A geologist-turned brewpub pioneer who had never run for political office before running for Denver Mayor in 2003, Hickenlooper was elected Governor of Colorado on Nov. 2, 2010. One of the first commitments Hickenlooper made as Mayor was to visit all 151 schools in the Denver Public Schools system. He made good on that promise and helped forge a strong relationship between the City and the school district. In 2005, after serving only two years as mayor, Time Magazine placed him among the top five "big-city" mayors in the country. In 2008, Hickenlooper brought a new level of attention to the Mile High City, successfully marketing Denver as an ideal place to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention. And his most ambitious campaign, his mission to reduce homelessness in Denver, saw great success. Denver's Road Home provides employment assistance and housing for the homeless. The success of this program became a model for other cities, illustrating how they can combat homelessness within the inner city.
Overall, his tireless efforts to improve the city of Denver paid off. Despite shrinking budgets and managing the city through two national recessions, a recent citizen survey found that Denver's overall community quality rating improved to 86% in 2010 from 78% in 2002. Hickenlooper ran for Governor of Colorado on a jobs creation and economic development platform. In using his experience as a jobs creator and consensus builder in government, he wants to increase opportunity for the people of Colorado. And perhaps most importantly, he has a track record of bringing people together to solve problems instead of stoking the same old partisan squabbles.
Rae Ann Kelsch has been elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives since 1990. She has served as chairman of the House Education committee since 1997. Kelsch also serves as the chairman of the Education/Taxation Interim Committee and the Legislative Employment Committee. Kelsch serves on the House Transportation Committee, the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee and the Higher Education Interim Committee. She received the NDAEYC Children’s Champion Award, the Greater North Dakota Association State Community Award, Five Outstanding Young North Dakotan’s Award in 1995, Outstanding Young Woman of America and the Children’s Caucus Voice of the Child Award. She has served as the chairman of the Education Standing Committee and Overall Vice-Chairman of Standing Committees for the National Conference of State Legislatures, and is currently serving on the NCSL Executive Committee. Kelsch also served on the NCSL Federal Education Issues Task Force. She has been an ECS Commissioner since 1997 and serves on the ECS Steering, Nominating and Executive Committees. Kelsch graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and is currently working as a consultant. In that capacity, she develops strategies and policies specifically addressing Native American and at-risk populations in sparsely populated areas of the western United States.
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Richard G. Rhoda Treasurer
Richard G. Rhoda is the executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, a post he has held since 1997. He previously served with the Tennessee Board of Regents in numerous staff capacities, including chief academic officer and acting chancellor. While serving on the Regents staff, he also served as interim president of Nashville State Community College and Austin Peay State University. He served earlier in the administration of Tennessee State University. Rhoda has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Vanderbilt University where he continues as an adjunct professor. He currently serves as ECS treasurer.
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Roger Sampson President
Roger Sampson has had a distinguished career for more than 20 years in Alaska while earning a reputation for quality, innovation and increased student achievement. The State Board of Education & Early Development appointed Sampson as Alaska Commissioner of Education & Early Development in 2003. He resigned effective August 17, 2007 to take the position of president of the Education Commission of the States. During Sampson's tenure as Commissioner, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development established a statewide full-release mentoring program for beginning teachers and administrators in partnership with the University of Alaska. The department also established, with the approval of the Legislature, an innovative public school performance incentive program. Sampson has served in a variety of roles and positions in public schools, including school administrator in both rural and urban Alaska.
