Our Team

Executive Director & Principal Investigator
Andrew McMahan

Andrew has spent the past 20 years engaged in environmental and energy related workforce development at Central Carolina Community College in North Carolina. During this time, he has held roles as full-time instructor, curriculum developer, Department Chair, and Director of a statewide Energy Curriculum Improvement Project (CIP) for the North Carolina Community College System.  Andrew also serves as a Co-Principal Investigator for the Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE) led by Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin. Andrew is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in Environmental Policy & Planning.

Associate Director & Immersive Ed Design Team Lead
Josh Webb

Josh has a diverse background in managing technical projects, with a focus on developing training solutions through immersive technology. In his previous role as a program manager, he led efforts in XR development, training the next generation of content developers using cutting-edge immersive technologies. Now, as the Associate Director of the EARTh Center, Josh oversees the Center's professional services and leads the Immersive Ed Design Team. His team develops impactful educational resources and training solutions tailored to 2-year technician programs, ensuring that community college educators and students have access to innovative, real-world applications in environmental technology education.

Co-Principal Investigator
Brian Ritter

Brian has been in higher education since 2002, serving as conservation and biology faculty, working with various NSF initiatives, including serving as the Co-Principal Investigator of the EARTh Center. Since 2007, Brian has served as the Executive Director of Nahant Marsh Education Center, in Davenport, IA. Brian works with local, regional, and national partners to advance environmental careers and training. As part of an LSAMP Alliance, Brian developed an undergraduate research program at Nahant Marsh in 2012 that focuses on getting community college students engaged in immersive undergraduate research experiences. 

Co-Principal Investigator
Kirk Laflin

Kirk is the Executive Director of the National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE), a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmental, health, safety, and energy education through partnerships with community and technical colleges, industry, and government. PETE supports a network of over 300 colleges nationwide and is affiliated with the American Association of Community Colleges. It is also a strategic partner in Central Carolina Community College's NSF-funded EARTh Center.

As Executive Director, Mr. Laflin oversees fundraising, project facilitation, and grant management, with current projects including grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the U.S. Department of Transportation. He previously served as Regional Director of Northeast PETE and has over 40 years of experience in environmental technology training, technical assistance, and nonprofit management. Before joining PETE, he was the Director of the New England Interstate Environmental Training Center at Southern Maine Community College.
 

Project Manager
Tiffany Breindel

Tiffany’s past career adventures include over 8 years of project management and development in private industry before she decided to pursue a degree in Sustainable Technologies, which led to her involvement with the EARTh Center. Tiffany is excited to bring her experience in program development, project management, and event coordination to the EARTh Center team. As a past community college student, creating resources and opportunities for community college educators is a passion for her, especially being able to pair this passion with environmental and climate advocacy through the programs and environmental technician training that the EARTh Center supports. 
 

Instructional Designer
Elizabeth Slagle

Elizabeth is an instructional designer with a passion for blending education and industry together, creating online learning experiences for students and professionals alike. She received her masters degree in Adult Education with a graduate certification in Educational Technology and Design while also working for North Carolina State University. The past 5+ years Elizabeth has been working in her field with Mary Baldwin University and Lancaster Bible College, before arriving in her position with the EARTh center. Elizabeth is a published educational author and editor, and with the EARth center she serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Advanced Technological Education.
 

3D Technical Artist
Justin Chenoweth
 
A dedicated 3D artist with 7+ years of experience, Justin has collaborated with the same talented team across diverse companies and schools. Their passion lies in crafting immersive digital environments that ignite curiosity and facilitate learning. They have shared their expertise by teaching 3D modeling at institutions like  City University of New York, University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, as well as internationally at the Cyberpark in Dominican Republic.
 

3D Technical Artist
Dan Dennison

Dan Dennison is a Technical 3D Artist specializing in XR development, currently contributing to the EARTh Center's mission of advancing environmental technology education. With a focus on creating immersive 3D learning experiences, Dan Dennison blends creativity with technical expertise to develop innovative solutions for community college instruction and industry simulations. A strong collaborator, Dan Dennison works with multidisciplinary teams and industry partners to ensure that educational resources are both cutting-edge and grounded in real-world applications, with a focus on environmental technician training and immersive education.
 

Senior Software Developer
Robert Gillespie

Robert came to his current occupation through a circuitous route–one that took him through graduate studies in English Literature before veering into a postgrad career change and depositing him into the world of software engineering.  There, he has specialized in writing and designing code that connects the sphere of web development and networking to the sphere of games and simulations, striving to leverage the boundless synergies between them both.

The journey included a bit of time spent developing augmented and virtual reality applications for headset, mobile and WebGL sim platforms for Eon Reality and Eastern Iowa Community College, as well as a brief stint as the Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Senior Application Developer.  He is thankful that it has now led him to the exceptional opportunity to move into his current role at the EARTh Center and work with its tremendously talented team. 

Software Developer
Richard Gillespie

Richard is a multifaceted developer with over half a decade of experience working on extended reality(XR) and traditional applications. Before he began his role in software engineering, he held a variety of different positions at all levels within product development. Ultimately he found himself captivated by the creative ideas and unique problem solving that goes into creating a piece of software. While his formal educational background was in communications and media production, he decided to go back to school to receive a programming diploma. Soon after an opportunity presented itself through the EON academy pipeline to pursue his dream of working in software development full-time. Bringing this uniquely informed perspective to software design, he is grateful to have the opportunity to work with the talented team at the EARTh Center to create applications that will educate, motivate and cultivate a similar innovative spark.
 

Software Developer
Marco Castel

Marco is a versatile Software Developer with a focus on XR development, playing a key role in the EARTh Center's efforts to enhance environmental technology education. Drawing on skills in programming, 3D modeling, animation, and art, they craft immersive learning experiences that bridge education and real-world applications. Starting as an intern from 2019 to 2024, they are driven by a passion for learning from peers and growing through collaboration. Their aim is to leverage both creative and technical expertise to contribute to innovative projects that make a meaningful impact in immersive education and environmental awareness.
 

Grant Accountant and Compliance Officer
Alicia Surratt

Alicia brings a wealth of experience from her background in banking, where she developed strong skills in financial reporting, budgeting, and compliance management. In her current role as a Grants Accountant with CCCC, she leverages her banking expertise to oversee grant funds and ensure adherence to financial regulations.

Alicia is particularly enthusiastic about her work with the EARTh grant, collaborating with sub-awardees and participants on the financial aspects to drive impactful outcomes. Her commitment to supporting sustainable initiatives and fostering strong relationships will be key in her role, and she looks forward to contributing to the success of the EARTh project.