Dr. Schmieder, who served under seven presidents while working in the United States Department of Education and the White House, is a champion of the new technologies and one of the nation's outstanding leaders in educational reform and improvement. He has pioneered in the development of national programs in teacher education, technology, science, mathematics, health and standards- and competency based education.

Prior to his tenure in the Department of Education, Dr. Schmieder was a college professor at The Ohio State University and the University of Maryland. He received many honors from both institutions for his innovative efforts to improve teaching and learning and his leadership in introducing new academic and faculty recognition programs. He was named outstanding professor five times and was named to The Ohio State University Hall of Fame.

Most recently Dr. Schmieder played a key role in the implementation of the Technology Innovation Challenge Grants, was responsible for the first phase evaluation of the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, and was the Technology Director for the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. His deep experience with education K-20 was accentuated when he served two years in the White House, where he helped develop the very high-tech K-12 GLOBE Program which has already been adopted by over 4,000 schools in 60 countries. He was the chief designer of all of the program's training. He also served on EPA's Educational Advisory Committee, the Department of Agriculture's Educational Committee on Global Change, and the White House Task Force on Sustainable Development.

Dr. Schmieder has authored over 200 Publications, including a series of "State of the Scene" books on timely educational topics, the base paper for the United Nation's World Congress on the Environment, a Dictionary of Basic Geography, and a number of glossaries on educational reform. Dr. Schmieder has given major addresses at the national meetings of a broad spectrum of educational, professional, and business organizations, and has made keynotes presentations in every state except Alaska. During his 34 year career at the Department of Education, he has worked closely with the nation's states in helping them to strengthen their leadership efforts and has developed special program initiatives which have placed state representatives in key advisory positions at the national level. His Washington State presentations include a lecture tour on behalf of Puget Power and the keynote address at the Winds of Change Conference sponsored by the Washington SEA.

The main focus of Dr. Schmieder's work over the years has been on educational improvement and reform K-20, with a special emphasis on the central importance of professional development and content quality. He was the l998 recipient of the President's Award from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. The Association's membership spans education from preschool to postgraduate.