Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch has been a champion of engineering and technology education for over 30 years. Since 1995, she has been the State Director of the CT College of Technology (COT) where her leadership has been instrumental in creating nationally recognized seamless pathway programs in engineering and technology between all 12 Connecticut public community colleges (now merged to CT State Community College) with 10 universities and technical and comprehensive high schools. She is also the Executive Director and Principal Investigator of the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM), a National Science Foundation (NSF) Center of Excellence and a professor emeritus in Applied Technology at Connecticut State Community College Tunxis. She has received over $30M in funding from the NSF, including two grants for international partnerships. Karen has implemented strategies resulting in an increase in the enrollment of underrepresented populations in STEM programs at the community colleges. Karen has received numerous awards for her accomplishments as a professor and for her passion for increasing the diversity of the STEM population including the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from the international honor society Epsilon Pi Tau (EPT), the 2018 CT Women of Innovation Award in the Postsecondary Academic Innovation & Leadership Category, the 2012 New England Board of Higher Education Excellence Award for the State of CT and most recently, the 2020 HI TEC Innovative Program of the Year Award and the 2021 ITEEA Special Recognition Award. In 2014, she was invited to the White House College Opportunity Summit recognizing leaders like Karen for their commitment to STEM education. She also serves on numerous local and national boards including the Epsilon Pi Tau Honor Society, Hartford High's Pathway for Engineering and Green Technology, and the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System.

Education/Business Connector, focusing on projects requiring collaborative communication among a wide range of stakeholders to improve the technical workforce. She helps educators develop new or reinvigorate existing programs using the employer-led Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. BILT – Business and Industry Leadership Team – co-leads rather than just advising work. The BILT is composed of national technology leaders who predict their future needs in a structured manner, and this information is pushed out to the 86+ colleges and universities to modify curriculum rapidly so that graduates are what we call “workforce ready.” More than 65 educational institutions and projects have successfully adopted the BILT Model, and many more are interested in implementing it. Using this model, educators develop BILT teams to lead long-term innovation and work with me to learn how to write competitive grants to fund such innovation. Her clients include Collin College, Miami Dade College, and a variety of other colleges and businesses.

Jeremy Banta is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel with over 30 years’ experience in civilian and military logistics. He is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Supply Chain Management Program at Columbus State Community College in Columbus Ohio. His military career includes 15 years full time service in the Ohio National Guard as a senior logistician with deployments to Iraq and Kuwait. He serves the logistics industry by serving on multiple local school and organizational advisory boards, as well as being the co-founder of the Ohio Supply Chain Academic Network (O-SCAN), a member of Columbus Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Chair of the Columbus Region Logistics Council (CRLC), a Director-At-Large for the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) Advisory Council and a member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Academic Strategies Committee.

Marco's current role as Community Engagement Coordinator with the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing involves fostering career pathways from community colleges to the manufacturing industry. As a Social Media Consultant, he began working on the team in early 2024. His professional journey is a commitment to effective outreach for advanced manufacturing initiatives and pathways for community college students to enter the nation's workforce. He is utilizing a strategic approach to social media to amplify NCNGM’s mission and connect with stakeholders. He has prior experience in higher education outreach at Central Connecticut State University’s LGBT Center. He has been an advocate for other underrepresented demographics as well, including the disabled and the Hispanic/Latinx communities. Marco is continuing his education at Connecticut State Community College and immerses himself in the community college process’ and pathways to success. He also has experience utilizing his skills for networking and outreach at conferences and summits. With a fresh perspective on manufacturing education and industry pathways, Marco is eager to continue the center’s efforts to disseminate and celebrate the potential for a diverse and equitable workforce.

Wendy is the Assistant Director for the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, funded by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Program. She began working on NSF ATE grants for the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities System in 2012. Her work on these grants has grown her passion for making students, parents, educators and counselors aware of the educational and career pathways that are possible in STEM fields with an emphasis on advanced manufacturing. Her focus is on students from populations that are typically underrepresented in STEM fields, including females. Her favorite activities are those highlighting the accomplishments of our students and those that provide them with experiences that enhance there coursework. She has organized and participated in numerous local, national, and international initiatives over the years where she has both shared and learned about addressing STEM workforce needs and has also published and presented papers for these conferences. Wendy has her Master’s Degree in Student Development in Higher Education from Central Connecticut State University and is a member of the Steering Committee for the American.

Experienced Supply Chain Management with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Supply Management, and Product Development. Strong education professional with AAS, BS, and MBA Degrees.

Experienced professor and department chair with a demonstrated history of working in higher education. Skilled in Instructional Design, Public Speaking, Curriculum Development, Metal Fabrication, and Manufacturing. Works to create effective partnerships with local and national businesses and educational institutions. Extensive experience in development of welding programs that include welder training, welding procedure specification development, and welder certification credentialing.

Muller is an industrial technology coordinator and trainer based at the Columbus Campus but provides training throughout CCC’s service area. Muller was instrumental in developing and launching the Tyson Meats training program in Lexington, which required adapting the curriculum, remodeling facilities and buying equipment to meet the company’s training needs. He also has a lead role in the iMec 2.0 grant from the National Science Foundation that will bring mechatronics education to six high schools in the CCC service area. At CCC, he has helped repair injection molding units for the plastics program, hook up robotic welders in the welding lab, and teach an introductory mechatronics and instrumentation class for high school teachers and administrators. He reached out to several vendors and received free or reduced costs on several pieces of equipment for the college. Muller is Dodge High School graduate who earned an electromechanical degree at Southeast Community College in Milford. Prior to CCC, he was employed at Cargill in Schuyler for nine years where he started out on the maintenance team and finished as a lead automation technician.