Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier will give keynote remarks at the 2011 National Meeting for Adult Education State Directors on Wednesday, May 11 at the Hyatt Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Va. The three-day conference presents training opportunities for state directors and other state personnel who work on programs funded by the Adult Education and Literacy Act. In her remarks, Dann-Messier will stress the importance of helping more adults acquire the basic skills they need to move into postsecondary education and training that prepare them for high growth and high demand occupations. She will also discuss the importance of ensuring that every adult learner has an effective teacher to assist them in achieving this goal.