Landon York is the welding technology Instructor at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County. He comes from a vast array of industries revolving around the welding trade. He has held many positions, from being a structural fabricator and pipe fitter to performing machining, millwright work, and ironworking. He has traveled to many different states and has been exposed to various atmospheres, including fabrication shops, paper and pulp plants, natural gas compressor stations, power plants, and nuclear power plants.

CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS, Christopher Phillips is a professor and oversees the AWS student chapter at Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC. He trains students in SMAW, GTAW, and GMAW welding processes in Level I-III and recently added an Introduction to Pipe-Fitting Course to the curriculum. Phillips has over 23 years of welding industry experience, including welding pipe in all processes and foreign materials. He holds an Associate Degree in Welding Technology from Central Piedmont Community College.

Juan Ayala has been in the Welding and Fabrication industry profession for 34 years. He is a certified AWS Welder, currently dedicating his skills and knowledge as a Welding Instructor and Coordinator for the welding program at Valencia College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in Kissimmee, Florida. As an instructor, he has had the honor to educate, mentor, and celebrate the accomplishments of program graduates, who have also achieved AWS certifications. To further expand his expertise and continued contribution as an educator, Juan is currently pursuing his CWI certification. This motivation for continuous learning and education has provided Juan opportunities to travel globally, learning the welding trade and cultural practices in countries such as Japan and Germany. Juan expands his curiosity and enjoyment of life by spending quality time with his family, including his daughter and three grandchildren who keep him busy. He enjoys golfing and scuba diving with friends, bowling with his son, and Sunday motorcycle rides with his wife.

Scott Quick, Scott is a Senior Welding Instructor and Admissions coordinator for Rochester Arc + Flame and their Welding and Fabrication Program, which is partnered with Monroe Community College. Scott has over 15 years of welding experience in the field. He started his welding career in the military where he attended the Army’s Metal Worker School, 44B. Scott went on to work for the Department of Defense as an Army/Civilian Technician where he enhanced his welding and fabrication skills. During his military career, Scott deployed 5 times in support of OIF and OEF as an Airborne Infantry Ranger with Special Operations, 1st Ranger Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment.

Derek Supanik is a 9th year Welding Instructor at Parkway West Career and Technology Center in Oakdale, PA. He is also an OSHA Authorized Construction Trainer, giving the OSHA 10 to students in the school. Derek shares over 120 welding students with his partner Huck Hughes. Together, in 2021, they had succeeded in becoming an ATF, and giving students the opportunity to earn their AWS certifications.

Blake Hamric is one of the welding instructors at Calhoun Community College where he thrives to instill the skills needed to progress in the welding/fabrication industry. He has over 12 years of experience as a boilermaker and uses his experience to set an example for his students.

Michael Payne is a welding instructor at Pinson Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama. Michael is also the Education Chair for District 9, Birmingham section.

Luke Hummer is a Welding Instructor for Erie County Community College (EC3), in Erie Pennsylvania since fall 2022. He has been teaching welding curriculum since 2018, mostly in the Vo-Tech setting. Hummer has approximately 20 years of experience in the welding industry and has been AWS CWI certified since 2020. He was newly appointed to the 2nd Vice Chairman of the NWPA AWS Chapter in Spring 2023. He has welded everything from farm equipment, cranes, tanks, locomotives, and the occasional arts and crafts.

BLAKE BALLOU, Blake Ballou is the welding instructor at South & West Washtenaw Consortium (SWWC) in Saline, Michigan. Ballou has seven years of welding experience and is pursuing his Associate’s Degree in Welding Technology at Washtenaw Community College, then going on to pursue his Bachelor’s at Ferris State University. The 2023 school year is Ballou’s first year as the lead instructor; prior to this year, he spent the last four years as the SWWC welding technician. In his first year at SWWC, his students competed in ten competitions with great success, even having a student compete at Skills USA Nationals this year.

Erik Ogren is a Welding instructor for the Wisconsin State college system. His teaching career includes instructing and welding coordination for Steamfitters Local 601 in Madison and Milwaukee area, Instructor for MATC Oak Creek Wisconsin, and Instructor for Gateway Technical College Racine, WI. Erik is a 23-year member of Steamfitters Local 601 and has 13 years of teaching in the technical college system for the state of Wisconsin. He is currently sitting on multiple boards, both for the college system panels and Steamfitters Local 601. Erik also has 25 years of welding experience and carries a multitude of certifications in the welding and teaching field. He currently resides in southeastern Wisconsin and is the current president of Steamfitters Local 601 and a full-time instructor.

My name is Theresa and I am a Certified Welding Inspector with my WPQ-1 endorsement and studying for the WPQ-2 endorsement. I am one of the Welding Coordinators at Illinois Valley Community College. I have been teaching / training students in the four main welding processes for about 6 years. I am an advisor for two student clubs on campus – Weld Club and Women In Technology (WIT). I have an Associate’s in Production Welding along with numerous certificates. I have many years of experience welding in a specialty shop, where every day there is something new to repair or weld.
In addition to my educational duties, I am the secretary/treasurer for District #13 – Section #139 Illinois Valley. I have held leadership roles in Boy Scouts of America, 4-H, First Lutheran Church Council, and various local women’s groups. I have also hosted various painting classes for charity fundraising. I have been married for 38 years to a wonderful man who is a full-time farmer and part-time IVCC CDL Truck Driver Trainer.
We have three lovely adult children: Brandi, 32, works as a rural carrier for the U.S.P.S. and has a BA in History, which she uses as a substitute teacher. Aubrey, 29, has a BA in Chemistry and MA in Biology, and she works for a local chemical company in the Illinois Valley. Thomas, 23, has a BA in Astrophysics, and he works at the nuclear plant in Byron, IL.
In addition, we have a plethora of animals, including two dogs – Roxy and Moose, one indoor cat – Lily, several barn cats, and a herd of cattle on our 4th generation family farm. In my downtime, I enjoy spending as much time with family and friends making new memories, whether it be crafting, cooking, gardening, hiking, biking, walking, playing board games, or taking photos of nature with them; it is always time well spent!

Bud Merrill is a welding instructor at the Jefferson County Public Schools system in Louisville, Kentucky, for the Kentuckiana Machining Association apprenticeship program. He is also the Sales Enablement & Integration Lead at Welders Supply & Gases. Bud is currently serving his 7th term as chairman for the AWS Louisville Section.

My name is Tyler Dreher, and I have been a welding instructor for 6 years at Alexandria Technical College in Minnesota. I am also a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and Certified Welding Educator (CWE). Additionally, I serve as the Vice Chairman for the Northern Plains Section in District 15. I graduated from the welding program at Alexandria College and have a total of 15 years of experience in the welding industry. On average, we take in roughly 40-45 students every year, but due to a large waiting list for the past 4 years, we are in the process of expanding our shop and will be taking 58 students this year.

Fernando Fajardo is an instructor at Salina Area Technical College in Salina, Kansas. Working with and under the guidance of welding technology department chair Eric Vannoy, he has assisted in training about 150 high school juniors and seniors, helping them navigate their entry into the welding industry. After receiving his CWI/CWE certification in 2017, he has dedicated his time to cultivating a passion for welding with the area youth through summer camps and assisting several troops in achieving their welding merit badges.

Steve Austion is a full-time instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College since 2016. He worked for 16 years in the ASME pressure vessel industry prior to teaching. Steve has been a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) since 2013.

Eric Pesak is a welding instructor in Columbus, Texas, and the Executive Director of the Texas High School Welding Series (TXHSWS), where he works tirelessly with others passionate about striking the arc and bridging the gap between education and industry. Under his guidance, the TXHSWS witnessed remarkable growth through competitions that not only enhance students’ welding skills but also prepare them for successful careers in the industry. Eric’s visionary leadership and commitment to excellence have earned him recognition and respect from educators, industry leaders, and students alike. Eric is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Kristopher Margaret is the lead Welding Technology instructor and chair of the Manufacturing Trades department at Walla Walla Community College, where students’ educational focus is in welder/fabricator or construction and infrastructure welding. Kris’ most recent industry background includes a position as a Combination and emergency response Welder for Montana Dakota Utilities in Washington State, and prior to that, he was employed as a Welding instructor at the Washington State Penitentiary. Kris earned an associate’s degree in welding technology in 2006 and continued his education through graduate school while maintaining continuity as a full-time employee in the welding industry.

Jared Massic is a welding educator at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. He’s been teaching for 14 years and annually instructs 180+ students in his program. Jared previously taught night classes at Mountainland Technical College for 7 years, as well as several years of community education welding classes taught out of his program at MMHS. Jared is married to his wife Khristen for 15 years, and they have 4 wild children. He holds a Master of Science degree in Technology with an emphasis in welding education from Brigham Young University. He also completed his CWI/CWE from the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology. Jared is currently the chair for Section 59/Utah.

Eric Phye CWI/CWE Welding Instructor for Western Maricopa Educational Center. He lives in Phoenix, Az. and teaches out of a CTE school called West-MEC in Buckeye, Az. Eric has 27 years in the welding industry working for Mass Transfer company in Wichita, Ks. for 17 years then transitioning to Aerospace welding for 10 years. Eric has been teaching high school students for the past 7 years in the art of welding, blueprint reading, and fabrication. Eric also does inspection and welding qualifications on the side as well as welding consulting work.

JAVIER VALENCIA, Javier Valencia is an instructor of Welding Technology at Laney College, Oakland, California. He has a background in manual machining and welding.