Pradeep leads a team responsible for the policy implementation of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), conducting research evaluation studies for state and federal programs, the development and implementation of the Cross-Systems Analytics and Assessment for Learning and Skills Attainment (CAAL-Skills) Program, building out statewide partnerships around workforce development, and monitor current and proposed state and federal legislation.  Previously, Pradeep served as the State Director for Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Minnesota and Iowa, where he had leadership responsibility over secondary and community college CTE programs that are funded through the Carl D. Perkins federal program.   Pradeep also served as the Deputy Director, National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE), University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.  Before coming to CWDB, Pradeep held the position of Director, Career and College Transition Division, California Department of Education, where he oversaw the policy implementation and administration of state and federal CTE programs.   Pradeep has also taught college- and university-level Economics and Statistics at several higher education institutions in Minnesota and Kentucky. Pradeep has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  In his free time, Pradeep becomes a news junkie, but when news gets repetitious and stale, he enjoys traveling the world through movies and television series, watches international cricket matches on the Internet, and is ready to take up golf again.