VITAE

Sue Moraska, M.Ed

HCC-Central-VAST ACADEMY

1301 Alabama 101b

Houston, TX 77004

Office: (713)718-6833

VAST webpage: central.hccs.edu/vast

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EDUCATION:

M.Ed. in Education- School of Education- Houston Baptist University, Houston, TX, 1994

B.S. in Special Education- Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Mi, 1984

A.S. in Social Services- Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI, 1981

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Director, Dept. Chair- VAST Academy- 2007-Present- Central and NW Colleges

Restructured Cont. Ed. VAST Programs into a new department under Career/Technology Education/Workforce Division with new “credit”components.

Supervises and manages a department of 27 FT/PT faculty/staff with multiple grants/budgets that total more than $630,000/year, at two college locations.

Project Director of DOE/TPSID $2.5 million/ Grant. 2010-2015- to build “VAST Academy,” expanding HCC capacity to serve more students in Houston Area. Includes: new certificates and Work-readiness Credentials, Freshman Success Bridge credit courses, Transition, Employment, and Independent Living Components.

Professor/Program Manager- Houston Community College-CentralVAST- 1991-2007

Corporate Training and Continuing Education, VAST and Office Skills Training Programs.

  • Developed VAST/Office Skills Programs (over 40 sections) which trained over 3000 students with developmental, learning and physical disabilities.These programs enrolled more than 400 students/year, became self-supporting through revenue generated. Built programs from their inception- Life Skills Classes in 1992 to VAST Programs 2007. Responsible for curriculum development, recruitmentand supervision of 10-17 faculty/staff. VAST was awarded the Inaugural President’s New Freedom Award in 2002 from the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Assisted with creation of NW –VAST Program 2000-2001, advised 2001-2008.
  • Coordinated the CTCE-Certified Professional Secretary Program 2004-2006
  • Coordinated the CTCE- Cosmetology CE-License renewal courses- 2005-2006
  • Assisted in development of HCC/HISD Transitional Life Skills -1993-Present

Continue to work closely with this program as partners, are housed in same area.

HCC Adjunct Instructor of ABE/Life Skills Classes 1990-1991 Continuing Education Provided training to students with developmental disabilities. Responsible for developing curriculum, teaching courses, marketing, recruiting, registration, advising more than 50 students/term. Began development of VAST Programs.

CONFERENCES PRESENTED AT:

Houston Diversity Summit May 2011- Speaker/Workshop Presenter

Hispanic Forum Career & Education Day at GRB Convention Center- 2003-2007

TX Advocates State Conference, Woodlands, TX July 28th, 2007

TX AHEAD State Conference in San Antonio November 2002

Presenter for numerous events at local schools, foundations, community agencies, 1993-present

GRANTS WRITTEN AND RECEIVED:

  • U.S Dept. of Education TPSID Grant- $2.5 million/5years to expand existing, VAST Comprehensive Transition Programs for Students With Intellectual Disabilities.
  • Baxter Trust Foundation- $65,000 to fund Transition Specialists
  • Baxter Trust Foundation- $50,000 to fund a Full-Time Job Developer
  • HCC Chancellors Innovation Grant (Achieve The Dream category): $14,000 to develop VAST/Guided StudiesFreshman Success Bridge Project, 2008-Present.
  • Assistance League of Houston VAST Scholarships- $10,000/yr-2009-Present
  • Landmark College Best Practices Grant with HCC- 2005-2008
  • DOE Grant-Capable and Motivated- assisted with writing, served on advisory 1995-1998
  • Carl Perkins TX Grant- $38,000 to develop HCC-Office Skills Training Program 1993.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & MEMBERSHIPS:

Chair Excellence Institute Program- completed May 2011

CLP- College Leadership Program - 2007-2008 graduate

TLE-Teaching/Learning Effeciveness-2008- In progress

HCC Central Service Learning Advisory Committee 2007-Present

AWA- Association of Women Administrators- member since 2007

City of Houston, H.E.R.E. Expo committee - 2007-2009

Mayor’s Committee for Persons With Disabilities, Houston, TX- 1993-1997

*Houston Disability Advocate of the Year- Selection Committee 2009

TAFT College National Consortium-2007-Present- attended Chicago and D.C. Summits to promote legislation for DOE grants for Post-Secondary programs for students with disabilities.

AHEAD and TX AHEAD- Association of Higher Ed. & Disability- 2002-Present

American Association of Mental Retardation (AAMR)- 2000-2007

Project Future Perfect Graduate -1995

St. Cyril’s of Alexandria Catholic Church- active member and Catechist(20 years)

Center for the Healing of Racism-member 1993-present

Advisor and Creator of first International Student Association- Ferris State College- 1980-81

NAACP 1979-1985

HONORS AND AWARDS:

NISOD Award Winner May 2009

Invited to participate in National Summit in Washington D.C- June 3-4th, 2008: sponsored by

U.S. Dept. of Labor/Office of Disability Employment Policy- Attended Summit and was honored as NFI past winner of 2002

President’s New Freedom Initiative Award from U.S. Dept. of Labor- October 2002

TACSE Award of Merit from TX Association of Community Service and CE- November 2004

HCCS-Chancellor’s Medallion-November 1998

Diversity Award HCCS- Project SOAR-1995

Dr.Chee Faculty Leadership Award-1994

Leadership Houston Futurism Award for HCC-Life Skills Program -1992