Meet the Experts Behind AJAC's FAST Certificate Courses

Anthony Johnson has more than 30 years of manufacturing experience spanning production, operations, leadership, and workforce development. He began his career through an apprenticeship in industrial coatings, building a strong technical foundation that continues to shape his approach to training today.

Early in his career, Anthony worked at McDonnell Douglas applying specialized coatings to military aircraft before advancing into high-end marine manufacturing, where he performed advanced coatings work on luxury super yachts. As his career progressed, he moved into management and operations leadership, overseeing production, improving processes, developing employees, and maintaining high standards for quality and safety.

Today, Anthony brings that real-world manufacturing experience into the classroom. He has taught apprenticeship and workforce training programs for more than eight years, including developing and launching Everett Community College’s first industrial coatings course. As an AJAC instructor, he is passionate about helping manufacturing employees build practical skills they can apply immediately on the job while supporting safer, more productive workplaces.

Steven Meiser brings more than 25 years of hands-on machining and manufacturing experience to AJAC’s FAST Certificate Courses. A graduate of Perry Technical Institute’s Machining program, Steven has built his career through technical expertise, continuous learning, and leadership in precision manufacturing.

After beginning his career in tool and die manufacturing, Steven worked as a Tooling Machinist at Genie Industries, where he designed and built machining fixtures and weld fixtures that supported efficient production operations. He later returned to Yakima to join Pexco Aerospace, where he spent 17 years advancing from Machinist to Tool & Die Maker and ultimately Machine Shop Supervisor. Throughout his career, he has led teams, solved complex manufacturing challenges, and maintained high standards for quality and precision.

In 2020, Steven launched his own machine shop, continuing his commitment to craftsmanship and manufacturing excellence. As an AJAC instructor, he enjoys sharing the knowledge and practical skills he’s gained throughout his career, helping manufacturing employees build confidence, strengthen technical abilities, and succeed in today’s manufacturing environment.

Troy Ironmonger brings more than 30 years of journeyman-level machining and manufacturing experience to AJAC’s FAST Certificate Courses. His background spans conventional and CNC machining, precision grinding, welding, inspection, and a wide range of advanced machine shop operations, with a strong emphasis on high-tolerance, precision work.

Troy began his career working alongside his father at Precision Engineering Inc., where he built foundational machining skills over seven years. He went on to spend 20 years at Flow International Inc., where he specialized in high-pressure waterjet systems and lean manufacturing practices. He later founded and operated his own machine shop, producing precision components for a range of high-profile customers, including Blue Origin, Flow International, Quest Integrated, and Glowforge. Through this work, he developed deep expertise in prototype development, tooling, R&D support, and complex repair applications while also building and managing successful client relationships.

Since joining AJAC in 2018, Troy has dedicated his career to workforce development and apprenticeship training. He now brings his extensive hands-on manufacturing experience into the classroom, helping learners build practical machining knowledge and confidence. His focus is on translating real shop-floor experience into skills that manufacturing employees can immediately apply in their work.

In addition to his technical background, Troy holds certifications in CPR/First Aid/AED, Community Emergency Response Team training, and the Citizens Police Academy. He currently serves as Youth Pre-Apprenticeship Program Manager at AJAC, where he continues to support the next generation of manufacturing talent.

Jason Walker brings more than 25 years of experience across multiple sectors of the manufacturing industry, with expertise in machining, CNC programming, blueprint reading, precision measurement, prototyping, and lean manufacturing. Inspired by his father’s career as a machinist, Jason began his own manufacturing journey through a high school pre-apprenticeship program, where he developed the technical foundation that launched his career.

Throughout his career, Jason has worked in plastics manufacturing, precision machining, aerospace, and custom fabrication. His experience includes mold making, thermoforming, product design, prototyping, production manufacturing, and custom projects ranging from museum exhibits and point-of-sale displays to luxury yacht interiors, heavy equipment components, and advanced aerospace parts. This broad industry background gives him a practical understanding of the technical skills manufacturers rely on every day.

As an AJAC instructor, Jason is passionate about sharing his knowledge and helping others build confidence in manufacturing. He focuses on providing practical, hands-on instruction that prepares employees to apply technical skills safely, accurately, and effectively in the workplace.

Elliott Grantz is a Harborbridge instructor with experience supporting manufacturing operations and workforce development. At Boeing, he managed projects supporting factory operations and served as project manager for an enterprise initiative related to manufacturing and engineering operations. His work included Agile project management, project planning, risk and issue management, RFP processes, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.

Elliott brings this experience into his work as an instructor, helping leaders and teams strengthen communication, team engagement, and productive workplace cultures. His broader background includes process improvement, change management, stakeholder communication, training, and knowledge management. He holds a Master of Library & Information Science in Knowledge Management from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts from Mills College.

A Spokane Valley native, Jill grew up with an early connection to manufacturing through her father, who worked as a maintenance manager for a local manufacturer.

Jill has built upon her early exposure to the manufacturing industry and now supports leaders and teams through training and coaching in organizational leadership, management, communication, and team development. She serves as Lead Instructor for Gonzaga University’s Certificate in Foundational Leadership and has developed and facilitated leadership programming on topics including communication, mediation, ethics, team building, intercultural communication, facilitation, and leadership. 

Jill holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from St. Norbert College.

Rachel MacDonald, PhD, is an instructor and people-development leader with more than 20 years of experience in human resources, organizational leadership, and talent development. She spent five years at Fluke Corporation, a global manufacturer, where she designed and delivered leadership development programs for managers and engineering leaders. Her work included change management, team performance, psychological safety, employee development, and talent management, as well as a 12-week leadership development program for engineering leaders. 

Rachel brings extensive practical management experience to the classroom, including leading HR teams, workforce planning, performance management, employee relations, and developing new managers. At Fluke and other Fortive companies, she also designed training deployed across the enterprise and established partnerships with the Society of Women Engineers and Women in Manufacturing. She currently serves as an adjunct faculty instructor and course developer at Park University, teaching graduate-level courses in Organizational Leadership and Adult Learning.   Rachel holds a PhD in Business Administration and Management, a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management.

Scott Vinish is an instructor and maintenance and project management professional with more than 40 years of experience across manufacturing and industrial environments. His background spans maintenance planning, reliability, project and turnaround management, safety, quality assurance, and field execution. During his 30-year career at BP Cherry Point, Scott held roles in project management, turnaround planning, maintenance coordination, and reliability, working in complex, high-risk operating environments where safety, quality, and execution were critical. 

At Harborbridge, Scott draws on this extensive field experience to train frontline leaders in manufacturing and other industrial environments. He brings a practical, operations-based perspective to topics including safety leadership, communication, and leading teams in the field. His experience includes leading CMMS implementation across four manufacturing facilities, developing preventive maintenance programs, training maintenance, operations, and engineering teams, and integrating maintenance planning with production workflows. This combination of technical expertise and decades of frontline experience allows Scott to connect leadership concepts directly to the decisions and challenges supervisors face on the job.

Beena Patel is a training, Project & Change Management professional with 20+ years of experience helping people build capability, adopt new ways of working, and successfully navigate complex business and technology change. Experienced across technical, operational, and professional environments, with a strong ability to translate complex concepts into clear, practical, and engaging learning experiences.

Brings hands-on experience designing and delivering skills-focused training and capability-building programs, including a scalable technical certification program for engineers and international Train-the-Trainer programs. Experienced in facilitating groups, engaging diverse audiences, assessing readiness, and adapting communication and learning approaches to meet the needs of participants with different levels of experience and knowledge.

Her background includes complex operational environments spanning energy, supply chain and logistics, healthcare, and other service-based industries. At Chevron, her experience in global Supply Chain and Logistics included land, air, and sea transportation and journey mapping, providing firsthand exposure to interconnected operational processes and the people, technology, and workflows that support them. In Healthcare, it was understanding the commercial and operations processes that overlap to ensure proper meal trays are being prepared and taken to patients as per the doctor and dietician.

Her project management and change management experience adds a practical dimension to training—understanding how new skills, processes, tools, and behaviors fit into the broader work environment. She has worked extensively with engineers, technical professionals, operational teams, business stakeholders, and leaders, and has led initiatives from planning and readiness through implementation, training, adoption, and sustainment.

Prosci-certified with a B.S. in Psychology, Beena combines adult learning, facilitation, project discipline, and change management to create training experiences that are accessible, relevant, and applicable. Her approach is particularly well suited to focused, short-format training where participants need to gain useful knowledge and skills within a limited timeframe and understand how to apply what they learn in their work. Known for making complex subjects easier to understand, creating an engaging learning environment, and connecting learning to practical application.

Lory Guevara brings more than a decade of experience designing and delivering training programs that help employees understand, adopt, and excel in new processes, systems, and operational changes. Lory’s background in change management and instructional design has allowed her to develop clear, practical training programs — from hands-on, instructor-led sessions to eLearning modules and job aids — that meet people where they are and give them the confidence to perform with accuracy and consistency. She has trained diverse teams across utilities, technology, and financial services, always focusing on simplifying complex concepts and making learning engaging, accessible, and immediately useful.

Throughout Lory’s career, she has developed and facilitated training for frontline employees, technical teams, supervisors, and business stakeholders. She enjoys creating learning experiences that build confidence, strengthen job performance, and help individuals successfully apply new skills in their day-to-day work.

In manufacturing environments where precision, safety, and standardization are essential, she excels at breaking down workflows, identifying gaps, and designing training that strengthens performance. She has led process improvement initiatives, analyzed operational data, and built documentation that supports consistent execution in the field. Lory’s approach blends structure with clarity: She ensures employees understand not just what to do, but why it matters — creating stronger adoption, fewer errors, and more efficient operations. Lory is a Prosci-certified practitioner with a passion for helping teams adapt to change and build skills that elevate quality and productivity.

Tim Mather is an instructor, executive, and project management leader with more than 30 years of experience in technology, construction, professional services, and organizational transformation. Throughout his career, he has taught project management, project planning, scheduling, change management, leadership, and technology adoption to professionals, emerging leaders, and project teams. His teaching combines practical management experience with a strong commitment to helping people understand and apply complex project management concepts.
Throughout his career, Tim has designed and delivered project management, change management, leadership, and technology adoption training for project teams, technical professionals, emerging leaders, and business stakeholders. He is known for translating complex concepts into practical, actionable learning experiences that help participants build skills, improve performance, and successfully apply new tools, processes, and ways of working in real-world environments.

Tim brings extensive executive and operational experience to the classroom. He has held senior leadership roles in professional services and technology organizations, supported large infrastructure and utility programs, and advised executives responsible for complex capital improvement and technology modernization initiatives. Tim holds the Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP), Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Neuro Project Planning Qualification, PMI Built Environment Project Communication Professional, and PMI Built Environment Technology and Innovation Professional credentials. He completed postgraduate studies at the University of Chicago, including Project Management Strategy, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for Leaders, and Leadership Success and Team Optimization. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy from Michigan State University

Chythra Puttaraju is an engineering and program management professional with 15+ years of global experience across technical program delivery, project controls, quality management, and infrastructure. Her experience includes supporting complex programs for organizations including Boeing, Tesla, SpaceX, and Amazon.

She also brings formal teaching and training experience as a former engineering lecturer. Her instructional background includes Total Quality Management (TQM), engineering mechanics, surveying, safety management, quality management, project scheduling, and LEAN principles, providing strong relevance to manufacturing and engineering-focused training environments.

As both an engineering professional and educator, Chythra is passionate about helping technical and operational teams build practical skills that can be immediately applied in the workplace. Her training approach combines real-world examples, hands-on learning, and proven quality management principles to help participants strengthen problem-solving, improve performance, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Chythra combines her technical background with hands-on expertise in project and program management, scheduling, risk management, Earned Value Management, resource planning, procurement, and change control. She holds a Master’s in Structural Engineering, a Bachelor’s in Construction Engineering & Management, and an advanced Certificate in Construction Management from the University of Washington.