CTE Foundation Staff
Kathy Goodacre,
Chief Executive Officer
CEO Kathy Goodacre has led CTE Foundation since its inception and is recognized throughout the community for her leadership in advocating for the Foundation’s mission. Having raised two children with different learning styles, Kathy has a personal passion for ensuring all students see a viable education and career path out of high school. Her vision is for more parents, employers, community leaders and educators to recognize the value of career technical education as an equitable path forward for students to become better prepared to tackle life after high school. By engaging employers, Kathy is committed to a “grow our own” philosophy to ensure our young people can be trained here, go to work here and most importantly have fulfilling lives here in Sonoma County.
Ms. Goodacre started her career in Sonoma County in 1990 where she served as the Vice President of Marketing/Fund Development for the local United Way. Following her departure from United Way in 1997, she launched a non-profit consulting business providing an array of services with an emphasis on program and fund development.
Ms. Goodacre holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky and resides in Santa Rosa with her husband Matt.
Leslie Simmons,
Vice President, Impact & Investments
Leslie joined CTE Foundation in February 2019 and is Vice President of Impact & Investments. She is passionate about sharing the impact of CTE Foundation’s work through storytelling and loves the opportunity to talk with teachers and students about the value of CTE in supporting students’ excitement for the future.
Prior to her work for CTE Foundation, Leslie spent over a decade running a video and film production business in northern California, crafting engaging visual and written content to meet the marketing and branding needs for clients from billion-dollar corporations to grassroots nonprofits.
Leslie holds a bachelor’s degree in Community Studies from U.C. Santa Cruz, where she studied politics and economics with a social change lens. A native of Healdsburg, Leslie currently resides with her husband and kiddo in Cloverdale.
Brandon Jewell,
Director of Student Experience
Brandon joined CTE Foundation in 2017 and is the Director of Student Experience where he helps implement programs and serves as an intermediary between education and local employers to ensure students are engaged in high-quality career-connected learning. Brandon understands that preparing our local students for life and career in the Sonoma County area is essential for the success of our students and our local economy.
Brandon’s passion for this work began when he was Director of Business Development at Sonoma County BEST (Building Economic Success Together), an economic development initiative, and continued through his role as Director of Economic and Workforce Development at the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber.
Brandon holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Sonoma State University, served in Leadership Santa Rosa Class #31, and was awarded the North Bay Business Journal’s Forty Under 40.
Andriana Duckworth,
Director of Development & Marketing
Director of Development & Marketing, Andriana Duckworth joined the staff of CTE Foundation in April 2023. Initially serving as a Board Member, Andriana felt the strong motivation to serve and support the organization through an increased capacity on staff. She is driven to cultivate strong partnerships and relations within a community to support the evolving needs of today’s students and their career paths.
Andriana has spent the last decade in Sonoma County’s wine industry and non-profit community, beginning her career at the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, where she served as programs and relationships manager. Continuing her career in development, she most recently served as Executive Director for the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance, where was able to continue work on strategic partnerships, development, and marketing.
Andriana holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Pre-Law with an emphasis in Legal Studies and Public Administration from the University of San Francisco.
A native to Bennett Valley in Santa Rosa, Andriana resides in the town of Sonoma, with her partner Daniel and their energetic American Chocolate Labrador, Sadie.
Debbie Schoemaker,
Business Operations Manager
Debbie joined the CTE Foundation team in March 2020 as Administrative Manager. Her passion for helping children thrive and achieve a successful future is what led her to CTE Foundation. She has volunteered her time to various organizations including Junior Achievement, NY Cares and Gilead House and is now delighted to be part of a team that helps inspire the future workforce of Sonoma County.
Debbie moved to Sonoma County from New York in 2011, where she enjoyed a long career at Deloitte delivering global technology solutions to her colleagues around the world. After many years in the private sector, she decided to apply her experience in the education sector, working in various schools throughout Petaluma, and later joining the development team at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, a nonprofit organization delivering music and arts education to children. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Baruch College in New York.
A native New Yorker who loves the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced city, Debbie has come to love the more relaxed pace of living in beautiful Sonoma County along with her son Justin and partner Tim.
Roberto Rodriguez Cruz,
Program Administrative Coordinator
Roberto joined CTE Foundation as the Program Administrative Coordinator in February 2024. As a first-generation college graduate who was born and raised in Santa Rosa, Roberto strives to create an atmosphere where students can be creative and find their true professional calling. He draws on his own experience working two jobs as a full-time student to understand the struggles and adversity many students face along on their educational path.
Roberto holds an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration from the Santa Rosa Junior College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with a concentration in Marketing from Sonoma State University. Roberto truly understands the importance of education at the local level.
When he is not working, Roberto trains and studies the gentle art of Judo, explores the outdoors of Sonoma County, and spends time with friends and family.
