Career Technical Education (CTE) Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Eli Weinzveg as the organization’s new Executive Director. Weinzveg, will begin his new role on June 20th, succeeding founding Executive Director and CEO Kathy Goodacre, who is stepping down after nearly 13 years of leadership.
Founded in 2012, CTE Foundation has grown under Goodacre’s visionary leadership and stewardship from a bold idea into a transformative force for advancing career technical education (CTE) and career-connected learning opportunities in local schools. Her passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to student success have laid a strong foundation for the organization’s continued impact in now both Sonoma and Lake Counties, raising more than $18.2 million dollars over the last decade.
“Kathy’s leadership has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Mark Soiland, Board Chair and owner of Soiland Company. “She built this organization from the ground up and leaves behind a legacy that will continue to benefit our students and community for generations to come. We are excited to welcome Eli into this role and confident in his ability to lead the Foundation into the next chapter.”
Weinzveg grew up in Sebastopol and attended Santa Rosa High School. After graduating, he moved to Sacramento, where he earned his B.A., M.A., and teaching credentials from California State University, Sacramento. During that time, he married his wife, Nicollette, also a Sonoma County native, and the two soon returned home to Sonoma County to raise their twins in the community that shaped them. He began his career as a teacher in the Roseland School District before moving into an administrative leadership role at Roseland Collegiate Prep, where he helped guide the school through the aftermath of the 2017 Tubbs Fire and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, he transitioned to the nonprofit sector to deepen his commitment to educational equity, joining 10,000 Degrees as Director of College Pathways. In that role, he led teams across Sonoma, Napa, and Lake Counties, expanded the organization’s reach, strengthened district partnerships, launched new professional development systems, and helped drive cross-program alignment to enhance student impact.
Supporting thousands of students on their path to career-readiness has been one of the greatest honors of his career. Now, as the incoming Executive Director of CTE Foundation he is excited to continue this work by advancing career education and workforce development for the benefit of students and the community’s future.
“It all begins with showing up—with consistency, humility, and a deep commitment to service,” shares Eli Weinzveg. “When we lead with gratitude and center the needs of our local workforce and students, we build stronger partnerships, create meaningful opportunities, and help shape a more vibrant, resilient community.”
In his new role, he will oversee the Foundation’s strategic direction, community partnerships, and program development, ensuring the organization continues to meet the evolving needs of local students and educators. As the Foundation enters the second year of its strategic plan, it continues to build momentum toward its goals of expanding and increasing access to career-connected work-based learning opportunities for students, fostering innovation and transformation within high schools, and ensuring long-term sustainability for the organization. Supported by a skilled and passionate staff of six, CTE Foundation continues to grow its impact across Sonoma, and most recently Lake County.
Kathy Goodacre will remain in a supporting capacity through the leadership transition over the coming months. After departing the organization on June 30th, Goodacre is relaunching her consulting business, which she led for 18 years prior to starting up the CTE Foundation with philanthropic Founder Tony Crabb.
