COABE Advocast

When we talk about adult education, it’s easy to focus on confidence, community, and personal growth—but in workforce conversations, we also need to speak the language of skills and economic mobility. In this Advocast Toolbox episode, Erin Vobornik shares practical ways to frame adult education in workforce terms without losing the heart of your message. Learn how to connect with employer and policymaker priorities while still advocating for all learners, regardless of their path or goal.

In this Advocast Toolbox episode, Erin Vobornik outlines how educators, mentors, and COABE Ambassadors can coach adult learners to prepare and deliver their stories with confidence. Learn how to create safe spaces, guide with empathy, and connect personal stories to advocacy goals—key skills in the COABE Ambassador Training program.

Learn how to make your advocacy more powerful by connecting personal stories to compelling data. In this Advocast Toolbox episode, you’ll get practical tips on choosing the right data points, weaving them into your story, and making a clear, persuasive case for adult education — all in under 10 minutes.

Every day, lawmakers and their staff are inundated with requests, proposals, and stories from dozens of organizations. How do you make sure your adult education message rises above the noise? In the latest Advocast episode, “From Noise to Noticed: Crafting Messages That Move Policy,” Erin Vobornik sits down with Elyse Wasch and Alysha Bold, two public policy strategy experts from Penn Hill Group, to share insights you can put into practice immediately: Standout Messaging: What makes a message grab attention and stick Common Pitfalls: Mistakes that can make even the best story fall flat Actionable Tips: How to connect with legislators and their staff effectively Why it matters: Whether you’re a seasoned advocate or new to adult education advocacy, these insights will help you tell your story in a way that resonates and drives impact. Next Steps: Listen to the full episode — hear the experts break it down step by step. Visit COABE.org/advocacy — access resources, templates, and guides to support your advocacy. Subscribe to the Public Policy Pulse newsletter — stay up to date on the latest policy developments, success stories, and ways to take action.

From GED learner to U.S. diplomat—Aminata Sy’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience and the transformative power of education. In this episode, she shares her inspiring story, from overcoming challenges as an adult learner to serving in the U.S. Foreign Service. Tune in to hear how advocacy, determination, and education shaped her path.

In this episode, we talk to Debra Tavaras of Atlanta Public School Adult Education and COABE’s 2023 SAAEF fellow for Georgia about how to persevere through the challenges of advocacy. She discusses an event that she created and her hopes for the future of advocacy in Georgia. We are also joined by former adult learner Gaelle Petit Homme who discusses what adult education has meant to her and how she found the courage to share her story.

In this episode, we talk to Christine Valdez, 2023 SAAEF Fellow from Connecticut, about how she and her peers expanded their advocacy during AEFL Week. We are also joined by Stone Dixon who shares his journey from an adult education student to a graduate.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in adult education. Carmine Stewart provides a program director’s view on ensuring all voices are at the tab;e where decisions are made. Cydnee Sanders shares what DEI looks like in a classroom and shares her influential work on the topic. Lastly, we speak with adult learner Mardgrina Leonce on the impact of attending the COABE National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

In this episode, we discuss adult learner success stories, setting your advocacy goals for 2023, and why legislators need to hear from adult learners. Join us as we chat with 2022 California SAAEF fellow Karina Ravkina-Matousov and adult learner Brandy Martinez. You won’t want to miss their stories and insights as we head into 2023, the year of advocacy.

In this episode, we talk to Laura Porfirio, an educator with a passion for civic engagement and activism and the creator of what is now the COABE Ambassador Program, and Jessica Wabler, a seasoned adult ed advocate and coordinator of COABE’s Ambassador Program. Our special guest, Haziel Lopez, is a former adult education student and graduate of the Ambassador Program who shares advice on how students can use their voices to be the change they want to see.

In this episode, we talk to Tammy Brown and Patrick Brown of the Michigan Association of Community & Adult Education (MACAE) and adult education alumnus Erika Muñoz. Tammy and Patrick share how to create and implement effective advocacy through your state’s adult education association. Erika shares her story of how she came to adult education and her successes. Adult Ed #Advocast is hosted by State Advocates for Adult Education Fellows, Sara Haghighi and Erin Vobornik, and produced by Jeffrey Abramowitz.

In this episode, we talk with Laurie Kierstead-Joseph (Pima Community College) and Ana Chavarin. Laurie dives deep into how adult education is funded and how to advocate for more. The incredible Ana Chavarin illustrates how adult education changes the lives of adult learners by sharing her story and successes. Adult Ed #Advocast is hosted by State Advocates for Adult Education Fellows, Sara Haghighi and Erin Vobornik, and produced by Jeffrey Abramowitz.