About the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee

Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee Staff

	Laura Hopkins - Training Director Laura was raised in Japan and came to the US to attend college where she received a degree in Sociology. She went on to get her Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license and also received her helicopter private pilot’s license. Laura worked in the aerospace industry first as a mechanic then transitioned into a Customer Quality Support representative working primarily with Japanese airlines. During this time, she received her Master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Science and went on to become Dean of the Part 147 Aviation Maintenance program at South Seattle Community College. She later transitioned to Dean of Transportation programs. In September of 2008, Laura began working as Training Director of AJAC.
	Andrea Anderson - Apprentice Outreach Specialist Andrea has strong managerial skills and nationally recognized experience in the design of recruitment and retention programs and strategies for apprenticeship programs. Andrea has worked as an instructor at the community college level and has over 10 years of health care experience that qualify her to identify strong connections for apprenticeship preparation opportunities.
	Megan Fiess - Administrative Services Manager Megan has an educational background in organization systems, business cultures and management, leadership, psychology, intercultural communications, community building, and the use of business and nonprofit organizations as tools for more sustainable communities. She has 16 years of combined experience in management and leadership, human resources, contracting, budgeting and accounting, marketing, and general office management.
	Kevin Quinn - Employer Outreach Specialist Kevin Quinn has 20 years of leadership experience working in both manufacturing environments and with not for profit educational associations focused on industry best practice training and career development. A native of eastern Washington with a degree in Organizational Management, Kevin launched the opening of the eastern Washington office at the Spokane Apprenticeship Training Center in September 2009.
	Marilyn Young Skogland - Employer Outreach Specialist Marilyn is committed to the development of workforce opportunities within Washington's industrial sectors. As part of this commitment, she works with AJAC to identify employers who can benefit from apprenticeship. In addition to working with AJAC, Marilyn is the Program Manager for the Manufacturing Industrial Council of Seattle. She has an extensive background in industrial business in Seattle, especially manufacturing. For 18 years Marilyn worked with Ederer LLC, a 100+ year old crane manufacturing firm. She held a variety of roles at Ederer which included human resources manager, contract compliance, and purchasing, as well as Safety and Chief Operations Officers. Marilyn is also a charter member of the Rotary Club of SODO.
	Susan Garber-Yonts - Employer Outreach Specialist Susan Garber-Yonts has spent 20+ years in the field of transportation policy and public outreach. Her range of experience is diverse including the CA State Senate as a legislative analyst and as a planner at the CA State Department of Transportation. Ms. Garber-Yonts served as the specialist in the creation, development and adoption of the Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Area Transportation Plan Update. She was an active leader in public involvement, data gathering, marketing, policy/legislative analysis and the coordination of multi-jurisdictional agency activities. Her facilitation skills served her well as lead staff for taskforce members in the community stakeholder process leading to the adoption of the Update. Previous to her move to Seattle, she worked as a consultant for 16 years with both the City of Corvallis and Benton County and served on the City’s Parking and County's Planning Commission. Ms. Garber-Yonts relocated in 2006 and brings her experience and skills to Seattle. She continues to build strong relationships at all levels, using extensive public outreach skills with stakeholder groups in leading group goal setting projects. She has extensive contacts with Seattle-area stakeholders - from neighborhood levels to all levels of local jurisdictions - making her invaluable in the local area. As a natural extension of her work with the Manufacturing Industrial Council, she has been on staff at the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) since May of 2009 - doing outreach, and supporting the promotion of aerospace apprenticeship programs to WA State machinists in the aerospace industry.
	Malcolm Grothe - Teach Tech Program Coordinator Malcolm Grothe has over 20 years of experience in education both in the public and private sector. He has degrees in Occupational Teacher Education, Educational Administration and a PhD in Community College Leadership. Dr. Grothe has held the following positions: Technical Education South Seattle Community College—Dean, Boeing Loaned Executive—Associate Dean, Corporate Training North Seattle Community College, Boeing Manufacturing Engineering—College Program Supervisor, Training Manager, and Instructor/Training Administrator. Dr. Grothe is the current South Seattle Community College, Technical Education Executive Dean. In addition he has been selected to evaluate grants for the National Science Foundation, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and the Community College Resource Center. Dr. Grothe has presented at many national conference, including: League for Innovation in the Community College, National Council for Workforce Education, Community College Baccalaureate Association, and the American Association of Community Colleges. His published work includes, “Outreach Degree Completion Program,” Proceedings 2000 ASEE Annual Conference, Missouri Universities Consortium, St. Louis Missouri, June 2000, pp. 134711-16. Co-authors: Michael Spektor and Walter Buchanan. Dr. Grothe will be the Teach Tech Program Coordinator for AJAC, a program dedicated to creating pathways for the trades community with a Technical Education teaching degree.