Public Policy Advocate of the Year
2009
Dr. Sheryl Abshire, Lake Charles, LA
 Dr. Abshire's dedication to the advancement of educational technology has no equal. She has been a tireless and innovative leader in advocating for the support of educational technology funding at the local, state and national levels and serves as an example that leads advocacy efforts in the state of Louisiana. Not only is Dr. Abshire dedicated to increasing the financial support for educational technology, she has been active at all levels in promoting policy that continuously improves educational practice in response to our rapidly changing technology‐based society. Most recently, Dr. Abshire was Chair of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) and currently serves as the Co‐Chair of the joint ISTE/CoSN Public Policy Committee. In that capacity, she brought organized advocacy to the grass roots level with the formation of the Ed Tech Action Network (ETAN) that brings the voices of thousands of educators across our nation to Washington. As one senator's education aide noted in a 2008 meeting on technology funding, "we have heard more from the educational technology group than any other educational group." This quote speaks loudly to the results of Dr. Abshire’s innovation and leadership at every level. Furthermore, as a result of her involvement with ETAN at the national level and her leadership in advocacy efforts within Louisiana, the Louisiana legislature restored 25 million in classroom technology funding at the state level after all technology funding had been zeroed out of the state budget for two years. Additionally, she brought technology leaders across Louisiana together by founding the Louisiana Chief Technology Officers Association, a CoSN affiliate organization that advocates for improving policy and practice in Louisiana and gives educational technology a voice in Louisiana and in the nation's capitol.
She is a nationally recognized speaker on educational technology issues and was one of a few district technology leaders selected to speak to the U.S. Commerce
Committee in 2005 on the impact of E‐Rate funding for schools and libraries. Her efforts helped maintain E‐Rate funding during a time when it was attacked from several directions. Her position with the CoSN/ISTE Policy committee has given her audience with top‐level policy makers where she also led the effort to restore
federal educational technology funding during years when it was zeroed out of the administration’s budget.
After many years of leadership, she continues to exhibit tireless innovation in helping forge policy and practice that help our students become successful in the 21st century. Her continued commitment and determination in advocating for the children of Louisiana and our nation places Dr. Abshire apart from others in this endeavor.
Special acknowledgement to Jennifer Bergland, Bryan, Texas and Christopher Johnson, Tucson, AZ as advocacy trendsetters.
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