Events

Brittany Hochstaetter is a Senior Professor of Communication at Wake Tech Community College. Since 2009, she has served in various roles including Administrative Dept. Head, Online Lead, and Adjunct Lead. She was the college's 2022 Instructor of the Year and was named a finalist for the 2022 NCCCS Excellence in Teaching Award. An innovation enthusiast, she was a founding editor of the NC Community College Journal of Teaching Innovation and is the Chair of the Instructional Technology Council, an affiliated council with the American Association of Community Colleges. She is passionate about skills-based education and preparing students for the future.

Chad McKenzie is a Professor of Computer Information Technology/IT Innovation Lead at Wake Technical Community College with 19 years of teaching experience in the North Carolina Community College System. He holds an MBA from Campbell University, a Healthcare Informatics Graduate Certificate from ECU, and a Business Analytics Graduate Certificate from UNC-Greensboro. He was named the 2021 Instructor of the Year and was a finalist for the NCCCS Excellence in Teaching Award. He serves as the Certiport Organization Administrator and holds certifications including Microsoft 365 Word/Excel Expert, IC3 Master GS5, Gen AI Foundations, AI IT Specialist, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Certified and Innovative Educator. He serves on the Instructional Technology Council board and as a Digital Faculty Consultant with McGraw Hill. He received the 2023 Pearson Excellence in Higher Education Award for Trailblazing Innovation, was selected as a 2025 Business Higher Education Forum Faculty Innovation Fellow, and has coauthored several articles for publication in Community College Daily. His teaching emphasizes strong student relationships and engaging, personalized learning environments.

Emmie Mercer is the Associate Dean of Information Technology at Wake Technical Community College. She holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), a Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS), and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and has extensive experience teaching and leading programs in analytics, data preparation, and computer programming. Emmie leads college initiatives focused on faculty AI fluency, industry-aligned certifications, and curriculum development in data analytics and workforce-ready programming pathways. She collaborates closely with faculty, deans, and industry partners to expand experiential learning, mentoring, and certification opportunities. She received Harding University's Teacher Achievement Award in 2022 and holds various certifications in Python, Tableau, Excel, and Alteryx.

Thanks to our Platinum Sponsor, Carolina Restoration Services, for sponsoring this event!