Workforce Development and Continuing Education (WDCE)

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WDCE Instructors: Real-world Experts

WDCE Instructors: Real World Experts

Forrest Bietz, Special Event Manager
Forrest has worked promotions, special events and marketing since 1992. He has created annual business and marketing plans, managed a $1.3 million promotions budget, participated in the creation, design and execution of large outdoor events to attract retail customers to the Reno/Sparks area. Forrest has implemented a national branding strategy for a local gaming property and worked in marketing and special events for area casinos. He completed his certificate in event management from TMCC WDCE and received his bachelor's in marketing from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Kevin Boyd, Internet Guru
Kevin, who holds an MBA in business and information science, is a multi-award winning education specialist for eBay. His expertise centers around online marketing, publishing “eBay Business at Your Fingertips,” “eBay Rescue Profit Maker” and “eBay Rescue Problem Solver”.

Evert Broderick, Herbalist
Evert has been leading workshops on edible and medicinal plants since the 1990s. His primary interest in foraging for food and medicine grew out of his passion for wandering the backcountry of the Great Basin Desert and Sierra Nevada Mountains, where he has spent most of his life. Evert has also taught at Bastyr University and Headwaters Outdoor School.

Deborah Burns, Professional Medical Transcriptionist
Deborah has been a medical transcriptionist since 1979. She is the owner and president of a national medical transcription service and has served as a consultant and taught at various colleges and training programs throughout the country. She has published several books and an audio series on the topic of medical transcription and has taught for TMCC since 2003.

Judy Cook, Real Estate Broker/Property Manager
Judy is a practicing Nevada broker-sales person and property management permit holder with more than 30 years of experience in property management and leasing. She was initially approved by the Nevada Real Estate Commission as a continuing education provider in 1994.

Helene Day, Ayurvedic Practitioner
Helene holds certifications as a clinical Ayurvedic and Pancha Karma specialist from the California College of Ayurveda. She studied under Dr. Rajesh Kotecha of the Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic while he was visiting in the U.S. Helene has taught yoga and Ayurveda workshops as well as owning her own Ayurveda practice.

Connie Ferlingere, Award-Winning Floral Designer
Connie has worked in the floral business since 1977. She has extensive experience in fresh, silk and dried flower design techniques and styles. Her creations have won numerous awards in both California and Nevada shows. As a member of the senior management team at Sparks Florist, Connie serves as the manager and chief designer of the company's silk and dried business. She has been teaching for TMCC since 1998.

Carol Foldvary-Anderson, Professional Artist
Carol is an accomplished calligrapher and began teaching the art form in 1988. She is a multiple award winning artist and was recognized as Carson City's artist of the year in 2001. She has used her calligraphy to create numerous public displays including a sidewalk imprint for the Down Town Reno Enhancement Project and writing of the names beneath the photographs of the state legislators in the State of Nevada Legislature Building. She has an AA degree from Lake Tahoe Community College and has published a stained glass coloring book on the international market. Carol began teaching for TMCC in 1995.

Lisa Foster, Voiceover Specialist
Lisa began her broadcasting and voice career as the weekend traffic reporter on Rush Limbaugh's flagship station KFBK in 1991. She has created numerous different personas on other stations and cohosted The Mitch and Lisa Show on KLSYs MIX 92.5. She has done numerous voiceover projects for local and national companies including CD games, commercial work, comedy bits and several TV appearances. You may have heard her on air representing Crest Toothpaste, Oil of Olay, LA Weightloss, Advanced Laser Clinics and much more. She became an instructor for TMCC in 2008.

Vivienne French, Non-Profit Executive
Vivienne has been grant writing since 1988 and has her own business as a fundraising and non-profit development consultant. She has been fund-raising since 1989 for a variety of non-profit organizations with missions that include children, seniors, the homeless, environmental and animal welfare issues. She teaches grant writing to help build a healthy, vital community in the Truckee Meadows and has been teaching for TMCC since 1999.

Alison Gauldin, Public Relations/Marketing Practitioner
Alison has been working in public affairs since 1989. She has non-profit, management, marketing and teaching experience. Alison received her MBA from the University of Phoenix, her bachelor's degree in journalism and certification in non-profit management from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is the owner of My PR coach and is adjunct professor at UNR Reynolds School of Journalism.

Aida Hashemi, Banker
Aida has worked in the banking industry since 2005. She has a degree in psychology and organizational studies from U.C. Davis and received her international TEFL certification to teach English as a foreign language in 2002. She has taught English to both adults and children in Iran and Spain, and has been teaching for TMCC since 2003.

Justin Hertz, Online Entrepreneur
Justin, president and CEO of MuttMart.com, has been a direct to consumer online retailer since 2001. His company posts sales in excess of one million dollars annually. Justin has taken his entrepreneurial background and applied it to his endeavors in real estate. He has served on the board for the Internet Marketing Magazine and been a speaker at the annual MIVA conference. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Gabriele Lenga, Computer Software Specialist
Gabriele, who's worked in the techology sector since 1992, owns a computer services/bookkeeping company. She has also sat on the board of directors for two companies.

Evelyn Murphy, Real Estate Broker/Property Manager
Evelyn is the broker/owner of ERA Pioneer Properties and Pioneer School of Real Estate. She has been a licensed real estate broker in Nevada since 1992, and was a licensed real estate broker in California from 1977 to 2003. She has a bachelor's degree from California State University, Chico.

Kimberly Powers, Herbal Medicine/Aromatherapy Practitioner
Kimberly has worked as an aromatherapy herbal consultant at Mosaic Natural Health Clinic and as a buyer at Rainbow Natural Remedies both in Seattle, Washington. She wrote “The Power of Inhaling Essential Oils” and “Using Essential Oils for Dementia, Alzheimer's and other Neurodegenerative Diseases” for Massage Magazine. Kimberly holds certificates in herbal medicine and aromatherapy from the American College of Health Sciences and completed in-depth studies on materia medica of plants. She earned a bachelor's degree in herbal Sciences from Bastyr University.

Genevieve Sefchick, Court Interpreter
Genevieve is a certified court interpreter for the Nevada Supreme Court. She holds a bachelor degree in Education from Mexico. Bilingual and bicultural, she works as a court advocate for Washoe County District Attorney's Office.

Ronald Sefchick, Bilingual Professional
Ronald is an American citizen who lived and taught in Mexico for 33 years. For 11 years, Ron worked as an informational technology director for a large-scale industrial caterer and at a large securities brokerage house. He was a professor at the National University and has taught at TMCC since 2004. He has a bachelor's degree in Physics from the University of California at Riverside and is a freelance writer for MrNewsMX.com along with several newspapers.

Steve Veltkamp, Entrepreneurial Consultant
Steve is a speaker, trainer and entrepreneur with a passion for freedom through self-employment. Trained as an instructor and qualified as a master training specialist in the Navy, he loves sharing his knowledge with others. He created his own company, BizShop, an entrepreneurial consulting company. Steve is executive director of the Olympic Home Based Business Association and the Webmaster Service Providers Association. As a consultant, Steve helps countless people launch successful businesses from small home based companies to national brands. He has been teaching seminars and classes since 1993.

Eileen Webb
Eileen is president of Streamline Consulting and has more than 15 years experience in quality and project management. Her experience includes employee training, creating teams, improving processes and quality and implementing computer systems. She holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.