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Public Policy Pulse
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Public Policy Pulse
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Executive Director

Erin Vobornik

Erin Vobornik is a national leader in adult education advocacy, leadership development, and grassroots engagement. As Executive Director for the National Association for the Transformation of Adult Education (NAFTAE), she leads national strategies that strengthen the field's advocacy capacity, develop emerging leaders, and mobilize educators and adult learners to influence policy at the local, state, and federal levels.

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Erin chairs the nationally recognized State Advocates for Adult Education Fellowship (SAAEF), a year-long advocacy leadership program that equips advocates across the country to advance adult education policy within their states. She also oversees NAFTAE's Ambassador Program, preparing adult learners to serve as confident advocates and storytellers, and leads Flood the Hill, the association's signature annual national advocacy event that brings adult education champions to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with members of Congress.

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Before joining NAFTAE, Erin worked as Initiatives Director of COABE, served as a professional development specialist with the Illinois Adult Education Professional Development Network, taught English as a Second Language at Elgin Community College for 12 years, and was a lecturer in applied linguistics at Northern Illinois University, where she prepared pre-service and practicing teachers for bilingual and ESL endorsements.

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A 2021 State Advocate for Adult Education Fellow herself, Erin has dedicated her career to elevating the voices of adult learners and educators. She was recognized with the Illinois Adult and Continuing Education Association (IACEA) President's Award in 2023 for her outstanding advocacy leadership. Erin believes lasting policy change begins by empowering those closest to the work to become effective advocates for adult education.

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