Mary Ellen Earnhardt has been a career specialist for over 30 years, as a K–College educator, counselor, and director of two educational state programs. She aided in the development of the CSCDA and is a certified Instructor for both the CSCDA and FCD. Mary Ellen has been awarded two of the NCDA Global awards: "Outstanding Career Practitioner" and the "Ken Hoyt Outstanding career Educator.” She served on the NCDA awards, school counselor resource group, and global connection committees.
Currently the manager of Montana’s Department of Labor Industry (DLI) Career Lab, her duties include implementing career development in schools, colleges, state and community agencies, including providing resources and information on DLI services. With the Montana Department of Education, she developed an Individual Career Plan for grades K-12. She oversees a comprehensive online system that offers career, education, and current labor market information in one easy-to-use tool. She has trained numerous Montana professionals in the FCD Training and School Career Development Advisor Training as they prepare for their CCSP and CSCDA.
At Montana State Northern (1987-1995) she created the International and Native American Women’s clubs during her position as counselor. She hosted the First Native American Women’s conference for Montana and held many events with the International Club. She authored the Career Connection grant, designed to educate school staff in preparing students for the changing workforce. As Director of Montana’s Afterschool program (2008-2017) and DLI Career Lab (2017-present), she infused career awareness, education, and exploration with hands-on activities into the career program she developed. She implemented projects which took the first Native American
team to the World's F1 Competition, and a NASA team to Ireland where they presented their research. Most recently, her research and experience were shared at the NCDA Conference in San Diego, the IAEVG conference in Jyvaskyla, Finland and to a school in Jyvaskyla.