Amy S. Harker is the Northeast Region Career and Innovation Specialist of the Educational Service Center (ESC) of Northeast Ohio. Amy's experience with college and career readiness, leadership development and personalized learning will help build capacity in districts ready to expand or enhance their programming. In her role she serves as a connector of public schools, higher education, and businesses in the Northeast region to aid districts in building experience-based learning opportunities and creating comprehensive career plans for K-12. She has established a Career Readiness Leaders Network with participants coming from all over Northeast Ohio. She is serving in the role of Coordinator for Career Readiness for the First Ring Superintendent's Collaborative. 

Amy is a certified Focus 3 facilitator trained under Tim and Brian Kight (R Factor and Lead Now leadership skill building) as a culture change agent. She serves on the National thought leader team for Future Ready Schools and can support schools in working toward implementation of personalized learning using this framework. Creative Thinking Seminars, Design Learning and Personalized Learning seminars are a few of the professional developments that she delivers at the ESC of NEO. 

Prior to serving at the ESC of Northeast Ohio, Amy served in several school districts in the State of Ohio, including serving for 19 years (elementary, middle school and high school) both in regular education and as a gifted instructor in both Lorain Schools and Mentor Exempted Village Schools. She gained building level management skills as Assistant Principal in Willoughby-Eastlake Schools. As a central office administrator she has served as the Director of Exceptional Children in Chardon Schools, Gifted Coordinator in Willoughby-Eastlake Schools and then most recently serving as the Director of Student Services and College and Career Readiness for Perry Schools. Amy has been awarded several excellent teaching awards including the auspicious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 

Amy has presented nationally with several audiences on personalized learning, career pathway and mentoring programming as well as leadership development. Recently, she has presented at the MidAtlantic Conference on Personalized learning as well as at the National Convention for Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). She has worked and presented with Ohio Department of Education's Career Pathway Network and Future Ready Schools Framework. Amy has lead innovative efforts through organizations such as the Innovative Lab Network, Competency-based Education Imitative, Governor's Executive Workforce Board and Design Learning with an equity lens. . She has provided support in a variety of capacities including supervision of Gifted, English Language Learners, Homeless and /Foster care liaison and Special Education. She has helped to facilitate the K-12 Design Learning and Career Mentoring/Internship Programs in her service as an instructional leader. She has written and been awarded several grants that support district and regional initiatives. 

A lifetime resident of Ohio, Amy is one of seven siblings and proud mother of two daughters. She enjoys running, hiking, biking, and fitness training. She also enjoys travelling the world and artistic expression in many forms. She is an avid fan of her Cleveland teams.