2013-2014 Executive Committee Biographies
Olga Oleynikova, IVETA President
Prior to becoming IVETA President Elect, Professor Olga Oleynikova
completed serving two terms as the IVETA Vice President for East Europe
and Central Asia. In November 2010 she was awarded the Silvius-Wolansky
Award to an Outstanding Leader in TVET. She has been involved in
international education both as practitioner and researcher since 1985. At
the outset of her career she worked for the Russian Academy of
Pedagogical Sciences initiating international exchange, unprecedented in scope and diversity,
among Russian and western educators and policy makers. This exchange laid the foundation
for building fruitful international education and VET discourse in Russia as well as for the
ensuing education and VET modernization efforts in Russia. In 1996 Ms. Oleynikova initiated
systemic cooperation with the European Training Foundation to ensure information exchange
and mutual learning between Russia and Eu on TVET development. Ms. Oleynikova has been
active in maintaining and enhancing TVET cooperation with the CIS countries and initiated
creation of a CIS TVET network. Ms. Oleynikova has also been initiator and leader of numerous
project aimed at European cooperation in TVET supported by the European Commission under
the Tacis program of Technical Assistance to the Russian Federation. Prof. Oleynikova ia also
leader of the CIS Network of UNEVOC Centers and Head of the UNEVOC Center in Russia.
Apart from practical aspects of promoting international cooperation in education, Ms. Oleynikova
is a researcher and author of comprehensive manuscripts on comparative education, dozens of
publications and articles on European and international VET published in Russia and abroad.
The recent major project Prof. Oleynikova has put in place in Russia is the development of
occupational standards and the National Qualifications Framework. Professor Oleynikova has
been a member of IVETA since 2004. Her center is an organizational member. Ms. Oleynikova
was elected President Elect two years ago and began her position as President of IVETA
January 1, 2013.
Abel Modungwa, Past President
Abel Modungwa is an educationist and trainer with a Masters Degree in
Educational Administration and Bachelor of Education. He has been
trained in Leadership and Management through several short courses
and workshops, notably among other is the Program for Management
Development offered by Harvard Business School in the United States of
America.
His 31 years’ experience has been spent in various capacities related to human resources
development. He was a Trainer and later, a Principal in a Management Development Institute
for 14 years. He served as a Human Resources Director and a Secretary to the Board at the
Water Utilities Corporation of Botswana for six years before joining the Botswana Training
Authority (BOTA) as a Chief Executive Officer a position he still hold since the year 2000.
At BOTA he coordinates the development and implementation of a quality Vocational Training
System. Abel is the current Vice President of IVETA for the African Region and his support for
IVETA started since 2000, among others he arranged for Botswana to host the IVETA Regional
Conference in 2005.
Carmel Thompson, IVETA President Elect
Ms. Carmel Thompson previously served two terms as the IVETA Vice
President for East Asia and the Pacific. She is the Managing Director of The
Southern Cross Connection and has been acting Vice President for the last
year. She has been Membership Secretary for the last two years. Carmel
was previously the owner of Achievers International College & Achievers
Business College in Brisbane, Australia which offered courses in Business,
Travel, Hospitality, Management and Information Technology to both local and overseas
students. In 1994, Carmel foresaw a shift in education and training out of the classroom into
industry and high schools. She sold her colleges to the Educational Foundation Group of Japan
and set up an international consultancy name of The Southern Cross Connection.
She is a qualified Accountant who possesses a skill for getting the job done through the medium
of collaboration and communication. She has had considerable experience in the international
marketplace. This has resulted in the building of strong relationships with other leaders in this
industry. Carmel is a highly respected trainer specializing in Leadership Programs and also
Teacher and Workplace Trainer Courses . She has a high profile in Australia and has served on
numerous International and Australian educational boards and committees. She is also a much
sought after speaker at national and international conferences focusing on Leadership and
Engaging Learners in the Learning Process. Carmel’s credibility as a business consultant and
trainer is enhanced by her business credentials, reputation and experience. She has been a
member of IVETA since 2002.
Wendi Howell, General Secretary
With over twelve years’ experience in a Fortune 100 company, and nine
years in public education, Ms. Howell serves as a liaison between industry
and career-technical education to create a globally competitive workforce.
Her interest in the education field began during a corporate assignment in
Brazil, and she joined a Latin America basic education initiative to help
improve the quality of education. After returning to Ohio, she developed
and instructed an innovative program for high school students in
international business management.
Currently, Ms. Howell is directing the international activities for CETE, a leading institution for
education and workforce development initiatives. CETE is the first and only U.S. member of
UNESCO-UNEVOC, a worldwide network to improve TVET (Technical and Vocational
Education and Training), and also a founding member of a U.S. consortium to provide TVET
goods and services around the world. Ms. Howell is the General Secretary in IVETA
(International Vocational Education and Training Association). She believes that programs that
teach high level skills combined with strong academics are part of the solution for economic
development. Ms. Howell’s research interests include global public/private partnerships to
match labor market needs to educational content, and career pathways for education leaders to
move to and from the private sector.
Barbara Ann Herrmann, Executive Secretariat/Treasurer
Prior to joining IVETA as Executive Secretariat/Treasurer in 2001 and after
retiring as Director of Instructional Technology in the Minnesota State
Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) in 2000, Ms. Herrmann started her
own consulting firm in the area of program development in support of
workforce development. She continued serving in this capacity until 2008
when she retired once again.
Prior to the formation of the MnSCU system in 1996, Ms. Herrmann worked with faculty and
curriculum specialists in the Technical Colleges to move from a clock hour to a credit based
system. She wrote instructional manuals for Instructional Performance Systems (IPSI), several
articles on setting up assessment systems and conducted 100s of workshops throughout the
Technical College System and secondary system.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Elmira College, a Certificate in Computer Operations
and a Master’s Degree from the University of Minnesota in Education with a Certificate in
Training and Development. She has been awarded the Valued Support of IVETA Award and
the Joel Magisos Exceptional Service Award by IVETA.
Regional Vice Presidents
Wilson K. Makulumiza-Nkhoma, Regional Vice President for Africa
Wilson Makulumiza Nkhoma is an educationist and a trainer with many
years of experience in the field of education. He holds a Master’s Degree
in Education, Bachelor of Science Degree in Technical Education and a
Diploma in Technical Teaching. He has worked for ten years in the
Ministry of Education in Malawi as a secondary school teacher and later a
Teacher Trainer. He has also worked for 7 years as a Curriculum
Development Specialist at Malawi Institute of Education. Since 1999 he
has been working for Technical Entrepreneurial Vocational Education and Training Authority
(TEVETA), first as Head of Quality Assurance and later as a Director of Technical Services.
Currently he is the Acting Executive Director of TEVET Authority in Malawi. He is a trained and
facilitator of DACUM Chart and standards development as well as a master trainer in the same.
Mr Makulumiza-Nkhoma has taken over the mantle of Vice President-Africa region from Mr
Yusuf Alide who has since left the organization at the expiry of his 4 year contract and is back to
the University of Malawi pending retirement.
Rupert Maclean, Regional Vice President for East Asia and the
Pacific
Rupert Maclean is UNESCO Chair Professor of TVET and Lifelong
Learning at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, where he is also Chair
Professor of International Education and Director of the Centre for
Lifelong Learning Research and Development. Concurrently he is a
Senior Research Fellow, Department of Education, University of
Oxford. He was formerly foundation Director of the UNESCO-UNEVOC
International Centre for TVET, Bonn, Germany; Director of Secondary Education, UNESCO
Paris; and Chief of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Educational Innovation for Development,
UNESCO Bangkok. He is well known for his various books on TVET, including the six volume
International Handbook on Education for the Changing World of Work: Bridging Academic and
Vocational Learning, with David Wilson (Springer 2009); the Handbook of TVET Research, with
Felix Rauner (Springer, 2010) and the book series Education for the Changing World of
Work: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, for which he is Series Editor for Springer, 20 books
being published to date in the series. In 2009 he was awarded an Order of Australia in the
Queens Birthday Honors List, for services to improving education in developing countries
through his work in the area of TVET.
Ilhan Gunbayi, Regional Vice President for East Europe and Central Asia
Dr. Gunbayi is currently a lecturer (Associate Professor Doctor) at Akdeniz
University Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Sciences in
Antalya in Turkey. He completed his BA studies on English Language
Teaching, MA on Educational Administration and Supervision, PhD. on
Educational Administration, Supervision, Planning and Economy in Hacettepe
University in Turkey and Post Doctorate Studies on Qualitative Research
Methods in Sheffield Hallam University in the UK and on Job Stressors and their Effects on
Academic Staff in Katholieke University of Leuven in Belgium in 2012. He is scholarly interested
in Vocational and Technical Education, European Education Systems, Organizational
Communication, Organizational Culture and Climate, Motivation at Work, Job Stressors and
School Leadership. He has developed a number of publications in the field of Educational
Administration, Supervision, Planning and Economy. He has been a member of IVETA since
2007 and is running for his second term as Vice President for East Europe and Central Asia.
Central Asia.
Mari Kontturi, Regional Vice President for Europe
Mari Kontturi holds a Master of Laws and is currently Manager of
International Affairs in Luovi Vocational College, Finland, the largest
special needs education provider in Finland. She is involved in the
work of European Platform of Rehabilitation as a center coordinator
and active in several networks in Finland. Mari Kontturi has a
qualification for teaching, too (vocational teacher). Before working in
the field of vocational education and training Mari Kontturi worked as a lawyer in the labor
administration and in the banking sector and she has also trained on the bench. She has also
experience in working in the field of organizational activities in the Organization for Respiratory
Health in Finland. She has been involved in international cooperation since 1997 and taken part
in numerous projects. Mari Kontturi joined IVETA in 2005. This is her second term as Regional
Vice President for Europe. Today, Luovi Vocational College is an institutional member in IVETA.
Reynold John, Regional Vice President for Latin America and
Caribbean
Reynold John comes from Trinidad & Tobago, where he is training
manager of Metal Industries Company, Ltd (MIC). MIC is an
institutional member of IVETA. From inception, MIC was established to
combine training with real work. Consequently, it adapted the ‘Training
Factory Concept’ as its preferred mode of delivering Technical Vocational Education and
Training (TVET). This mode of training influenced the mission statement of the Training Division
(“Training for Industry”), since this was a demand led model of TVET. Mr. John has been
instrumental in the fulfillment of this mission. He has been a member of IVETA since 2006 and
has actively participated in ACTE and the IVETA annual conference. This is his second term as
Vice President for Latin America and Caribbean. His organization, Metal Industries Corporation
will be hosting a regional conference in April 2013.
Dr. Abdulaziz S. Al Amr, Regional Vice President for Middle
East and North Africa
Dr. Amr is Director General for international cooperation of
Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) in Riyadh,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He holds a Ph.D. from Washington State
University, Washington, USA in Materials Science. He taught at
Riyadh Technical College prior to designing training programs for TVTC and becoming Director
General. He has been a member of IVETA since 2006. TVTC has been an institutional member
since 2006.
Robert Mahlman, Regional Vice President for North America
Robert (Bob) Mahlman has served as the IVETA Vice President
for North America since 2010. He also serves on the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) Personnel Certification
Accreditation Committee (PCAC), and chairs the ANSI-IREC
Program Accreditation Committee that accredits certificate programs in the renewable energy
and energy efficiency. He is the Director of CETE at The Ohio State University. CETE, a
research center, bridges research and practice through work in standards, curriculum,
assessment, and evaluation. CETE is one of the United States’ leading institutions for workforce
and career technical education and training and houses the United States’ only UNEVOC
Center. Bob received his master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology with a minor
in Psychometrics from The Ohio State University. His current work focuses in the areas of
occupational knowledge and skill assessment for technical and vocational education and
training, occupational certification, and personnel selection and placement testing for business,
industry, and governmental agencies. In addition, Bob’s work has also included program
evaluation research. Ohio State University is an organizational member of IVETA.
Regional Vice President South Asia (vacant)