotive manufacturers and 34 community colleges in 14 states. In 2011, the National Governors Association selected AMTEC as a model and national best practice in their case study A Sharper Focus on Technical Workers: How to Educate and Train for the Global Economy. AMTEC’s work was also highlighted in McKinsey and Company’s 2013 article “Breaking the U.S. Growth Impasse,” as well as publications from the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Labor, and others.

In 2013 she became President of South Central College (SCC), where she built the capacity to receive additional ATE and other grants in the amount $30.4 million. For example, the college received a $15 million statewide Department of Labor (DOL) and Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant in 2014-2018.

In 2013 Dr. Parker was appointed to President Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) Steering Committee 2.0. Dr. Parker currently serves on a number of national boards, including the NASEM Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Work of the Future Task Force Advisory Board, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Advisory Council, Center for Occupational Research & Development (CORD) Board of Directors, Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Advisory Committee on Differential Accreditation, the Coalition for Career Development (CCD) Center Board of Directors, theIowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Strategic Alliance, as well as the National Campus Compact.

Throughout her career, she has served as an inspiration particularly for minority and non-traditional students, demonstrating in her words and actions the impact education, combined with resiliency, can make in one’s life and the lives of others.