Jill West authors Cengage courses for CompTIA Cloud+, CompTIA Network+, Data Communications, the Shelly Cashman Series, and the popular Technology for Success. She teaches computer technology courses at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. With degrees in psychology, education, and IT, Jill innovates at the crossroads of IT and education, specializing in designing courses for popular IT certifications, presenting at conferences on IT education, and mentoring lifelong student learners in IT. Jill also taught edutainment AWS courses with ACI Learning (formerly ITProTV) and is an AWS Academy Accredited Educator. Jill and her husband, Mike, live in northwest Georgia with their four children.

Chris Holder is the Director of Partnerships for McGraw. Chris has worked in the Ed Tech sector for over 12 years, most of which has been at McGraw Hill. In Chris’ current role, he partners with faculty across the southeast with a focus on helping institutions bridge the career readiness gap by increasing proficiency in each of Microsoft Office applications.

Nick Lambe is a dynamic speaker, coach, and the founder of SpeakNess, a revolutionary framework that transforms communication skills into a lifelong asset. With over a decade of experience and more than 100 speaking engagements globally, Nick specializes in helping professionals across industries build the clarity, confidence, and connection needed to communicate with impact. His unique approach likens speaking skills to fitness, empowering individuals to develop the "speaking muscles" that help them show up authentically and powerfully in all areas of life. Through his workshops and coaching, Nick has inspired thousands to unlock their voice and amplify their message.

Danielle Hennis is a graphic design assistant professor at Wake Technical Community College. She is also the founder of Make It Memorable, where she teaches professionals how to present more effectively. She has combined this background into the workshop, Beyond Lecturing, to help other instructors turn their lectures into lessons that stick.

Constance Boahn has been teaching IT classes in the NC Community College system since 2011. She currently works full-time for Stanly Community College as a Cisco ITC Instructor and Academy Support Specialist. She holds a master’s degree in Technology Systems with concentrations in Network Management and Cyber Security. She also took the path that many of our community college students do to get there, starting at Fayetteville Technical Community College in her educational journey in IT.

Rodney Cobb is the Program Coordinator and instructor for the Mission Critical Operations program at Cleveland Community College in Shelby, North Carolina. He teaches classes in Operation Technology (OT), Information Technology (IT) tracks, as well as ICS, and Cyber Security. Before CCC He was involved in the area of manufacturing as an engineer on High-speed automated packaging equipment. He has worked on electrical and mechanical systems, robotics, and PLC systems, over his 25-year career. He has a degree in Computer Science with a focus in Cyber Security from Limestone College, and a master's degree from the University of Maryland in Cyber Security.

Dr. Lahoud is the Senior State Director of Business and Information Technology and Academic Programs Operations within the Academic and Student Services department of the North Carolina Community College System.

Jennifer Lee is a Web Development Instructor at Wake Tech Community College in Raleigh, NC, with over 15 years of experience in IT and higher education. She holds a MS in Information Technology and is pursuing an EdD in Educational Leadership. Jennifer specializes in web development, combining technical expertise with a passion for student success. She is dedicated to integrating innovative teaching practices that empower learners and promote technical proficiency.

Corinne Hoisington is a full-time professor and high school CTE educator of Information Systems Technology at Central Virginia Community College Dual Enrollment in Lynchburg, Virginia, with more than 30 years of teaching experience. Corinne travels over 250,000 miles a year delivering keynote addresses K-12 educators in over 70 cities worldwide for customers such as the Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Canada International Events, Cengage Learning, National Geographic Abu Dhabi, Capital One International Bank, Executive LIVE in London, Sydney, and Johannesburg, and the international South by Southwest (SXSW) event in Austin, Texas. Professor Hoisington is the recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in Computer Programming. Corinne has authored over 40 textbooks with Cengage Learning/National Geographic on topics such as Artificial Intelligence in Business, Microsoft 365, Technology Now, and Visual Basic. Corinne stands at the forefront of the educational revolution, a true visionary and thought leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her journey is not just the story of an educator on the cutting edge; it's a testament to the transformative power of AI Assisted education itself.

Kim is responsible for the MongoDB for Academia program in North America which provides educators and students with access to MongoDB Atlas (DBaaS), teaching and learning materials, and certifications. Previously, she managed the Alteryx SparkED Analytics Education program in Americas-East and EMEA and the Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Cybersecurity Academy in the Americas. Before PANW, she managed the EMC / Dell Academic Alliance program in the Americas. Prior to EMC, she worked at Xplana Learning, Nortel Networks and as a bilingual elementary school teacher. Kim is passionate about education and creating partnerships with academia that enable students to obtain the IT skills they need to excel in today’s job market.

D.I. has been teaching IT for over 25 years, in the NC CC System for 24 years, and as an Adjunct in the UNC System for over a decade. He loves to integrate teaching tools with software development, particularly in web design. He has 7 kids and a duffel full of rubber ducks, while insisting all should maintain a safe stash of chocolate, soda, chips and salsa.

Kelly has worked at Stanly Community College in the Cisco Networking Academy program as an instructor and contact for the past twenty-seven (almost 28!) years. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Information Assurance certificate from ECU. His current role at SCC is Program Head ASC/ITC/IT Academy. He is also the lead instructor for our Instructor Training Center teaching courses focusing on CCNA, CCNP and various other technologies such as virtualization.

Kevin Fitts, Senior Business Development Specialist @ Paradigm Education Solutions, has been supporting instructors and students with Computer Applications and Technology courses for over 25 years. He also has been attending the NCCIA conference for that long and has been a part of many presentations. In that time, he has served his clients in High Schools, Community Colleges, 4-year Colleges, Continuing Education, Job Corps, Correctional Facilities and more. He spends much of his time with instructors and students to learn about what their needs are. Working with the end user allows him to see the learning process and what is working and any obstacles the user experiences. By making visits or meeting remote, he can identify similarities and identify trends. He takes that knowledge and works with our internal teams to develop products that allow ever person to succeed not only in the classroom but more importantly get the skills needed for career success. He is supported by his wife Jessica, who is a teacher at Wake County Public Schools and his son Wyatt and his daughter Harper.

Bonnie Zhang is a passionate college instructor teaching all kinds of programming courses. She is always eager to learn and explore emerging trends in computer science and enjoys incorporating them into new and existing courses and ensuring students engage with the latest advancements through hands-on experiences.

TBD

Melinda Doty is a Senior Teaching Instructor at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina and has taught Information Technology courses since 2004. She is a Microsoft Expert and OLC certified and teaches face-to-face and online classes in the Department of Technology Systems at ECU for over 16 years. Ms. Doty enjoys implementing new strategies to engage her students. She has served as Secretary of the Faculty at East Carolina University since 2022.

Joe Jeansonne grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and moved to attend college at East Carolina University in 1994. He started his career as a Systems Administrator at ECU for 10 years. He then served on the Faculty at Pitt Community College for 16 years. Currently, he is a Teaching Instructor at ECU. Altogether, Joe has been working in IT for 28 years and was the Coordinator for the Cybersecurity program at PCC for over six years. He holds a Master’s Degree in Digital Communications from ECU. He lives with his wife and kids in Farmville, NC.

Emily Holliday began at Wake Tech in December 2014 and transitioned into her role as coordinator of eLearning Support in 2017. She holds an undergraduate degree in information systems, as well as a master’s in business administration and a master’s in technology systems. Emily has been teaching online via Blackboard and other LMSs since 2008. Her teaching experience includes courses in computer applications, management information systems, business and technology applications, leadership and social media. She enjoys technology and is always looking for new tools for online learning. She is QM Certified as well as a Blackboard Certified Expert through Blackboard Academy.

After a career in private industry and NC State government, Carla began teaching at Wake Tech as an adjunct in 2014. She holds an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design, and a graduate degree in Advertising Design. She has three Exemplary Course Design awards from Blackboard Anthology, with the first award being a collaboration with colleague Julie Evans. One of the things Carla appreciates is the robust exchange of ideas between the Wake Tech Digital Media and Web/UX Division and eLearning. She has served as an EPIC mentor for new employees learning Blackboard at Wake Tech and enjoys collaborating on projects across the college.

Leslie is the Associate Dean of Career and Technical Education and Faculty member at Gaston College. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Education in 1993 and University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Masters of Education in Instructional Technology Systems in 1999. Leslie is currently serving as Vice President of the NC MOA/OA/HMT Association.

Dr. Dwight Watt is networking and cybersecurity instructor at GNTC. He has 40+ years teaching at the college level in IT. One of his students is the student of the year (GOAL at GNTC in 2025. He has spoken at various conferences. He wrote a textbook on COBOL and has written for about 15 years an article about technology for several weekly newspapers. He has provided consultant services for a number of companies for many years. He has developed and maintained web sites for organizations. He is active in his community in Kiwanis, chambers of commerce and churches.

Dr. Mark Ciampa is Professor of Analytics and Information Systems and the program director of the graduate Cybersecurity Data Analytics program at Western Kentucky University. Mark has worked in the IT industry as a computer consultant and is also the author of over 30 technology textbooks from Cengage, including Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals 8e, CompTIA CySA+ Guide to Cybersecurity Analyst 3e, CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs 3e, Security Awareness: Applying Practical Cybersecurity In Your World 6e, and Networking BASICS. Dr. Ciampa holds a PhD in technology management with a specialization in digital communication systems from Indiana State University.

Nancy Miller is a passionate educator, Cisco-certified expert, and AI enthusiast with over 25 years of experience teaching and managing IT networks. As a professor at Forsyth Technical Community College, she specializes in Network and Security Fundamentals, virtualization, and AI integration in education. Nancy is a sought-after speaker, known for her engaging workshops on leveraging AI to revolutionize teaching and learning. Her mission is to empower educators and students to embrace technology, foster innovation, and prepare for an AI-driven future. Nancy’s dynamic approach inspires audiences to reimagine education through creativity and purpose.