People

Lynnmarie Gomes Highsmith, a Trade and Industry program director at Palm Beach State College, has become a board member of the Florida Career Pathways Network. FCPN is the state’s leading organization devoted to advancing best practices in career and technical education in high schools, colleges and adult education.

Highsmith’s PBSC colleague Clarisse Peteza-May recommended her for the appointment. Peteza-May, an academic coordinator who manages the College’s articulation agreements with the Palm Beach County School District, has been on the FCPN board for two years. She noticed Highsmith’s role overseeing the College’s postsecondary adult vocational programs in Welding Technology, Machining Technology and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration.

“As an experienced director of PSAV programs, Lynn is really fit to serve,” Peteza-May said. “The board voted unanimously to approve her.”

According to its website, FCPN strives to ensure that students “acquire the academic and technical skills needed to be ‘college and career ready’ and to be prepared for the high-skill, high-wage, high-demand occupations of the 21st century.” The organization holds competitions for best practices, hosts an annual symposium and provides a network for communicating and sharing resources to support members in program implementation and improvement.

“I hope to be a voice for Palm Beach State,” Highsmith said, “and help FCPN solidify different ways to look at career and technical education, that will, in turn, lead to more innovation at PBSC. I look forward to developing workforce pathways that expand opportunities for all students who are willing to come in and learn.”