AJ Huff
Public Relations · Butler Tech
AJ Huff is a strategic communications and community relations leader with extensive experience in K–12 and career technical education. As the Public Relations Coordinator at Butler Tech, one of Ohio’s largest career technical education providers, she advises district leadership on communications strategy, stakeholder engagement, and public messaging across 11 partner school districts, 8 high school campuses, and 2 adult education campuses serving more than 40,000 students annually. In her role, AJ leads district-wide communications and public relations efforts, including media relations, digital strategy, and brand management. She is known for building systems that strengthen organizational impact and elevate student voice, including the development and leadership of a 100+ student Ambassador program that engages students in representing and advocating for career technical education. AJ is an active leader in the Ohio School Public Relations Association (OHSPRA), where she previously served as Secretary on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of Communications. She has been recognized with multiple state and national awards for excellence in school communications, including honors from OHSPRA and the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Her work has also been featured in national publications, including Techniques Magazine, where she contributed to a feature on transforming perceptions of career technical education. With a background as both an educator and communications professional, AJ brings a unique perspective to her work, combining a deep understanding of classroom environments with the ability to align communication, relationships, and organizational priorities. She is committed to advancing education and workforce development through collaborative, forward-thinking strategies that strengthen outcomes across districts and communities.
Speaking At
Building Student Voice and Leadership in CTE: A Scalable Student Ambassador Model
Tuesday, July 21 · 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM · Columbus
Student voice plays a powerful role in career technical education. When intentionally structured, student leadership can strengthen recruitment efforts, enhance program visibility, support equity and access, and deepen engagement across CTE pathways. This session will highlight the Butler Tech Student Ambassador Program as a case study in designing and sustaining a structured, scalable leadership model embedded within CTE. Participants will learn how Butler Tech recruits, trains, and supports student ambassadors; establishes clear leadership expectations; and intentionally develops students as confident representatives of career technical education. Ambassadors serve as visible advocates for their programs—engaging prospective students and families, supporting new student onboarding, and representing CTE in interactions with business partners, elected officials, and community stakeholders. This structured approach has expanded student-led outreach capacity, strengthened consistency across campuses, and reinforced leadership skill development aligned to workforce readiness. The presentation will share practical strategies for aligning ambassador responsibilities to district priorities, including strengthening recruitment pipelines, improving early engagement, and advancing student retention across CTE pathways. Through guided discussion and workshop-style collaboration, participants will identify actionable steps to elevate student voice and leadership within their own districts.