July 1, 2020
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After a lifetime of service to West Virginia students, including a decade of leadership with the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), Dr. Kathy D’Antoni announced today her retirement from her position as Associate State Superintendent over the Division of Technical and Adult Education. Dr. D’Antoni has worked tirelessly to advocate for all students, and under her leadership, West Virginia’s career technical education (CTE) programs have become a national model of success. Her retirement is effective July 3, 2020.
Dr. D’Antoni has worked extensively with curriculum alignment, curriculum development, workforce development and economic development projects including the national and international innovative Simulated Workplace initiative. In 2010, Dr. D’Antoni was appointed Assistant Superintendent over the Division of Technical and Adult Education. She was appointed to Associate Superintendent in 2012, a position she has held until her retirement. D’Antoni was also the former Vice Chancellor of the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.
“Dr. D’Antoni is one of the greatest champions for West Virginia’s children,” said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools, W. Clayton Burch. “Under her leadership, the state has renewed its focus on career technical and adult education, as she committed herself to educating tomorrow’s workforce. Kathy’s vision and dedication are inspiring, and I am proud to have served the children of West Virginia alongside her.”
With the Simulated Workplace program, and innovative initiatives like Career Signing Day and Reverse Job Fairs, Dr. D’Antoni has paved the way for students to seamlessly move into certification and full-time employment. Dr. D’Antoni dedicated herself to knowing the needs of the industries in the Mountain State, and created vigorous CTE programs that ensured a new generation of highly-skilled workers would meet those needs.
Dr. D’Antoni has authored a number of articles on effective transition practices from public schools to higher education and collaborated on two books with national authors: Career Pathways and Adult Career Pathways. In 2014, Dr. D’Antoni was inducted into the Marshall University June Harless Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to West Virginia’s educational system, and was inducted into the Marshall University Business Hall of Fame in 2019.