Laurie Seeder

Laurie has her Master of Science in Management in Information Technology Management, Master of Science in Management in Information Technology Systems Security, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Information Technology, and her Associate of Applied Technology in Computer Specialist (Support). Laurie returned to college at the age of 39 and earned two master’s degrees in the span of eight years.

Throughout her career, she has earned numerous achievements including Magna cum Laude, Summa cum Laude, National Vocational - Technical Honor Society, and National Collegiate Business Merit Award.

Laurie is dedicated to making her community better by giving back in various ways. Her volunteer service includes Co-Coordinator: Patriot Railroad, United Truckers of America, Oregon Fire (national emergency organizations), Court Appointed Special Advocate 15th Judicial Court, Judge: Louisiana High School Speech League Tournaments, Judge: Louisiana Region VI Science and Engineering Fair, and Owen Reamer Excellence in English Award – Endowment – ULL.

Her service to her current employer, Louisiana State University Eunice, extends to include Bengal Day Events, Career Connections Events, High School Career Fairs, Judge: Speech and Drama District Rally – LSUE, Local Technical Industry Career Fairs, Summer Orientations, Tech Fairs and Business & Technology: A Bright & Progressive Future corroborated with Fred Landry, PhD. Laurie just received the Teaching Excellence Award for 2021-22 school year.

Laurie was born in Indiana, raised mostly in Illinois, but moved to Louisiana in 1978 and never looked back. Laurie is a pet mom to three dogs and one cat, whom she loves very much. Laurie is a United States Air Force Veteran where she served in multiple information and technology roles, including top-secret capacities. In her free time, Laurie enjoys taking her grandniece and nephews out for their birthdays, rock climbing, zip lining, reading, bike riding, archery, and cross stitching.

Deborah Crenshaw

Deborah Crenshaw teaches business and technology classes in the NISD Career and Technical Education program (CTE), grades 9-12, at Nacogdoches High School in Nacogdoches, Texas. With her strong background in Microsoft Office, she has successfully led numerous students to obtain the Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications to help prepare them to be both college and career ready.

Deborah graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Broadfield Business. She also has certifications in Speech and Early Childhood Education. Crenshaw served as CTE Department Head from 2018-2021 and has served as a New Teacher Mentor for several years. She has taught in the CTE Department at Nacogdoches High School for 23 years. Deborah has served on several committees for NHS, including the Student Health Advisory Committee, Prom, Project Graduation, and Homecoming. She received the Principal’s Award in May 2021.

Crenshaw has been a member of the Texas Business & Technology Educators Association (TBTEA) and was the Region 7 President for the organization from 2010-2011. She was Chairman of their Annual Cluster Conference at Stephen F. Austin State University in 2005 and was the TBTEA Teacher of the Year in 2005.

Deborah is a member of the Nacogdoches Branch of the American Association of University Women, (AAUW) and served as Vice President for Membership from 2020-2022. She will serve as Treasurer for AAUW for 2022-2023. She co-chaired the Expanding Your Horizons career event for middle school girls in February of 2022, which was sponsored by AAUW. Deborah was selected as Educator of the Year by the Nacogdoches Branch of AAUW in April 2022.

Jan Imhoff

Jan Imhoff has taught B&IT for over 25 years and has seen many changes in the curriculum. The classes that Jan teaches include Microsoft Office Academy, Employability Skills, Social Media Marketing, Sports & Entertainment for Business, and Personal Finance. One of the only good things about the pandemic is that it introduced her to the TestOut software for MS Office programs. TestOut changed her life and how she runs her Microsoft Office classes. She feels her students know the software better and her success rate for certification testing has increased significantly.

Other than teaching, Jan’s passion is FBLA. As the Portage FBLA Adviser, Jan has had over 150 National qualifiers, 9 National Champions, and 12 other Top Ten finishes at Nationals. This coming year Jan will be the adviser to the WI FBLA State President, her 12th State Officer.

Jan is a past winner of the WI Educators for Business & IT (WEBIT) Outstanding Early Educator Award, the WEBIT K-12 Outstanding Educator Award, and WEBIT’s Russell J Hosler Award for contributions to Business & IT Education. She was also named WI FBLA Adviser of the Year in 2009. Most recently in 2018, Jan was 1 of 100 teachers awarded the WI Herb Kohl Teacher Fellowship Award. In her free time, Jan likes to travel, spend time with family and friends, and is a fan of the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cubs, Food Network, and crime TV shows like NCIS and Chicago PD.

Meghan Burgin

Meghan Burgin has been passionate about education since she was young, always desiring that to be her career. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education from Rider University and a Masters in Teacher Leadership from Rowan University. In addition, she holds various certifications in Microsoft Office and through NextGen Personal Finance. She began her career as an educator in 2006 at Morris Hills High School in Rockaway, New Jersey and is now in her 16th year there. She has taught a variety of business courses during her tenure. Currently she teaches Digital Foundations, Personal Finance, and Microsoft Professional. In addition to her teaching duties, she is the co-advisor of the Student Government Association, and was the advisor of the Morris Hills Torch yearbook from 2012-2021.

Her passion for teaching came from those “aha” moments that she often witnessed both as a parent and educator. There is nothing quite like the pure joy that comes from seeing her children and students finally “get it”.  She has been privileged to witness many of those moments through using TestOut in her Microsoft Professional class this year.

Meghan is a wife and mother of two children, ages 8 and 5. They spend their time laughing, playing, and enjoying all of life's little pleasures. In her spare time, she enjoys running, hiking, and being outdoors in the warmer months.

Kelly O'Dell

Kelly O’Dell attended Ohio University obtaining her undergraduate degree in Law Enforcement / Criminal Justice. She worked for the Ohio Department of Youth Services after college and then for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

Kelly began to coach gymnastics at the age of 18. After getting married and having her third child in under five years, she and her husband decided she would be a stay-at-home mother, though coaching was still part of her life. About ten years later it was time for her to re-enter the workforce. However, she couldn’t imagine going back into the type of schedule she used to work. Since she had coached gymnastics for a large portion of her life, teaching and mentoring youth just seemed like a natural transition. She went back to school, obtaining a Master’s in Education and Workforce Development from Ohio State University. A teaching position allowed her to better align her schedule with those of her growing children.

As an outdoor enthusiast, she is passionate about helping youth overcome day-to-day challenges by finding confidence through outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, running, and rock climbing. And yes, she even occasionally teaches IT classes outdoors. Kelly is also an ultramarathon runner and a cross country coach. This summer she will participate in the Badwater 135.

Audra Yocom

Audra Yocom graduated from BYU with a B.S. in Technology & Engineering Education, and she is almost finished with her M.S. in IT Management from WGU. As a Computer Science and Information Technology educator at Pleasant Grove High School, she is always on the lookout for unique, meaningful experiences and opportunities to share with her students. 

Audra was inspired by her mother and both of her grandmothers to work in education. Gayle Judd, her maternal grandmother, was heavily involved with education throughout her life and was even state PTA president from 1981-1983. Beverly Yocom, her paternal grandmother, was a beloved lunch lady, working with students in a non-traditional, but vital, role. Lynne Yocom, Audra’s mother, is retiring from hourly teaching this year after 23 years at American Fork High School. The running joke in the family is how funny it is that Lynne graduated from PGHS and teaches at AFHS while Audra graduated from AFHS and now teaches at PGHS. 

In addition to her teaching job at Pleasant Grove High School, Audra is the Director of Technology Education for the Success in Education foundation, overseeing their Code to Success and Ken Garff Esports programs, both of which she has participated in as a teacher. Audra is excited to shape and build these programs for Utah students. http://ctsutah.org/ | https://kengarffesports.org/ 

Since 2018, Audra has also taught a few courses as an adjunct for Utah Valley University, including BMED 4300, Methods of Teaching Computer Science, a course that is part of their newly created “Computer Science Education” degree.

When not thinking about work, Audra is often playing fetch with her 10-year-old golden retriever, Ellie Tiger-Lily, and working on updating her grandparent’s 70-year-old house she purchased a few years ago. Audra’s accolades include NASEF Scholastic Fellow, 2021-2022, Teacher of the Year, Pleasant Grove High School 2020-2021, and Utah ACTE New Teacher of the Year 2018.

Eli Cochran

Eli Cochran currently teaches Cybersecurity to high school students at a local career center like the one he graduated from. Before that he was a regional manager at a business that provides digital courtroom recordings and A/V integration. He has also been employed in the financial industry, working with ATMs.

Eli has worked in Information Technology for 15+ years and has multiple certifications. He is an amateur radio operator (KD8RBH) and an Eagle Scout. He is the Director of Contest Judging at The National Robotics Challenge in Marion, Ohio and a technical volunteer for the Delaware County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

Eli is a resident of central Ohio along with his wife, son, and dog. He calls himself a geek! He is passionate about electronics, robotics, computers, and technology in general. He has always enjoyed making and modifying technology to do things it wasn’t intended to do.

Johnny Carrera

Johnny Carrera has worked in the IT field for 29 years. He started as a manufacturing engineer for National Instruments and later as a network administrator at a school district in San Antonio, TX. After mentioning to the principal that they should start an IT program, he was thrown into what became a 12-year teaching career at Holmes High School and then six years as a teacher for Rackspace’s Open Cloud Academy. Johnny is known for special passion and charisma that motivates and inspires underprivileged students to get certified and pursue jobs in IT. He consistently had classes with 100% pass rates on in-demand IT certifications as well as numerous students getting hired for high paying IT jobs out of high school. Johnny joined TestOut this year as an Instructional Designer.

Brandon Grace

Brandon Grace has been teaching at the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, TX for the past 10 years. During his time at the ATC, Brandon has taught Computer Maintenance, Networking, Computer Technician, Practicum in Information Technology, Photography, and Audio Video Production. Brandon has also taught PC Hardware for South Plains College.

Other positions Brandon has held throughout his teaching career are Campus Technology Leader, SkillsUSA Texas District 3 Director, Secretary/Treasurer for the Texas Industrial Vocational Association (TIVA), President-Elect for TIVA, and he is currently President of TIVA. He has presented at numerous National Conferences including the TestOut Experience Conference in 2019. Brandon’s dedication to his students and to Career and Technical Education has led him to be a true advocate for CTE programs in Texas and across the nation.

In his free time, Brandon plays guitar, SCUBA dives, and is a BBQ Pitmaster for a competition BBQ team. He also enjoys watching movies and traveling around the state of Texas and the nation. Brandon is an avid sports fan, rooting for his Texas Tech Red Raiders and working as a producer, director, and camera operator for Texas Tech Sports Broadcasting, ESPN, and Fox Sports.

Joseph Marnell

Joseph Marnell is the Administrator of Information Systems and Facilities and an Adjunct Instructor for Wayland Baptist University in Lubbock, Texas. He received a Ph.D in Cybersecurity from Nova Southeastern University, an MA in Homeland Security and Emergency Management and an MBA/MISM both from Wayland Baptist University, as well as a BBA/CIS from Eastern New Mexico University.

Dr. Marnell has spearheaded the successful Cybersecurity program at Wayland using TestOut courses. The university recently reported a 96% success rate of students passing TestOut certifications.

Prior to pursuing a career in cybersecurity, he worked in the aviation and restaurant industries, owning 8 different restaurants. He is an advanced private pilot and a 2nd Lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol. He volunteers with the Lubbock County FEMA, the Red Cross, and Emergency Mgt and Disaster Recovery within the Dept of Public Safety. He has enjoyed directing the Christmas Show at Wayland Baptist University for 22 consecutive years. He also loves skydiving, scuba diving, and parasailing, especially in Acapulco!

Dr. Marnell is active at Lubbock Church on the Rock. He serves on the MCWE Board of Elders and has earned a certificate of ordination. One of his goals is to be involved in the Fly Global Missionary Project.

Joseph was born in Detroit, Michigan, in what he describes as a tough neighborhood. As a teenager, he believed there was no hope or possibility for furthering his education. Now as a University Instructor and Administrator, he helps countless students reach their own educational goals.

Dana Fellows

Dana Fellows has taught IT and computer networking courses to over 1,000 students in both high school and college in the state of Illinois. Always enjoying staying busy, he has maintained a dual career, working as a system administrator along with his teaching career and now working as an Instructional Designer for TestOut. His education highlights include a MS in Instructional Technology, MA in Education Leadership and numerous IT certifications such as MCSE, CompTIA A+, Server+, Network+, and Certified Ethical Hacker. He has received multiple awards over his teaching career, but he feels his biggest rewards of all is seeing his students, current and former, succeed and grow professionally.

Ken Sardoni

Ken Sardoni is a passionate IT educator with a distinguished career in higher education and the IT industry. Prior to TestOut, he held executive management IT positions at Oracle and Steton Technology Group. Additionally, he held leadership, curriculum development, and faculty appointments at the University of Denver and the University of Phoenix, where he is currently an adjunct instructor and faculty council member. His current role at TestOut is to guide course development teams as they create TestOut's training products. He combines his extensive experience in tech and education to create products that help students gain skills that they can use to pass industry certification exams and qualify for careers in the IT industry. He holds a master's degree in computer information systems from the University of Denver and a bachelor's degree in computer science from BYU.

John Diaz Jr.

John Diaz Jr is from Texas City, Texas, which is in the heart of refinery country and 45 minutes south of Houston. He graduated from Southwest Texas State with a B.B.A. in Marketing. He has had jobs in retail, warehousing, sales, logistics, and customer service before deciding to obtain his alternative certification in Career and Technology education. In 2003, John started teaching business management and business computer information systems courses at a business career high school in the Northside ISD in San Antonio, Texas. He has served as a Career and Technical Teacher and Curriculum Instructional Technologist for Northside ISD for 19 years and earned a Master’s in Instructional Technology from Walden University along the way.

Currently, he teaches Principles of Information Technology and Internetworking Technologies I and II at the Northside School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (NSITE) Magnet School. In addition, he manages the Pearson Vue Testing Center, is the Open Division CyberPatriot Sponsor, and provides coaching and guidance in the IT Division competitions with Business Professionals of America. In April, John was selected as the Northside ISD High School Teacher of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year. John credits his online PLCs for helping him grow as a cybersecurity teacher.

When John is not working, he can be found sitting on a bench, cheering on his daughter on the volleyball court, hanging out with his son, or taking walks with his wife and dog Aero. John and his wife of 23 years are both in education and look forward to traveling to Florida and spending time with family this summer.

Michael Olsen

Michael Olsen is the current manager of content development for TestOut’s Office courses. Previously, he has worked as both an instructional designer in the corporate sector, and taught a variety of high school courses, including German, photography, and computer programming. Other interests include backpacking, photography, and writing.

Sammy VanHoose

Dr. Sammy VanHoose has been teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in Management Information Systems at Wayland Baptist University for the past 20 years. He received his Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology in 2008 from Texas Tech University. He earned his Master of Business Administration (MIS) in 2000 from Wayland Baptist and his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) in 1977 from the University of New Mexico. He has been interested in education most of his life.

Dr. VanHoose retired from the United States Navy with the rank of Lieutenant after 22 years of both enlisted and commissioned service. While he was on active duty in the Navy’s Electronics School, he certified as a student instructor and held make-up classes for those students who needed extra help. After military retirement, he opened a computer repair shop in Lubbock, TX. That decision led him to the Hale Center Independent School District, where he convinced the superintendent that he needed a full-time Technology Director.

After 5 years of teaching high school students how to build and troubleshoot computers, as well as build networks, Dr. VanHoose became an adjunct faculty member at Wayland Baptist University in 2000, teaching introductory courses in Networking and Computer Hardware. He became a full-time assistant professor in 2002, teaching Management Information Systems.

Dr. VanHoose, Dr. Joseph Marnell, and Dr. Dave Unfred, all of whom met at different times during their education and now all teach at Wayland, have collaborated on their courses and, to date, have re-vamped 11 courses to be taught with TestOut.

Dr. VanHoose is married with two children and enjoys leather craft, as well as making knives and knife handles. He has his own forge and his interest has expanded into other types of metal craft. He’s a woodworker and dabbles in silver and copper smithing as well. He collects firearms, mostly long guns and pistols, and enjoys membership in the NRA(National Rifle Association), the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), the American Legion, the MOAA (Military Officers Association of America), and the SASS (Single Action Shooting Society). He chooses to support the Wounded Warriors charity and, because his grandson is a cancer survivor, the St. Jude Foundation.

Craig Jenkins

Craig Jenkins currently leads the IT course production teams here at TestOut.

Prior to joining Testout, Craig served on active duty with the US Navy at the Headquarters for Naval Nuclear Propulsion. After leaving active duty, he spent 18 years working for Novell in various capacities. It was there that he discovered his love for teaching and computer training and became certified to teach as a Master Certified Novell Instructor (MCNI). He has been involved in computer education ever since.

His education highlights include a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MEA in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He is also a graduate of the Navy’s prestigious Bettis Reactor Engineering School and the Army’s Command and General Staff College. He continued to serve in the National Guard and Army Reserve where he had the pleasure of teaching many of the Army’s future leaders. He retired as a Colonel after serving 30 years.

He is a married father of five children and two granddaughters. He loves to kayak local lakes and rivers. He and his family visit National Parks every chance they get.

Namon Bills

After getting an MFA in Painting, and working for 4 years in the newspaper industry, Namon Bills discovered UX/UI design. He worked in an agency setting for 9 years, designing web and mobile apps for clients, and then joined TestOut in 2020.

Namon loves teaching, having taught for 5 years as adjunct faculty at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. TestOut allows Namon to combine his passions for design and education. He loves interacting with teachers, learning about their experiences, and applying that knowledge to his design work.

Outside of work, he volunteers for his church, spends time with his wife and two children, and occasionally puts that MFA to use by doing some painting.