Sessions of 2026 Connection Conference: Julie Ellis
Mrs. Ellis, Julie
AZ CTSO State Director
Arizona Department Of Education
Julie Ellis has been the CTSO State Director for Arizona for the last 5 years and has been serving Arizona's students for the last 13. While Julie was working in an administrative role for Nordstrom, she realized that there was a need in her community for students to have better access to the refinement of workplace skills, employment opportunities, and overall character development. She determined that the best way to tend to that need was to join the world of education - teaching business and marketing while advising her school's Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter. Eventually, Julie was pulled to work for the Arizona Department of Education, where she currently serves all six CTSOs in Arizona. She serves on the National Board of Directors for FBLA and SkillsUSA, has invested hundreds of hours into volunteering her weekends and evenings to judging and coaching students, and has inspirational goals for those on her team and those who her team serves.
Sessions:
[5674] CTSO New Advisor Training - Premier Series
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Westin La Paloma
- Interdisciplinary
Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) will take your CTE Program to the next level! This course is designed for first and second year advisors who want to effectively manage a CTSO. During this course advisors will discuss how to seamlessly integrate a CTSO into their curriculum, brainstorm fundraising opportunities, share strategies for conducting awards recognition functions and explore related legal and ethical considerations. Advisors will also be acquainted with CTSO resources available to them. Come and learn about the CTSO that YOU will be advising! Participants who participate in the course and complete the follow-up assignments will have the opportunity to earn 15 CEU hours approved by ADE to be used for your standard CTE certificate or for recertification hours.
[5852] Unpacking the DECA Leadership Passport Program
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Westin La Paloma
- Business and Marketing Education
Learn how to effectively guide your students through Arizona DECA’s Leadership Passport Program, a year round framework that helps members grow through program, academic, leadership, and DECA focused activities. This session gives advisors practical strategies for integrating Passport tasks into the classroom and chapter operations, supporting students in achieving the achievement levels, and helping them earn certificates, pins, medals at SCDC, and recognition. Advisors will leave with tools to encourage engagement, monitor student progress, and make the Passport a meaningful part of their chapter’s leadership culture.
[5678] DECA Advisor Session: 2026-2027 Updates
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Westin La Paloma
- Business and Marketing Education
Please join Arizona DECA in an update session for the 2026-2027 school year!
