Art Ellison

Art Ellison - Art Ellison grew up in a small Vermont town. After leaving Vermont he received a B.A. from Earlham College in 1965, a MAT from Northwestern University in 1966 and an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts in 1978.

Over the years he has worked as a road construction laborer, high school social studies teacher, community organizer, local adult education program director and since 1980 as the New Hampshire State Director of Adult Education.

He is very proud of his work as one of the founders, executive producer and actor with the Northern New England Literacy Theater which has performed over the past twenty two years throughout the United States and Canada. In addition he has served as director/actor with several teenage improvisational theater groups that used interactive theater to educate young people around issues such as teenage sexuality, relationship violence, and drug/alcohol abuse.

Since 1982 he has served on the Board of Directors and been associated with the Highlander Center in New Market, Tennessee, the legendary adult education center known for its work in training union organizers, civil rights workers, and local community activists throughout the southern United States.

Art’s political work has included coordinating the Fred Harris for President Primary Campaign in New Hampshire in 1975-1976, receiving the Proulx Political Action Award from SEIU Local 1984 for his work on the 2004 Presidential and New Hampshire gubernatorial campaigns, and currently  an active member of the NH Educators for Obama.  In 2005 he received a Literacy Leadership Award from the National Coalition for Literacy for his leadership in restoring a $363 million cut in funding to adult education programs proposed by the Bush Administration. 

As Chair of the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education Policy Committee he helped to create and now manages the Single Point of Contact network established by the State Directors to build support for adult education funding and policy in Washington, DC. Art has also testified before various committees of the US Congress on the need for additional support for adult education services.

Art has two children, Anna, a 7th grade social studies teacher who lives in Massachusetts and Jeremy, an actor who lives in New York City. Most of Art’s free time is spent either playing basketball or looking for a basketball game. His favorite quote and guidance for life comes from Mother Jones, “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living”. 

Israel David Mendoza

Israel David Mendoza
Director, Adult Basic Education Office
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Israel Mendoza is native of Washington, born in Yakima, and the third oldest of eleven children in a farmworker family.  He worked for Cesar Chavez and the United Farmworkers Union in Seattle, Washington and Dallas, Texas.  He started with the Employment Security Department in April 1972 as a participant in the Emergency Employment Act program as a seasonal assistant interviewer.  From that position he literally worked his way up the agency career ladder to Acting Commissioner in October of 1990.  During that time, he has been a community liaison, worked on welfare reform, employment and training programs, business resource programs, policy development, communications, legislative activities, and constituent relationships for the Employment Security Department; a state agency of approximately 2,200 employees and an annual budget of $220 million.  He has been the Director of the Adult Basic Education Office at the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges since February 1996.  He is currently chair of the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE).  Israel is a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in state and local government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.  He attended Washington State University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College where he emphasized studies in economics and minority business development.