Professional, Technical & Community Education

Computer Workshops

Connie Stonebraker is a certified Master Microsoft Office User Specialist with 14 years of training experience.

Maggie Frericks has operated QuickBooks for the past 5 years and is a certified Master Microsoft Office User Specialist.

Sara Narramore has a masters in Education with an emphasis in Instructional Technologies ad a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Digital Design from American Intercontinental University, and a Web Design Certificate from WWCC. She uses Photoshop on a daily basis and has taught InDesign and Illustrator. Sara has been creating designs for people for the last ten years, and has created Web pages, advertisements, logos, and much more.

Carla Hester-Croff has over 17 years Information Technology industry experience in PC software/hardware installation, support, computer training, soft skill training, training documentation, network programs and programming.  She has taught for such companies as Unisys, US Sprint, Department of State and the Department of Justice US Attorney’s Office.  Carla also has 6 years of teaching at the college level for Computer Science/Information Technology.

Medical Training

Larry Macy, NREMT-P is a owner of Sweetwater Medics and has been in the medical field for over 15 years. In 2008 he took a position as a Safety Specialist for a construction company in the oil and gas Industry. He has presented at conferences in several states and is certified to train in a wide variety of courses.

Jo Suftko is certified by The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) as a Phlebotomy Instructor and is currently President of SST-Testing+Inc.  She is also registered with American Medical Technologists (AMT) as a Certified Allied Health Instructor.

Becky Tanner is a Certified State of Wyoming EMT-B and Certified Collector.  She has been in the medical field for over six years and is certified to train in a wide variety of courses.

Sunny Thomas, BSN, RN is an instructor of Nursing at Western Wyoming community College. She holds TNCC, BLS, ACLS, PALS certifications. Sunny continues to be engaged in nursing at MHSC in the ER 2-3 days a month, despite a full-time teaching load.

Safety & Environment Training

Paul Johnson has over 16 years of maintenance, plant operations and oil & gas experience.  He also has considerable experience developing customized training programs for industry and holds a Bachelor degree in Industrial Tech Education. 

Myra Peak has taught industrial safety, chemistry and environmental science for WWCC and has a masters in soil chemistry from Purdue University.

Jerry Mignerey Sr. has 15 years safety experience in the oilfield and mining industry. He has 4 years of experience in accident investigations as Loss Prevention Team Leader and 2 years experience teaching Circadian Rhythms for Schlumberger Well Services.

Allen Strand has 28 years experience in both the oilfield and the mining industry. Twelve years on Solvay’s surface rescue team, and several certifications on equipment operations and safety related programs.

Robert James has 17 years experience in the transportation industry with 7 years in the safety field.  He has 12 years in the oil and gas industry and has certifications in safety related fields including some safety training while in the military.

Industrial Application Courses

Mark Winkel worked in the mining industry for 8 years as a production and maintenance Foreman and a maintenance engineer.  He possess an additional 4 years of experience in the oil and gas industry as well as the heavy construction industry.  He has a BS Degree in Engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer.

Bret Prine worked for General Motors Heavy Equipment Division for 5 years as a mechanic and service representative. He has Bachelor of Science Degrees in Industrial Technology Education with certification in Mechanics, and in Earth Science with a Physics minor. He has instructed for WWCC for the past 14 years.

Gena Moser-Clark has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a Bio option from the University of Wyoming. She is also a Level I Certified Infrared Thermographer. She worked for FMC for nearly 15 years and was Kemmerer Coke Plant’s first Electrical Engineer, first female engineer, and became their first female foreman.  Gena's held many positions with FMC including Electrical Maintenance Engineer, Preventative Maintenance Engineer, Maintenance Coordinator, Production Coordinator, and Maintenance Planner.  She began teaching the Electrical Apprenticeship for the college and realized she wanted to change careers and teach full time as WWCC's Instrumentation Instructor.

Joe Uriarte is one of WWCC's newest team members and has worked for an oil & gas service company as a well logging engineer where he trained operators and other new engineers. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and several Associate degrees in Industrial/Mine maintenance and Plant Operations from WWCC.

Lou Flaim came to Western in the Fall of 2007. His work history includes twenty seven years with the Questar family of companies starting with Mountain Fuel Supply Company. He held various engineering positions related to natural gas measurement and controls, pipeline systems design, and corrosion control/cathodic protection of pipelines owned and operated by Questar Pipeline and Questar Gas Companies. He earned a BS degree in Biology, from the University of Utah and an MBA degree from NOVA Southeastern University.

Originally from Oregon, Gerry Aust, attended college at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where he received a BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas and then University of Wyoming where he received an MS in Mechanical Engineering.  Gerry’s career was mostly spent at the Jim Bridger Power Plant as an engineer managing projects, programming computer applications and other duties as assigned.  He also worked as a field engineer on oilfield and municipal controls projects.

Les Punches is an American Welding Society Certified Welding Educator and Inspector with considerable industry experience. He performs weld testing according to various codes and has been teaching welding at WWCC for 15 years.

Professional Development Seminars

Jennifer Allen has a Master of Science in e.business with her Bachelor of Science in Communication & Mass Media.  She is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Office Information Systems for WWCC and is also a certified DDI Instructor.

Sara Narramore has a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Digital Design from American Intercontinental University, and a Web Design Certificate from WWCC. She uses Photoshop on a daily basis and has taught InDesign and Illustrator. Sara has been creating designs for people for the last ten years, and has created Web pages, advertisements, logos, and much more.

Lu Sweet has been a teacher, coach and administrator for over 20 years.  She has her master's in Athletic Administration and her doctorate in Educational Administration.

Law Enforcement Training

Traci Ciepiela is the Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at WWCC and has 10 years of law enforcement experience, a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice & is Certified by the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Death.  She holds numerous other certifications in the areas of self-defense, traffic stops, is an expert at media relations, community policing, and recently was selected by the Department of Homeland Security to Instruct Prevention Methods for Suicide Bombing attacks.  She is also a nationally certified hostage negotiator and a Wyoming State Representative for the International Association of Hostage Negotiators.