Executive Director
Dr. Lesley Keeling-Olson serves as the Executive Director of the Texas Association for Career and Technical Education (TACTE) and as the CTE Course Maintenance Project Manager/WECM Workshops Coordinator. As Executive Director, she is dedicated to the continued growth and success of TACTE by advocating for high-quality Career and Technical Education, supporting the Board of Directors in coordinating a premier annual TACTE conference, and serving CTE professionals across Texas. In her role with the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM), she is passionate about maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the WECM database and facilitating WECM workshops that help ensure Texas community and technical colleges have access to current, relevant, and industry-aligned curriculum.
Dr. Keeling-Olson retired from Temple College in 2025 after a distinguished career in higher education. During her tenure, she served as Department Chair of Criminal Justice, Division Director of the Business and Career Professions Division, Perkins Basic Grant Administrator, and Director of Perkins Grants.
A dedicated advocate for expanding opportunities for Perkins special populations, Dr. Keeling-Olson draws on her firsthand experience as a nontraditional gender in the criminal justice profession, where she served in both patrol and criminal investigations. She is deeply committed to strengthening Perkins initiatives and improving Perkins Core Indicators. During her time at Temple College, she administered numerous Perkins Leadership Grants that resulted in the development of resource guides focused on core indicator improvement, special populations, and nontraditional student success. These resources continue to support educators across Texas and are available on the TACTE website.
Lesley is married to her husband, Nick, a firefighter and fire investigator. They have two daughters, one who recently graduated from Baylor University and their youngest, who is a senior at Baylor. Baylor holds a special place in Lesley’s heart—it is where she earned her first degree and where her journey into Career and Technical Education began. Today, the family enjoys spending time in Waco cheering on the Baylor Bears, attending university events, and celebrating the place that has become a cornerstone of both their family’s traditions and Lesley’s professional journey.