Our Instructors

Amanda Conley is an accounting and bookkeeping professional of over 15 years. She holds a Masters of Professional Accountancy from Colorado State University – Global and a Masters of Business Administration from George Fox University.

Amanda owns an accounting and tax practice, works for one of largest providers of accounting and tax software and services, and has a passion for education. She has spent the last 13 years working in higher education, helping students achieve their career goals with practical and applicable skills.

Amanda lives in Washington with her husband and two rescue dogs, Lola and Abbey. She enjoys time outdoors camping, mountain biking, and snowboarding.

Betsy has over 25 years’ experience in the training world. She has trained in the corporate world as well as taught in the academic world. She loves working with people and is passionate about helping others with their training needs and loves seeing their breakthroughs with the materials they are working on.

She teaches power skill courses such as negotiation skills, business writing for bankers, critical thinking and building relationships as a tool. She also teaches technology courses such as MS Office, Tableau, Photoshop and social media. She is a modern classroom certified trainer.

Betsy believes we are at our best when we continually learn and that’s why she loves working with others and learning from them and helping them to learn new passions and ways to prepare for a rewarding job path.

Betsy lives in Rochester, New York and enjoys the great lakes. She loves to spend her time racing sailboats or just enjoying being on the water. Her other passion is photography. She loves to capture slices of time doing whatever people love to do. She also loves to snow shoe, ski and hike.

Cecilia (Keeko) Schirmer is a Data Analyst with over a decade of experience at the crossroads between mathematics, science, and programming.
She started her career working with mass spectrometry data. After honing her skills in analytical chemistry labs, she worked as a bioinformatics specialist for the Georgia Advanced Computational Resource Center.

Although Cecilia still has an interest in research, she transitioned out of academia and became a tech consultant. This career change has allowed her to branch into more fields (statistics, modeling, epidemiology, marketing), work with private and federal clients, and have more control over her finances and her work schedule. She loves the flexibility and cutting-edge nature of being a data analyst and enjoys helping others break into the world of data analytics.

Outside of work, Cecilia is a “stay-at-home” mom to a bunch of kids. She enjoys watercolor painting, soap making, crafting, spooky stories, and the rare occasions where she gets to do nothing(preferably outside).

Charles is a results-driven project, program, and portfolio management leader with over 25 years of experience delivering strategic initiatives and operational improvements across public, private, and non-profit sectors. With nearly two decades of success in managing large-scale, complex programs, Charles has led enterprise-level digital transformations and ERP implementations in highly regulated industries.

An early adopter of AI in project management, Charles has integrated AI-driven solutions to streamline processes, enhance forecasting, and elevate decision-making. His expertise spans organizational change management (OCM), vendor management, and continuous process improvement—consistently driving efficiency, cost savings, and strategic growth.

In addition to his industry work, Charles has served as a dedicated educator since 2012, teaching graduate and professional development project management courses at Azusa Pacific University and the University of Redlands. He also developed and taught a business analysis certificate program for California State University, Fullerton, and had served on the advisory board for UCLA Extension’s Project Management Certificate Program.

Outside of work, Charles enjoys golfing, staying active at the gym, and exploring new dining experiences.

Christie grew up in Miami, Florida, her mother, Scandinavian, and her father, Cuban. Their mixture of cultures sparked a desire to become immersed in different cultures, so she joined the Navy. She was stationed in Japan for four years and Rota Spain for three years. While in Japan, she vacationed in Hong Kong and Korea. During my stay in Spain, she backpacked for three weeks through 7 countries. Her experience in the Navy opened up a whole new world filled with people who expressed fascinating beliefs, traditions, and ideas, inspiring her to become a teacher and mentor.

After she retired from the Navy, she pursued her passion for teaching. She is a Master Certified Microsoft Instructor, CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer, Dale Carnegie High Impact presenter, and curriculum developer with over 25 years of experience facilitating engaging, interactive training from Salesforce concepts to Microsoft Office for diverse audiences. In October of 2021, she received a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science with a major in Software Development. (Summa Cum Laude) from ECPI University.

Over the years, she has built a reputation among my repeat clientele for her passion and unique ability to reach beginners and challenging the more advanced by connecting their interests via relatable analogies and hands-on projects. Additionally, she uses her artistic and theatrical talents to create a visual and fun learning connection.

Dana Volney has owned and operated Volney Ventures, LLC in Casper for over 14 years—offering a full array of marketing, recruiting, and teaching services. She enjoys working closely with business owners in Wyoming to achieve their marketing and overall goals. Her consulting work, along with her background in apartment management, recruitment, and event management, has allowed her to learn about business from many perspectives.

She also teaches online for Digital Workshop Center and Casper College. At Casper College, she teaches for the Workforce Center—when businesses and organizations would like professional development on a business subject such as public speaking, a variety of social media topics, conflict resolution in the workplace, reflective leadership and more.

She has a passion to help people and businesses succeed. She loves sharing her broad base of experience and technical skills with students in all steps of their journey.

She lets her imagination roam free in Wyoming—writing romance novels and hanging out with her tri-color Corgi, Sealy Two Delta. She loves to try new adventures, which, let’s face it, means tasting all sorts of delicious cuisines. In the summer, her favorite time of year, I live the lake life with her family.

David is a Minnesota native, and lives in a small town called Bemidji which is the home of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. When David is not teaching or reading, he plays pickleball a few times a week and sings karaoke on the weekends.

 David has worked in the areas of education, training, and instructional design for over 20 years. His education consists of a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership, a master’s certificate in adult education, and a master’s degree in theology.

Eric Pocatko is a dedicated IT professional and educator with a strong foundation in technical support and instruction, bringing hands-on expertise to empower the next generation of IT specialists. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served as an infantryman (MOS 0311) from 2011 to 2015, Eric transitioned into the technology field with a passion for problem-solving and knowledge-sharing. He holds an Associate of Science from Santa Fe College and is on track to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Western Governors University in December 2026. His early career as an iOS Technician at GatorTec and Help Desk Agent at Bank of America honed his skills in troubleshooting hardware and software issues, providing remote support, and delivering exceptional customer service using tools like Active Directory, ITSM Remedy, and diagnostic techniques.

Eric maintains his edge in the rapidly evolving IT landscape by staying current with industry certifications, having passed the CompTIA A+ exam three times, Network+ twice, and Security+ twice to ensure his knowledge aligns with the latest standards. He also holds ITIL v4 Foundations and ITIL v4 Strategist: Direct, Plan, and Improve certifications, reflecting his strategic approach to IT service management. With proficiency in operating systems like Windows, Linux, iOS, and macOS, as well as tools such as Wireshark, Git, and Spring Boot, Eric is eager to continue inspiring learners in an instructor role, fostering innovation and technical excellence.

Jake Van Newkirk is a creative director and graphic designer with almost 20 years of experience in creative direction, branding, graphic design, marketing, product design, product development, and retail / tradeshow space design. Over the course of his career, he has worked in-house as a Creative Director for nationally recognized brands in the apparel and footwear industries, as well as maintained a consulting practice for small and medium-sized businesses across various industries.

Jake grew up in Fort Collins and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

When he isn’t teaching or working behind his computer for his clients, he can be found biking, snowboarding, fishing and camping with his family in the great outdoors of Colorado.

Jenny has 20 years of experience as a creative professional under her belt, with experience ranging from publication production and management, to digital marketing strategy. During that time, she has been an Assistant Director for Rocky Mountain Student Media Corp., Creative Services Manager for an event company serving clients around the globe, and has maintained a handful of small businesses as design clients.

A proud Ram with a BFA in Graphic Design from CSU, Jenny also has an MS in Journalism Innovation from Syracuse University. She is currently combining these academic experiences in her role as Instructor for the Journalism and Media Communication department at CSU.

Jenny has 20 years of experience as a creative professional under her belt, with experience ranging from publication production and management, to digital marketing strategy. During that time, she has been an Assistant Director for Rocky Mountain Student Media Corp., Creative Services Manager for an event company serving clients around the globe, and has maintained a handful of small businesses as design clients.

A proud Ram with a BFA in Graphic Design from CSU, Jenny also has an MS in Journalism Innovation from Syracuse University. She is currently combining these academic experiences in her role as Instructor for the Journalism and Media Communication department at CSU.

Jorel Lynch is a learning and development leader with over 24 years of experience building and scaling training programs across healthcare, finance, technology, staffing, and recovery services. She is known for creating practical, accessible learning solutions—from programs built from the ground up to eLearning and LMS implementations—and brings a collaborative, people-centered approach to supporting organizations through change.

My name is Jose Vega, I was born and raised four blocks from the beach on Puerto Rico's beautiful north coast but have spent half of my life in the continental United States. Most of my 28 years of software development experience were focused on the Retail Industry, consulting for clients such as Home Depot, Ulta Cosmetics, Gap, Pep Boys, Luxottica among others. Although I wore many hats during those years, from Developer, Technical Trainer to VP of Engineering, my unofficial title was "El Curandero" (The Healer) due to my knack for finding solutions for my clients.

I've always been passionate about teaching and found ways to do so in my professional career while traveling the world. I retired from the software development industry in 2019 and decided to focus my energy on sharing my experiences to help address the digital literacy divide, especially in the adult Spanish-speaking community. I am looking forward to continuing this effort with DWC helping with Digital Literacy, MS Office, and Google Suite. When not teaching, you will find me dancing salsa, improvising recipes in the kitchen, or walking our dog around beautiful Austin, Texas.

Kate Clifford (she/her) is a mother and educator.

She advises on DEIB strategy and design for public education and organizations. She holds a master's degree in education and advanced certification as a Certified Equity Practitioner from the National Diversity Council, and carries a SHRM-CP. She works with leaders and organizations to design human-centered systems, and transformative experiences for better ways. When she is not teaching, she is hiking with her pups, gardening, wiping up mysterious spills after her children, and researching. 

Kathryn is a California-based UX leader with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and more than 15 years of experience designing intuitive, high-impact digital products. Her career spans leading tech and e-commerce organizations—including Kohl’s, Meta, Google, and Samsung—where she has shaped user experiences across mobile, web, enterprise, and connected ecosystems.

Currently leading product development in healthcare technology, she specializes in bridging business goals, engineering realities, and human-centered design to build solutions that improve lives. Her approach blends strategic thinking, research-driven insight, and visually compelling execution.

As an instructor, she is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of designers. She focuses on real-world practices, portfolio-ready skills, and industry-relevant frameworks, ensuring students not only learn UX—but understand how to apply it. Her teaching-style emphasizes clarity, confidence, and career acceleration.

Kelvin Huntley, a native of Greensboro, NC comes to DWC with a plethora of government and teaching experience. He has served in several positions including Information Security Manager, and Information Technology Director. Kelvin is a recent graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he earned his M.S. in Network Operations and Technology and where he developed multiple Augmented Reality applications for the Microsoft HoloLens while writing his thesis titled: “The Persistent Use of Augmented Reality in the Naval Domain.”

Kelvin lives in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and spends his weekends either on his motorcycle or with his prized English bulldog named Dior. Kelvin is a high-energy instructor and his classes are filled with enthusiasm and creativity.

Kelvin Huntley, a native of Greensboro, NC comes to DWC with a plethora of government and teaching experience. He has served in several positions including Information Security Manager, and Information Technology Director. Kelvin is a recent graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he earned his M.S. in Network Operations and Technology and where he developed multiple Augmented Reality applications for the Microsoft HoloLens while writing his thesis titled: “The Persistent Use of Augmented Reality in the Naval Domain.”

Kelvin lives in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and spends his weekends either on his motorcycle or with his prized English bulldog named Dior. Kelvin is a high-energy instructor and his classes are filled with enthusiasm and creativity.

With over 7 years of experience in UX design, I specialize in helping companies and organizations navigate complex B2B and B2C challenges by bringing clarity to ambiguity, framing problems, and orchestrating solutions that deliver meaningful impact for both the business and the user.

My background in graphic design and early career in web design have shaped my collaborative approach — I believe great design happens when you build bridges between people and ideas.

As an instructor, I draw from real-world experience working across diverse organizations. Whether you’re learning how to design within constraints, educate stakeholders about the value of UX, or build robust design systems, I’m here to share practical insights and help you grow as a confident, collaborative designer ready to tackle real challenges.

Teresa has been a data scientist for many years. She specializes in predictive modeling, machine learning, and data analytics. She is also an online instructor for more than six years, helping students find a job in the tech world.

She grew up in Toronto, Canada, and got a Bachelor’s degree from Western University. She is also a wedding photographer and is very interested in fashion.

She is very passionate about teaching adult learners and being a guide for students who are aiming for a career change. She is patient and gives exactly what you need to break into the data science world.

Tony Brackins is the founder of App To Match LLC, a dynamic mobile app company that specializes in creating professional, custom-built mobile applications for a diverse range of clients. With over a decade of experience in various client-facing roles, Tony has held positions such as Mobile App Developer, Full Stack Developer, Front End Developer, and VP of Client Services at a leading website company.

His extensive experience allows him to approach projects with a comprehensive understanding of both technical and client needs. In addition to his professional roles, Tony has also been an educator, teaching mobile app development and Golang at previous companies. His teaching style is renowned for being both fun and engaging, with a special talent for simplifying complex concepts, making learning accessible and enjoyable for his students.

Tony is also deeply committed to community service and global outreach. He serves on the board of the 501(c)(3) organization Hugs & Bags, a community outreach program dedicated to supporting the homeless, underprivileged, and veterans. Beyond this, Tony personally works to bring programming and mobile development education to graduates in Ghana and Nigeria, empowering the next generation of tech professionals in Africa.

Xavier Harrison is a seasoned digital marketing professional that has created, executed, and leading both domestic and internationally targeted integrated digital marketing programs for diverse industries such as streaming services, retail, pharmaceuticals, and CPG. By leveraging Paid Search and other Paid Media channels, he has managed to elevate brand visibility and boost revenue, playing a pivotal role in driving business expansion and growth.

In addition, he’s served as a Digital Marketing Instructor educating students ranging from high school students to adults, on the fundamental principles of digital marketing, encompassing key elements such as marketing psychology, buyer personas, branding, and the utilization of various digital channels and platforms.

Originally from New York City, Xavier attended Wilberforce University where he pursued a dual major in Business Management & Marketing. After college, Xavier returned to New York where he interned at Direct Agents serving as an Online Sales Intern selling paid search services to small- to medium-sized businesses. Since then, Xavier has collaborated with clients such as Coca-Cola, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, A&E Networks, Santander Bank, and other clients creating comprehensive digital marketing strategies and managing campaign performance.

Outside of work, Xavier’s has a strong passion for community service and education. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for a non-profit program called Streetsquash which helps provide long-term, reliable support to the children, families, and schools in Harlem by exposing students to a broad range of experiences including the game of squash, provide educational support and college readiness. In addition, Xavier is a huge Sci-fi fan (both Star Trek and Star Wars), loves to travel and build model train sets.