DR. SCOTT LUCAS - PRESIDENT
Vice President - Aviation, Manufacturing & Institutional Effectiveness
WSU Tech
Wichita, Kansas
Education
Emporia State University, Emporia, KS; Ph.D, Library and Information Management, 2008.
The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK; Master of Arts in Education, May 2001.
Emporia State University, Bachelor of Arts in History, May 1996.
Work Experience
Vice President-Aviation, Manufacturing, and Institutional Effectiveness (formerly WATC), Wichita, KS, August 2015-Present
- Provide policy, strategic direction, process change, and leadership across college as member of President’s Leadership Team and Academic Affairs Leadership for college that oversees over 30 academic programs in the areas of Aviation and Manufacturing
- Directly supervise college’s Instructional Technology and Academic Support, Institutional Research, Registrar, Assessment, and Accreditation efforts
- Coordinate with Deans and director academic activities on one campus and two locations as well as concurrent enrollment at over thirty-area high schools
- Assist Finance with the development of all budgetary aspects for the academic programs and activities and related funds for the National Center for Aviation Training
- HLC Liaison Officer
- Provided leadership that lead to 58% increase in college enrollment from 2016 thru 2020 that was named the 2nd fastest growing college in the nation.
- Assisted with successful implementation of Wichita Promise, Wichita Promise Move, and Metallica scholarship programs in aviation and manufacturing
- Supported and coordinated increase in dual credit and high school block students in CTE—the largest growth in the state of Kansas
- Directly supervised launch of programs in Professional Pilot, Tooling, UAS, Cloud Computing, Alternative Fuel and Electrical Systems, and Construction
- Served on college’s Wichita State University Affiliation joint committee—that lead to successful affiliation between WSU and WSU Tech
- 2020 NC3 Enterprise Award Winner and Three-time Dennis Iudice Award winner (2017, 2018, 2019) for number of NC3 certifications earned by students.
- Advanced Robotics in Manufacturing Institute Education and Workforce Development Committee member
- City of Wichita District 6 Advisory Board Member
- Wichita Manufacturers Association Executive Board Member
- Kansas Council on Workforce Education Board Member
- Regional Manufacturing Career and Technical Education Member
Director, Institutional Research, Wichita Area Technical College
July 2007-July 2015
Assistant Director, Institutional Effectiveness, Wichita Area Technical College
October 2005-June 2007
Amanda Sizemore - IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT
Assistant Vice President, Workforce, Technical & Community Education
St. Charles Community College
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive
Cottleville, MO 63376-2865
Phone: 636.922.8474
Amanda is the Assistant Vice President of Workforce and Community Education at St. Charles Community College (SCC). She has managed and implemented workforce and community development programming and consulting projects for over 30 years. Amanda strives to serve the community by supporting initiatives, which promote workforce and community development opportunities in the region. She has advanced those projects by procuring funding through federal, state, and private sources. Her clients represent a broad range of business and industry including: manufacturing, aerospace, technology, publishing, healthcare, service, financial, distribution, government and education.
She serves as a liaison with the Missouri Department of Economic Development/Division of Workforce Development and the Past President of the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC). She serves(ed) as SCC’s lead representative for the United States Department of Labor - TAACCT statewide MoWins Grants in which she participated in the development of Missouri Credit for Prior Learning Model and Scaling Apprenticeship Initiative statewide MoAMP grant. She has serves(ed) as Co-Principal Investigator for National Science Foundation Advanced Technical Education Grants.
Amanda is a board member of the St. Charles County Workforce Investment Board. In addition to these roles, she serves(ed) as a member of the Missouri Economic Development Council, the Missouri Community College Association and Missouri Council of Career and Technical Administrators. She served as the past president the Missouri Association of Customized Training.
She was the recipient of the Beyond the Best Top 50 in Business Awards 2013, O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce 2015 Community Servant Award – Co Recipient, Partners for Progress 2015 Education Progress Award for Initiatives with Midwest Machine Tool Training Center – Co Recipient, International Society for Performance Improvement 2001 Award of Excellence – Co Recipient and United Way 2001 All-Star Award Winner Marketing & Communication – Co Recipient Awards.
ALICIA UHDE - PRESEIDENT-ELECT
Polytechnic Outreach Director
Bismarck State College
Bismarck, North Dakota
Professional Experience
Director, Polytechnic Outreach, Bismarck State College (2020 – present)
• Execute the expansion and maintenance of BSC public and private partnerships (local, regional, international) to support the Polytechnic mission.
• Direct experiential learning opportunities and facilitates a comprehensive programming plan connected to student learning outcomes resulting from these experiences.
• Provide oversight and administrative leadership for two Polytechnic Outreach Coordinators who support and enhance student success programming, including outreach, student experiential learning, and industry and educational partnership development.
• Organize development of BSC’s Polytechnic Business and Industry Leadership Teams (BILT).
• Initiate and support regional workforce and community development opportunities through credit programming and non-credit training in the areas of manufacturing/automation, energy, health science, cybersecurity, agriculture and finance.
• Identify and pursue opportunities related to adult education, expansion of career technical education in K-12, expanded career pathway options through stackable certificates and workforce development programs.
Contractor, National Power Academy Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2018-2020)
• Provided remote oversight and administrative leadership of the National Power Academy Student Services Division including admissions, enrollment and records, advising, retention, student incident, student clubs, student communication, and student policy.
• Developed, implemented, and led ongoing management of the student information system.
Manager, Energy Technology Programs Bismarck State College (2011 – 2020)
• Served as program manager for Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS), Associate in Applied Science (AAS) and Certificate Programs in the areas of Energy Management, Electric Power Technology, Electric Transmission System Technology, and Instrumentation and Control programs, to include supervising 50+ adjunct and full-time faculty members, identifying needed programming changes, re-developing degree plans, and facilitating partnership development to support student outcomes
• Led initiatives to position BSC as provider of choice for Industry and Apprenticeship Training Programs.
• Strengthened industry partnerships to support flexible, customized education pathways through the blending of credit and non-credit programming, execution of credit for prior learning, and integration of industry recognized skills and credentials throughout programming.
• Directed multiple Energy Technology Student Advisors in management and support of 1,000+ student education plans and enrollment related processes for individuals entering into 11 Associate and one Bachelor Degree Programs.
• Supervised and supported the Energy Technology Outreach Coordinator in coordinating and attending educational and outreach events, hosting events to promote awareness around programs, and distributing timely communication through program specific websites, print materials, social media channels, and other outlets as needed.
• Served as founding member of and BSC liaison with the Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE). EPCE is a national coalition of 3,500+ energy members who develop, sponsor, and promote industry-driven, standardized, quality online learning programs to meet the workforce needs of the energy industry.
• Responsible for multiple division grant activities including budget, reporting, curriculum development and outreach activities.
• Ensured compliance with reporting requirements for local, state, and federal government and numerous grant agencies as related to energy division activities
ANTHONY M. PONDER, ED.D. - Director
Provost and Chief Academic Officer (CAO) of the Division of Instruction
Sinclair Community College
444 W. Third Street
Dayton, OH 45402
HARRIET HAPPEL, MBA - TREASURER
Dean, Career Education, Integrative Learning and the Employment Center
College of the Canyons
26455 Rockwell Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA
Phone: 661.362.3653
Harriet Happel serves in the role of Dean of Career Education, Integrative Learning and the Employment Center at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California. She is also an instructor in the disciplines of Advanced Manufacturing, Business, and Career Skills. Currently, Harriet serves on the executive board for the California Community College Association of Occupational Education as the Communications Officer. Prior to coming to College of the Canyons, Harriet served as the Director of Perkins Grant Operations and Career and Technical Education Coordinator at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois.
Ms. Happel is a California Community College student who transferred to the University of California at San Diego where she completed her undergraduate work in Political Science. Harriet worked as a Project Manager and Managing Business Partner at Management Resource Group, a San Diego based business consulting firm specializing in performance management for non-profit organizations. After moving to the mid-west, she worked with Camcraft, Inc., a manufacturer of high precision component parts for the automotive industry, as the Program Manager for New Product Introduction. While in the mid-west she completed her Master of Business Administration degree at Keller Graduate School of Management with specializations in Project Management and Sustainability. Harriet also holds a certification from the University of Vermont in Campus Sustainability Leadership and is a certified instructor in Phi Theta Kappa’s Leadership Development Studies Program and the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute Leadership Development Program. Since being back in California, she has completed both level 1 and 2 of the California Community College Association of Occupational Education’s Leadership Academy.
In her tenure at College of the Canyons, Harriet has been very involved in new program introduction for career education. Currently, she is the project manager for the Advanced Technology Center that will open in spring 2023 and the regional Fire Academy that is targeted to open at the Del Valle Training center in fall of 2023. She also manages the Strong Workforce Partnership funding, California Apprenticeship Initiative grants, and the Perkins V grant allocations. Most recently, she secured an additional $300,000.00 in funding through the Perkins Reserve Grant for the Network Technologies Improvement and Innovation.
When not working, Harriet enjoys organic gardening and spending time traveling with her family.
LINDA HEAD - DIRECTOR
Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of the Division of External and Employer Relations
Lone Star College
Houston, TX 77070
DR. RICHARD AMMON - Director
Executive Director of Workforce Initiatives
College of Lake County
7735 W Grand Ave, Gurnee, IL 60031
Grayslake, IL 60030-1198
Phone: 847.543.2693
Richard Ammon is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in higher education workforce development. Currently serving as the Executive Director of Workforce Initiatives at the College of Lake County, he plays a pivotal role in aligning academic programs with the evolving needs of the job market. His extensive background includes leadership in advanced technology center development—most notably, co-leading the creation of a 182,000-square-foot Advanced Technology Center—and fostering collaborations with industry leaders to enhance career and technical education.
Throughout his career, Richard has held significant positions such as Interim Executive Dean of Education, Interim Vice President of Education, and Chief Academic Officer at the College of Lake County. His prior roles include Dean of Engineering, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences at the same institution, Career and Technical Education Specialist at the Madison Metropolitan School District (K-12), and dean and associate dean positions at Southwest Technical College and Milwaukee Area Technical College. His expertise spans student development, administrative management, program management, and community engagement.
Richard holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Studies from West Virginia University, an M.Ed. in Education with an emphasis on Business Administration from Frostburg State University, and a B.S. in Agronomy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A U.S. Army veteran who served as a combat medic during Operation Desert Storm, he exemplifies dedication to service and education. His contributions continue to shape workforce education, ensuring programs remain relevant and effective in preparing students for successful careers.
Hope Cotner - Director
President and CEO
CORD
601 Lake Air Drive
Waco, TX 76710
Phone: 254-741-8309
Fax: 254-772-8972
Email: hcotner@cord.org
Hope Cotner is President and CEO CORD. She manages faculty development projects such as the Texas Collaborative for Teaching Excellence and the North Carolina Network for Excellence in Teaching as well as the AT&T Professional Development Academy for Community College Faculty. She also directs curriculum and professional development efforts for college systems in several states.
Hope joined CORD in 1991 and has led a wide variety of initiatives at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. She managed CORD’s communications department for eight years, including directing marketing efforts for NCATC until 1998, and continues to lend her marketing and public relations expertise to the projects she serves in the community college arena.
Hope is past chairman of the Women’s Resource Center Advisory Council at Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas and has served on the advisory committee for the Texas State Leadership Consortium for Professional Development. She is a member of the American Association for Community Colleges and Texas Association of College Technical Educators. In her community, Hope is actively involved in the Junior League of Waco, Public Relations Society of America-Central Texas chapter, and the Waco Symphony Orchestra.
MATT JANISIN - SECRETARY
Vice President - Business & Workforce Solutions
Gateway Technical College
Kenosha, WI
(262) 564-3942
Matt Janisin has been the Vice President of the Business & Workforce Solutions (BWS) division at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin since October 2017. His primary role is to oversee outreach to business and industry, apprenticeship, customized contract training, Fab Lab activities, business partnerships, and specialized collaborative training initiatives working with organizations including Department of Corrections, local workforce agencies, and private donors. The work done in BWS connects many aspects of the college and its mission to local business and industry which facilitates deeper relationships. Businesses are served though short term customized training to fill their immediate needs, but then connected to the academic programs to ensure they have a pipeline of talent to grow and prosper. Through our customized training relationship with local employers BWS also serves to connect them with current students and alumni using placement services at the college. Through the Fab Lab BWS provides local employers prototyping services and engages our public and private K12 schools, homeschooling groups, and other community organizations with the college using STEM related programming. We are very proud of our K8 outreach to give students an early STEM experience and connect elementary and middle school teachers with Gateway. Gateway is proud to serve as the connection point between the local K12 schools, community organizations, and area businesses to help forge a stronger, higher skilled, and vibrant community.
Starting 2011, Matt served as Gateway’s NC3 Instructor/Coordinator and responsible for coordinating with local, state, and national industry partners to design, develop, and implement industry credentials to help students fill the skills gap found in many industry sectors including transportation, manufacturing, and construction. He developed and delivered a number of the certification courses available through NC3 and its partners, including the Snap-on Diagnostics, Torque, Wheel Service, and Meter certifications, to current Gateway students, local incumbent workers, and fellow instructors from across the world whose colleges have joined the NC3 team. He was a lead instructor on a project in Oujda, Morocco to build a new college level automotive technology program anchored by NC3 industry certifications. Matt continues to support Snap-on and other NC3 industry partners with these initiatives at an administrative level within Gateway.
Matt holds Bachelor (2002) and Master of Science (2007) degrees in Industrial & Technology Education and a doctorate in Career and Technical Education (2016); all from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He taught a variety of CTE related courses, including PLTW engineering, manufacturing, automotive and power sport technologies at the high school level since 2003 while also adjunct teaching in automotive at Gateway since 2007 before joining Gateway fulltime in 2011. His background is in automotive and he is an ASE Certified Master Technician with a number of other ASE endorsements. He has also authored a textbook, Guide to Diagnostic Product Certification.
GRANT MATTHEWS - director
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs
Lane Community College
4000 E. 30th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97405-0640
Email: matthewsg@lanecc.edu
Grant is the Associate Vice President for Career Technical Education and Workforce Development at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. In this role, he oversees the School of Professional Technical Careers which includes allied health education, business, technology, trades, the Lane Aviation Academy, high school connection initiatives, integrated education and training initiatives, small business development support, cooperative education, internships, and Carl D. Perkins funding. Grant has also held the position of Dean for Health Profession, Health, and Physical Education, Career Pathways, Adult Basic Education, and Academic Learning Skills at LCC.
Prior to LCC, he served as an Assistant Dean at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois and various roles at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, including Diversity and Equity Officer. Grant is an experienced educator and education leader with a deep passion for students and the potential they bring for their own future. His passion for student success translates to dedication in his work and research. He holds an MPA in Higher Education Leadership from Portland State University and doctoral coursework in Community College Leadership at Oregon State University.
TONI NEARY - DIRECTOR (STRATEGIC PARTNER)
Director of Community Engagement & Workforce Innovation
SME
1000 Town Center Suite 1900
Southfield, MI 48075
Phone: 216-706-6652
Email: tneary@sme.org
Toni Neary is the Director of Community Engagement and Workforce Innovation, leading efforts to grow diversity, equity, inclusion and access as well as highlight successful programs throughout the United States. Passionate about career & technical education she has spent nearly 20 years engaging, developing and helping to grow advanced manufacturing programs through various role. In her current role Toni is working directly with communities to build, fill, and sustain viable manufacturing ecosystems. You will find Toni speaking on many platforms to help grow awareness and change perceptions of careers and pathways to manufacturing as well as making vital links between industry and educators to develop a strong, consistent workforce pipeline.
Tony ORAN - DIRECTOR (STRATEGIC PARTNER)
CEO
Intelitek / CoderZ North America
Derry, NH
Email: toran@gocoderz.com
For over 25 years, Tony Oran has worked at the convergence of Industry and Education. He is dedicated to finding ways to bring employers together with leaders in career and technical education (CTE) and STEM to co-develop real-time solutions to issues around manufacturing technologies and the skills gap. Tony spent nearly 20 years with a global leader in automation and advanced manufacturing technology where he ran their North American training and education division. He now serves as CEO of Intelitek/CoderZ – a leading Computer Science /STEM and CTE program provider.
Technical education is not only Tony’s career path. It has become his life’s passion to engage as many young minds as possible to the world of Career and Technical Education. As CEO of Intelitek/CoderZ, he has embarked on a journey to bring the world of CTE and STEM education to the early stages of a student’s learning path. His vision is that we engage every young mind with the world of coding and computer science, sparking a passion to pursue STEM and CTE programs – Thereby creating a Kindergarten to Career Learning Path.
DR. ROBIN COLE JR. - DIRECTOR
Vice President, Economic and Workforce Development
and Career Technical Education
Monroe Community College
Rochester, NY
DR. CLAIRE KORSCHINOWSKI - DIRECTOR
ZACK T. HUBBARD - DIRECTOR
Dean of Technical Programs
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury, NC
KELCEY WOODS-NORD - DIRECTOR
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
South Central College
North Mankato, MN
Kelcey Woods-Nord is the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at South Central College (SCC). In this role, she serves as a point of contact for all local, state, national, and international partnerships. This includes post-secondary and secondary partners, community-based and workforce organizations, employers, and industry associations. In addition, she oversees the College’s work-based learning and employment services programs, the grants department, Customized Workforce Education, Southern Agriculture Center of Excellence, and serves as the liaison to the South Central College Foundation.
Kelcey has been with SCC since 2008, when she joined the College as the Grant and Technical Writer. During her six-year tenure in this position, she helped the college bring in over $25 million in grant funding to implement best practices and innovative programming. In 2014, she moved into a Project Coordinator position and managed SCC’s portion of a $15 million DOL TAACCCT Grant. When the grant ended in 2018, she took on the role of Apprenticeship & Internship Coordinator where she worked with employers across southern MN to implement work-based learning opportunities and career pathways for current and future employees. As a result of this work, SCC has helped industry partners secure over $2.2 million in state funding over the last eight years to support their employees’ pursuit of academic degrees and industry credentials.
Kelcey holds a BS in Marketing from St. Cloud State University and a MA in Technical Communication from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
J. Craig McAtee - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO
CEO & Executive Director
NCATC
33607 Seneca Drive
Cleveland, Ohio 44139
Phone: 440.600.7749
Email: craig@ncatc.org
J. Craig McAtee is the Executive Director & CEO for the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC), Principal of McAtee Ventures, LLC, and former Director of Additive Manufacturing Technology for Tri-C. Before starting his own consulting company in 2007, McAtee served as Executive Director of the Workforce and Economic Development Division of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in Cleveland, Ohio for seven years. During the 20th century, he spent over twenty-five years in engineering and senior leadership positions for Swagelok Company, an international manufacturing organization, based in Cleveland, Ohio.
In addition to his role at NCATC, he provides direction, technical support, and external evaluation for several national NSF-ATE, DOL, DOE, and DOD grants including the Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC), Weld-Ed (OH), Smart Grid Technicians (HI), BILT & Necessary Skills Now (TX), RCBI/Marshall Apprenticeship Works (WV), and many others. McAtee is also an active member of the Workforce & Economic Development Commission for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in Washington, DC, immediate past chair of AACC’s Council of Affiliated Councils (COAC), Co-Chair of the Workforce Industry Experience Working Group at America Makes, Director on the NextFlex Board for Workforce & Education in San Jose, CA. and member of the ARM Institute Education & Workforce Advisory Council in Pittsburg, PA.
McAtee is a thought leader and futurist, fueled by his decades-long industry, education, and government experiences. He prides himself on being a unifying team-builder, problem solver, researcher, empathetic listener, and outside the box thinker that practices strategic thinking and decision making for the ecosystems he serves. He is actively involved with SME, SkillsUSA, FIRST Robotics, MSSC, NIMS, AWS, SACA, NC3, Urban Institute, and several other ManufacturingUSA workforce collaborations - including ARM, America Makes, LiFT, MxD, ReMADE, AIM Photonics, CESMII, CYMANII, and NIMBLE. McAtee is also a Business & Industry Leadership Teams (BILT) Academy Coach for 2020-2024 cohorts, a member of the 2021-2024 Business Leaders United (BLU) Manufacturing Recover Panel for the Biden Administration and a Keynote Speaker on “The Future of Work and Industry 4.0” across the nation, as time permits.
McAtee is a proud alum of Parkersburg High School, 1972, attended Parkersburg Community College (now WVUP) 1972/73 - before moving to Cleveland, OH in 1973. He graduated from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) in 1975, Kent State University, Industrial Engineering BA, in 1977, Malone College, BA in 1997, and Cleveland State University, Executive MBA in 2000.
Holly H. McAtee - OPERATIONS MANAGER
Operations Manager
NCATC
33607 Seneca Drive
Cleveland, Ohio 44139
Phone: 440-667-6297
Email: holly@ncatc.org
Holly McAtee is currently the Operations Manager for NCATC. She maintains NCATC's web site, handles registration and meal planning for the yearly Conference as well as all accounting and membership functions.
Holly began working with NCATC at the end of 2007, primarily to do invoicing of membership dues and accounting; she continues to manage more of the daily operations.
In 2005, Holly started her own accounting business and today has over 10 clients. NCATC is her largest, national client to date.