Workforce Development and Continuing Education (WDCE)
WDCE Instructors: Real-world Experts
Real-world experts make our courses more relevant, enjoyable
From all walks of life, WDCE instructors bring a passion for teaching along with the latest information, techniques and realities of their subjects that comes from being actively involved in their fields. Here are just a few of the experts who teach for WDCE. If you have the passion and expertise to teach for WDCE, go to Teach for Us.
Mirela Atanasiu, published writer
Mirela has published and won awards for her poetry and short prose. She has a bachelor's degree from Popular University in her home country of Romania.
Kate Aubrey, watercolorist
Kate has studied with Charles Reid, Stephen Quiller, Carla O'Connor and Ted Nuttall. She has won numerous awards for her work.
Methinee Averill, Thai cook
Methinee was born and raised in Bangkok, where her family still lives, and came to the U.S. as an exchange student when she was 16. She graduated from Texas A&M and moved back to Thailand for five years to work. She came back to the U.S. for graduate school and currently lives in Reno. She loves to entertain and cook for friends.
Suzanne Adams, master gardener/artist
For more than 35 years, Suzanne's passion for gardening has led her to become a master gardener, successful artist and an urban forestry chairperson. Her artwork has been shown at several local galleries and her artwork has been used on the cover of the Walking Tour of Idlewild Park brochure. Formerly, she has served on the Nevada Shade Tree Council and was the 2004-2005 Reno Urban Forestry Commission chairperson. She teaches art and gardening classes for WDCE, including Plant Portraits and High Desert Gardening.
Sandra Anderson, licensed massage therapist
As a practicing massage therapist since 1995, Sandra works in private practice and has run massage establishments for local resorts. She is a Reiki Master Teacher and has taken the Australasian College of Herbal Studies Aromatherapy Certification Program. In addition to an accounting degree, she has studied the fields of applied kinesiology, aroma massage, aromatherapy, chair massage, cranial sacral therapy, high touch acupressure, lymphatic massage and magnetic therapies.
Souad Blackham, professional candle maker
Souad has been making candles for many years. She is the owner/operator of Western Wicks Candle Company.
Deborah Burns, owner, national medical transcription service
Deborah has been a medical transcriptionist for more than 20 years and now owns a national medical transcription service. She teaches Start-a-Home-Based Medical Transcription Business.
Therese Class, Buddhism expert
Theresa has studied Buddhism at Diamond Mountain University and has been studying Tibetan Buddhism for more than 10 years.
Connie Ferlingere, floral designer
For 30 years, Connie has designed flowers for the most important moments of people's lives and she is skilled at sharing her extensive expertise with WDCE Florist Fundamentals and Floral Arranging for Fun students. Her designs have won awards throughout Nevada and California. A member of Sparks Florist's senior management team, Connie oversees the company's extensive silk and dried flower business and serves as the chief designer.
Jan Foss, artist
Jan, a TMCC art teacher since 2001, has won more than 10 watercolor awards from the Minnesota Watercolor Society and Minnesota State Fair. She holds an associate's degree from Lakewood Community College in Minnesota and takes additional courses each year to keep current. She has been teaching since the 1980s.
Vivienne French, nonprofit administrator
Vivienne has been grant writing since 1988 and she is currently the director of the Northern Nevada Food Bank. Her job history includes grant writing for the city of Reno, Kids Corner, Reno Parks and Recreation and the Sierra Army Depot.
Chris Gant, financial planner
A TMCC investing instructor since 2004, Chris has been working in the financial industry since the early 1980s. He holds an advanced degree in financial planning from the College of Denver.
Alan Gubanich, wildlife biologist, retired professor
A TMCC instructor since 1995, Alan earned a doctorate in biology/zoology and is a retired professor from the University of Nevada, Reno. His nature tours have been highly rated by students as providing rustic and challenging outdoor experiences while fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie.
Don Krivanek, PGA golf professional
Don has belonged to the PGA since the 1970s and is a class A golf professional. He has more than 40 years experience in teaching golf and managing upscale courses.
Gabriele Lenga, CPF, Technology Expert
Gabriele, who has worked in the technology sector since 1992, owns a computer services company. She has also sits on the board for directors for two companies.
Alicia Mustard, Irish expert
Alicia has a certificate in Irish studies from the University College Cork, in Cork, Ireland. She also has a bachelor of arts degree in secondary education with specialization in English literature and history from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Bill Powers, Environmental Health and Safety Expert
Bill has years of experience in this field for both private and public sectors. He holds a Ph.D. in public administration from the University of LaVerne, California and a master's degree in entomology/pesticides/plant pathology from the University of Georgia.
Kathie Ross, swing dancer/choreographer
Educated in ballet, tap, acrobatics, ballroom and western, Kathie helped choreograph the movie, Urban Cowboy. She received an award from the U.S. Swing Dancers in 1983.
Marina Roznitovsky, harpist
Marina has been teaching harp since 2000 and is also a member of the Nevada Opera. She holds various in degrees from Indiana University accrediting her harp performance.
Mark Vollmer, landscape photographer Vollmer has studied under legendary photographers Galen Rowell and Frans Lanting. His coffee table book, The Tahoe Rim Trail, broke sales records in area bookstores. Vollmer believes that to strengthen your images, you have to "search your heart to find what attracts you in a specific scene and then compose your photo around that aspect." His work has been published in Nevada Magazine, Reno Magazine, Reno Gazette-Journal, Wild Nevada Calendar, Sierra Club Calendar and more. He has been teaching photography since 1995.
Joseph Walker, law enforcement professional
Joseph authored Self-Defense Techniques and Tactics. A retired policeman, he now works for the Department of Homeland Security.
Eileen Webb, quality and project management consultant
Eileen has more than 15 years of quality and project management experience and is the president of Streamline Consulting. Her experience includes employee training, creating teams, improving processes and quality, and more. Eileen, who teaches project management, holds a chemical engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Tom Young, Brew master
Tom holds a brewer's continuing education certificate from U.C. Davis and is the brew master at Great Basin Brewery in Sparks.
Rajan Zed, Hindu chaplain
Rajan holds two bachelor degrees from universities in India, along with two master's degrees–one in mass communication from San Jose State, the other in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. Rajan, who teaches Hindu courses, is the director of interfaith relations of the Hindu Temple of Northern Nevada and is a Hindu chaplain.