Education & Professional Development Community

Division Leadership

Chair

Quality Approaches in Higher Education Editor

Dr. Padró has been a researcher in higher education quality assurance for almost 30 years. He is currently at the University of Southern Queensland in an academic staff (faculty) capacity with the responsibility in the quality area in the Learning, Teaching, and Quality Unit. He is a Senior Member of ASQ and is a Faculty Fellow with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). He has published over 40 peer-reviewed artifacts and made over 70 conference presentations in the US and abroad. He is the editor of the Education Division's Quality Approaches in Higher Education.

He has been a Baldrige Examiner for four years and has served as a Peer Reviewer for The Higher Learning Commission's Project AQIP. He is on the editorial board of TQM Magazine and has been elected Faculty Fellow for the NASPA. He is a senor member of ASQ and chairs the Higher Education Advisory Committee. Dr. Padro has published articles in ASQ's Journal for Quality and Participation and the ASQ Higher Education Brief.

Chair-elect and Membership Co-chair

Belinda Chavez
chavezb1@peoplepc.com

Belinda Chavez is the Agency Audits and JSC S&MA Operations Manager for Honeywell Technical Solutions, Inc., in support of the NASA Safety Center Audits and Assessment Office. She has over 25 years of Safety and Quality experience. Belinda is a graduate of Louisiana Technical University with a Master of Business Administration and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology.

Belinda is a member of the ASQ Board of Directors (2007-2012), Section Affairs Council Chair (2010-2012), Region 14A Director (Region 14 from 2007-2008, Region 14A from 2009-2012), and Section 1418 Nominating Committee Chair (2011-12). She is also the Quality Management Process (QMP) Program Chair and Section Affairs Council Student Branch Committee Chair. She participated in numerous ASQ committees and task forces including Strategic Business Planning Committee, Public Policy Advisory Council, Education & Training Initiative, Membership Committee, Economic Case for Quality, ASQ Global, Member Value task force, Roundtable Discussion task force. She also served as a Baldrige National Examiner for two years and Examiner for Quality Texas for two years.

Belinda is an ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence and Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, an IPCM Certified Manager, and George Group Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. She has received numerous USA and NASA awards including a USA Safety Quest Award, a NASA Space Flight Awareness Award and the NASA Astronaut Silver Snoopy Award.

Immediate Past Chair/Nominating Committee Chair

Advancing the STEM Agenda Conference Co-chair

Cindy Veenstra
cpveenst@umich.edu

Dr. Cindy Veenstra is a researcher with the School of Education at the University of Michigan. She is also the principal consultant for Veenstra and Associates and conducts research in K12 education and STEM education. She has extensive experience in teaching quality both in a university and as a trainer. She has just completed a 2 1/2 year term as the division chair (2010-2012). She also has served as chair of the Division's K-12 and higher education activities. In addition, she is a past ASQ section chair of the Phoenix and Ann Arbor sections. She is an ASQ Fellow and has held ASQ certifications for quality engineer, quality auditor and reliability engineer.

Dr. Veenstra holds a PhD from the University of Michigan and developed a model for STEM student retention based on pre-college characteristics. She has published articles on college student success in both ASQ and engineering education journals. She has been on the editorial board for the Division's journal, Quality Approaches in Higher Education since its inception. Cindy is a co-editor Advancing the STEM Agenda: Quality Improvement Supports STEM (ASQ Quality Press, 2012). In her 3rd year of chairing the Division's Advancing the STEM Agenda Conference, she is the conference co-chair of the 3rd annual ASQ Advancing the STEM Agenda Conference to be held at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 3-4. This conference uniquely blends the ASQ ideas of continuous improvement with improving the STEM student pipeline in order to address the needs of industry.

Secretary

Norma Simons
President
Performance Innovation LLC
norma@performance-innovation.com

Norma S. Simons President of Performance Innovation LLC., firmly believes in and is committed to providing companies with effective solutions that yield bottom-line results. She has worked with advised and consulted with all size companies including many Fortune 500 companies and has, individually, coached many of their top executives. In addition, she is an adjunct faculty at Cleary University and teaches statistics in the MBA program.

Over the years, Norma’s various projects and solutions have helped to improve performance for a wide array of clientele. Norma’s philosophy and practice is to tailor and develop specific solutions and programs for clients and/or specific subgroups, whether for on-going processes or a particular project of importance. Her extensive consulting and training experience includes Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Problem Solving, Statistics, Design of Experiments, Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), Quality System Implementation, and Lean Six Sigma – just to name a few areas.

Norma was honored by the AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group) as a Distinguished Contributor for her instrumental contributions in the development of guidelines for establishing a Business Operating System (BOS). The Business Operating System is a mechanism for guaranteeing that all of the key ingredients of a business unit’s success, including its day-to-day activities, are, in fact, continuously focused on and aligned with the organization’s underlying vision and goals. In addition to the guidelines for a model system, Norma has also developed actual Business Operating Systems for various entities, which have, in turn, enabled those organizations to integrate their processes, thus resulting in increased profitability and other bottom-line improvements for specific plants or divisions, as well as for the overall organization.

With regard to her own certifications, Norma is a Senior Member of the ASQ (American Society of Quality), a Certified Quality Engineer, a Certified Reliability Engineer, and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Recently she has received the distinguished recognition as ASQ Fellow.

Norma has a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering/Operations Research from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, in addition to degrees, from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, in Natural Sciences and Education.

Norma is professional, energetic and diplomatic and is continually well-received by all levels of her clients’ organizations
.

Treasurer

Ardith Beitel
ardith.m.beitel@boeing.com

Ardith Beitel is an Internal Auditor for Boeing Test and Evaluation based in Seattle. Her work life is in manufacturing QA, predominately in automotive, with print/packaging and now aerospace to the mix. Her favorite quality areas are prototype quality, training and auditing.

She is a senior member of ASQ and has served extensively as a volunteer leader in ASQ.She had the pleasure to teach at a college level and share quality principles with an entire countywide consolidated school district while in Detroit, all thanks to ASQ volunteering. (Just a shameless plug for this great professional community!) She taught two classes; Quality Management and Teamwork and Problem Solving. In addition, she has provided on-the-job training, informally and in classes to her co-workers, giving her insight to the successful skills required for workforce training.

Her desire to be in this leadership position in the Education Division comes from an innate desire to spread knowledge as part of the ASQ professional community. Ardith’s insight: “Our field is relatively young and still searching for acceptance in many industries. We have so much to offer society and it all begins with understanding. I believe if we have the correct tools and dynamic ability to adapt their applications we can truly increase the quality of life in the world.

Community College Chair

World Conference Committee Chair

James Teeple
jteeple@ivytech.edu

James is a Project Director for Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana administrating a statewide grant for High Growth Emerging Industries. He had also served as Director of Operations/Senior Project Consultant for Workforce and Economic Development with the college prior to his current position. James also serves on commissions assigned to oversee strategic initiatives for quality standards implementation, and curriculum development for Quality and Manufacturing training programs.

Prior to joining higher education, James had acquired over twenty-five years experience as a quality assurance professional in various other industry including data storage systems, medical devices, and automotive manufacturing. He holds degrees in Business and Organizational Management, and is completing a MA degree in Adult and Community Education at Ball State University.

James is a senior member of the American Society for Quality and holds numerous ASQ certifications. He has also been active on the leadership team of the Northeast Indiana Section for the past nine years, and currently Chair Elect.

Discussion Board Moderator

David Davis
da5id.da5is@gmail.com

David Davis is a team lead at New West Technologies, a consulting firm specializing in fields of energy, transportation, building, and education. He implements program and project management policy, with a focus on the development, collection, and analysis of performance metrics, and the planning and execution of project management and grants management training. He has previously applied his quality management skills in the surveying and mapping industry, and for a small grant-maker serving academic institutions, nonprofit groups, and state and local government.

David has developed and delivered training and on quality auditing, project management, records management, and related subjects. He has also developed public education materials on grants administration, and a range of environmental and energy-related topics. He holds a master’s degree in management from the University of Maryland University College in Adelphi. A senior member of ASQ, David is an ASQ-certified quality auditor and manager of quality and organizational excellence, and a Project Management Institute-certified project management professional.

Examining Chair

Don Brecken
www.ferris.edu/statewide

Don Brecken is Instructor/Business Program Advisor for Ferris State University in Grand Rapids, MI. Don is also Director of Quality for Commercial Tool & Die, Inc. located in Comstock Park, MI. His background includes quality leadership, higher education, continuous improvement, operations learning and development, management consulting, quality auditing, and management system implementation.

Don is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), past Chair of ASQ Section 1001 (Grand Rapids), Deputy Regional Director for ASQ Region 10, and served on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners in '04, '05, and '07. He is an ASQ Certified Manager of Quality and Orgnaization Excellence (CMQ/OE) and RAB/QSA Certified Business Improvement Auditor (QMS-BI).

Don earned his MBA in Strategic Management from Davenport University’s Sneden Graduate School. He has three undergraduate degrees in business with a Technical Specialty in Quality Leadership.

Don also instructs graduate and undergraduate courses in quality management, strategic management, operations management, and leadership at Davenport and Ferris State Universities.

Financial Audit Chair

John Dew
jrdew@troy.edu

Dr. John Dew is currently associate vice chancellor for Troy University in Alabama, where he is responsible for accreditation efforts, institutional research, quality improvement, strategic planning, and will be the university's representative to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. He also teaches three online courses in the University of Alabama's Master's degree in Consumer Quality Management. He is past chair of the Education Division and an ASQ Fellow. He has published articles in ASQ's Quality Progress, ASQ's Journal for Quality and Participation, the ASQ Higher Education Brief, and the division's newsletter.

Higher Education Chair

Julie A. Furst-Bowe
jfurstb@siue.edu

Julie Furst-Bowe is currently serving as the 8th Chancellor of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, a metropolitan university of more than 14,000 students that has been nationally recognized as an “up and coming” institution by the U.S. News and World Report. SIUE has been engaged in quality improvement initiatives for more than a decade and is a member of the Academic Quality Improvement Program. Prior to this position, Dr. Furst-Bowe served as the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, the first and only university to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Dr. Furst-Bowe is an internationally-recognized expert on quality improvement in higher education. She has edited two books on this topic and is a frequent speaker at national and international quality conferences. She is active in several national and international quality organizations and was recently featured in “Who’s Who in Quality,” by the American Society for Quality.

K-12 Education Quality Tools Chair

Becky Martin
martin@cr.k12.ia.us

Becky Martin is the Continuous Improvement Facilitator for the Cedar Rapids Community School District (Iowa). Becky received her Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout; Masters Degree from Iowa State University and has thirty-six years experience in education and has been working specifically with continuous improvement for the last sixteen years. She has served as a consultant assisting schools in their continuous improvement and organizational change efforts and is a certified ASQ ImpaQT trainer. Becky has delivered presentations at local, state and national conferences including but not limited to National Quality in Education, ASCD, and NSBA and has authored articles in leading education publications. She also hosts the Quality in Education blog for the ASQ Education Division.

Marketing Chair(Conference)

Website Chair

Greg Mazzotta
GFMazzotta@gmail.com

Greg Mazzotta is an independent management consultant and Performance Excellence and Innovation Coach. His interest in education leadership and transformation began in 1999 with the National Alliance of Business' initiative: Raising Student Achievement; Aligning Rhetoric, Resolve, and Results that helped launch Congress's invitation of Education to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program. He serves as an examiner, resource and participates in several state quality award programs and is affiliated with leading organizations.

His background, skills, and collaborative style is best demonstrated in making the case for economic and workforce development, providing insight to change management, and preparing a 21st century workforce.

K-12 Quality Systems Chair

NQEC Conference Committee Chair

J. Jay Marino
jmarino@dunlapcusd.net

Dr. Jay Marino is the Superintendent of schools in the Dunlap Community Unit School District 323 in Dunlap, IL. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Iowa; Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Arizona State University; Educational Specialists and Doctorate Degree from Western Illinois University. Jay has led continuous improvement initiatives as an elementary and middle school teacher, elementary school administrator, Special Education Coordinator, Director of Technology, Director of Instruction and Assistant Superintendent. In addition, Jay serves as an international consultant assisting American and European school organizations in their continuous improvement efforts.

Jay has delivered key note presentations at local, state, national and international conferences. He has served regionally as the Chair of the Iowa Quality Center’s Advisory Council and nationally as the Chair of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) K-12 Educational Advisory Committee. Jay has been actively involved in State Quality Award programs as an applicant and an examiner and has assisted in obtaining State Quality Award recognition for school districts in which he has worked in both Iowa and Illinois. He has authored a number of articles and served as an editor. He authored the book Quality across the curriculum; Integrating quality tools and PDSA with Standards. Jay was the first moderator of the national Quality in Education blog hosted by the American Society for Quality designed to promote continuous improvement in education. His personal website is at http://www.jaymarino.me/

Membership Co-chair

Bethany Wilkes
Membership@asqedu.org

Bethany King Wilkes is a Director of School Engagement for Project Lead the Way (PLTW). In this role she supports PLTW middle and high schools across Tennessee, as well as manages the implementation of new PLTW programs in Tennessee. Prior to joining PLTW, Bethany worked in higher education as the Coordinator of the Women in Engineering, Architecture, and Technology (WEAT) Program at Oklahoma State University and as the Assistant Director of the Graduate Engineering Program at Christian Brothers University. She has taught courses in Human Development and has guided graduate engineering management students through the thesis process.

Her research interests include women and minorities in engineering, epistemological beliefs of engineering students, and human development as applied to education. Bethany won the 2010 Outstanding Graduate Student in Educational Psychology Award (The University of Memphis) and has a chapter featured in the book, Advancing the STEM Agenda: Quality Improvement Supports STEM (2012). Prior to working in higher education, she had a progressive engineering career in industry for over seven years. Bethany earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research from The University of Memphis, a Master of Engineering Management degree from Christian Brothers University, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee State University.

Dr. Craig Johnson is a fellow of the American Society for Quality and chairs the American National Standards Institute Task Group for ANS Z1.11 – Guidelines for the Application of ISO 9001 to Education and Training Institutions. Dr. Johnson has served on the faculty in the school of education at Florida State University. He edited the ASQ Education Division book, Successful Applications of Quality Management in K-12.

Twitter/Social Media

Vicki Fawcett-Adams
vfawcett08@su.edu

Workforce Development Brief Editor

Deborah Hopen
debhopen@nventure.com

Deborah Hopen has over 30 years of experience in total quality management. She has served as a senior executive with experience in general management, quality assurance and quality control, training, human resources, organization development, research and development, process engineering, and accounting. She has been president and chairman of the American Society for Quality and currently is the editor of ASQ's Journal for Quality and Participation and contributing editor of ASQ's Six Sigma Forum magazine.