Prior to his current position as Coordinator of Technology Policy for the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in Albany, NY, Dr. Lawrence Paska was an Associate in Social Studies Education at NYSED, serving as a statewide curriculum and assessment specialist in P-12 social studies education. In that role, he created standards-based instructional resources, developed a $3.3 million Project SAVE character education grant program, and administered the Louis E. Yavner Teaching and Citizens Awards for education about the Holocaust and other human rights violations. He began his career as a middle school social studies teacher in the New Rochelle and Oceanside public school districts (both in New York State), and served as a department co-coordinator in New Rochelle. He is also an adjunct professor of education (specializing in graduate social studies methods) at the University at Albany, State University of New York.
Dr. Paska holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University at Albany, a B.A. in history cum laude and an M.A.T. in social studies from Union College in Schenectady, NY, and New York State school district administrator certification from Hunter College in New York City. He also serves as NYSED liaison on the Board of Directors for NYSCATE (New York State Association for Computers and Technology in Education) and Learning Forward New York. He is a member of ASCD, ISTE, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA). He is the secretary of the Board of Directors for Northeast Career Planning in Menands, NY.
