BREAKOUT #2
LOCATION: PRE-FUNCTION AREA - GROUP CHAT SPACE
This is a Group Chat IRL session. These lively, highly interactive sessions are designed to highlight the wealth of knowledge and experience among conference attendees.
Sit in groups at round tables, and be guided by an expert facilitator on a relevant topic. Come prepared to share, to listen, to learn something new – and to go home with practical skills and fresh ideas.
(IRL = “In Real Life”)
About This Session
Description
How can Texans gain hands-on skills, access career pathways, and build successful futures in high-demand, high-paying jobs?
We’ll discuss way to help students gain the practical, in-demand skills that employers need, and provide support to remove barriers such as transportation, childcare, and financial challenges. We will also explore how to help Texans move from education and training into high-paying, high-demand jobs, while creating opportunities to strengthen local communities and regional economies.
What we'll cover:
This session is designed for educators, workforce professionals, literacy advocates, and community leaders seeking practical strategies to support Texans as they pursue technical education and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how education, training, and advocacy can work together to transform lives, strengthen communities, and prepare Texans for today’s rapidly changing economy.
Topics & Focus
Primary Topic Area
Session will also cover:
Assigned by TCALL
Audience
Level
Case study?
Promotion?
This session is sponsored by / will focus on –
Find definitions of topic areas, audiences, levels, and PD categories by clicking on any icon, or see them all on this page.
Discussion Facilitator
Dr. Kelly Coke
Provost
Texas State Technical College
& Literacy Texas Board Member
Dr. Kelly Coke serves as the Provost of Texas State Technical College’s (TSTC) Williamson County campus, where she provides executive leadership for faculty, staff, and campus operations while advancing the college’s mission: To put Texans in great-paying jobs. A sixth-generation Texan, Dr. Coke has dedicated her career to expanding access to higher education and strengthening workforce development initiatives that prepare students for high-demand careers across the state.
As Provost, Dr. Coke leads strategic initiatives that strengthen workforce education through TSTC’s Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence. She works collaboratively with industry partners, educators, and community leaders to expand hands-on technical training, workforce development programs, and dual-credit opportunities that equip students with industry-recognized credentials and career-ready skills.
Dr. Coke earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Leadership and Development from Texas A&M University, a Master of Science in Adult Education from Texas A&M University–Texarkana, and a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, with an emphasis in Higher Education, from Abilene Christian University.
Her extensive leadership experience includes executive and administrative roles at Texas A&M University–Texarkana, Paris Junior College, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. She also has public service experience working with the United States Senate and the White House, contributing to initiatives that supported education and public policy. In addition to her administrative leadership, Dr. Coke has co-authored numerous scholarly journal articles and professional publications focused on leadership, higher education in both rural and urban communities, and workforce development.
Dr. Coke’s leadership and commitment to workforce and higher education have earned statewide recognition. She was named a 12 Under 12 honoree by the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students, nominated for the Austin Regional Manufacturing Association Ally Award for Workforce Development, recognized as a nominee for the Women of Wilco Williamson County Award, and selected as a nominee for the Austin Business Journal Women in Business Awards. She is a graduate of Leadership Texas Women, Leadership Austin, Leadership Mount Pleasant, and the Texas Education Policy Fellowship Program through Texas Tech University.
Breakout26 – COKE
Page checked or updated: 6/19/2026
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