Jimmy Adams

Jimmy Adams is the Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). He worked in public education for 27 years serving as the Chief of Human Resources for Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, Kentucky, the Executive Director for the Education Professional Standards Board for Kentucky with experience in Fayette, Woodford, and Jessamine counties which included classroom teacher, technology resource teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of technology, director of secondary schools and assistant superintendent. He also served as an adjunct professor in two educator preparation programs in Kentucky. Jimmy received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and did additional postgraduate work at Eastern Kentucky University.
In addition to his work in the classroom and school leadership, Jimmy previously served on NASDTEC's Executive Board, the KY Center for Education and Workforce Statistics (KCEWS) Board, and the Committee for Mathematics Achievement in Kentucky. He also served as a member of the U.S. Department of Education’s Effective Educator Development (EED) Advisory Council.

Jimmy received the Champion for Children award from the National Association of School Psychologist for his assistance in developing the Interstate Compact for School Psychologist. He is a recipient of the University of Kentucky Department of Mathematics Sally E. Pence for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics, the University of Kentucky Teacher Who Made a Difference Award, the Golden Apple Achiever Award from Ashland Oil, a two time recipient of the Joseph B. Whitehead Educator of Distinction Award for Exemplary Dedication to the Field of Education, recognized as a Friend of the Kentucky Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, and recipient of the Murray State University Dean’s Award for contributions to the teaching profession.