Our Team

Paula Resa
Executive Director

Paula Resa is the Executive Director for NWCI Training Centers in western Washington State. She has been a union carpenter for over 38 years working on a variety of job sites doing everything from concrete formwork to interior finish. Paula worked hard through her apprenticeship became a journey woman, teacher, signatory contractor, apprenticeship coordinator and training director.Read More

 

David Sanchez
Instructor

Dave Sanchez has been an interior systems carpenter 31 years. During his extensive career, he has been successful in the field as a journeymen and foreman for companies like PCS, PSI, Anning-Johnson and Gordon Brown specializing in exterior and interior framing. In the Northwest, his project highlights include Century Link, Convention Center, Fort Lewis and Boeing. Read More

          

Steve Anderson
Training & Technology Coordinator
Rachel Stevens
Accounting Specialist
 
Maria Yamaguchi
Program Specialist
Marianna Talbot
Outreach & Retention Coordinator

Marianna has been with NWCI for 12 years, starting at the front desk and working her way up through the ranks, finally becoming the Outreach coordinator in 2020. Her department establishes and maintains working relationships with industry partners, including contractors, state and local governmental agencies, labor organizations, schools, and non-profit organizations, to provide access opportunities to underserved and underrepresented populations in Washington. Her work includes writing and securing grant funding for Pre-Apprenticeship programs that prepare individuals interested in the carpentry trade by providing three weeks of basic skills training prior to entering the carpenters apprenticeship program. 

Rocio Vela

Rocio started with NWCI in March 2022 as the receptionist and Program Specialist for the Pile Driver apprenticeship. She enjoys working at the Kent Training Center because she's able to use her skills and knowledge as well as pushing herself in areas where she wants to improve. Outside of work, she enjoys the outdoors hiking, camping, kayaking, and fishing with her familia and amigos. 

Robert Bylsma
Instructor

Like many other carpenters, Robert began his construction career while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. He served in the Combat Engineer group for eight years before transitioning to a UBC carpenter, putting in 25 years in the Exterior-Interior Systems (EIS) specialty doing steel stud, drywall, and acoustical ceilings. Robert has extensive experience in shop fabrication and field installation of exterior metal cladding panels, especially Swiss Pearl composite panels. His experience also includes a three-year run (2006-2009) with the Southwest Carpenters Training Fund as an O.J.T. field instructor. Read More

Jack Hutchinson
Controller
Travis Dodson
Coordinator

Travis is the coordinator for Exterior - Interior Systems (EIS) and Piledrivers at the Kent training center, and coordinator for General Carpenter apprentices at the Renton training center, taking over for coordinator Cindy Gaudio who recently retired. Travis joined NWCI as a general carpentry and Piledriver instructor in 2021,  at both the DuPont and Kent training centers. Prior to working at NWCI, he was a general foreman for Kiewit on the Mud Mountain Dam project, and with various other contractors on heavy highway construction projects, where he worked his way up through the ranks.  

Travis Dodson
Coordinator

Travis is the coordinator for Exterior - Interior Systems (EIS) and Piledrivers at the Kent training center, and coordinator for General Carpenter apprentices at the Renton training center, taking over for coordinator Cindy Gaudio who recently retired. Travis joined NWCI as a general carpentry and Piledriver instructor in 2021,  at both the DuPont and Kent training centers. Prior to working at NWCI, he was a general foreman for Kiewit on the Mud Mountain Dam project, and with various other contractors on heavy highway construction projects, where he worked his way up through the ranks.  

Ben Lyberger
Instructor
 
Juanita Paz
Program Specialist
Brett Feaster
Instructor
Dustin Gregory
Coordinator

Dustin started his apprenticeship in 1998 in Renton, working his first 16 years with Kiewit Construction on projects like The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the 520 Floating Bridge, and the Hood Canal Bridge. After the 520 Bridge he decided to make a change and started to do Hospital Tenant improvement work and doors and hardware with companies like Sellen and Howard S. Wright. His proudest achievement is the safety record that he kept as a foreman.

Joe Crump
Instructor

Joseph Crump Instructs carpenter and scaffold classes at the Burlington Training center. Joe entered the carpenters’ apprenticeship in 1998, after four years working non-union, and received two journeyman certificates, one in carpentry, and one in scaffolding. His training includes instructor courses at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) International Training Center, where the UBC partners with Penn State University to ensure instructors receive training in methods of education and current industry practices and standards. Read More

Eric Torset
Instructor

Eric Torset has worked as a Carpenter for 28 years. He began in 1990 working in residential /commercial concrete doing flatwork and formwork rising to a foreman position in 3 years. After 5 years he then transitioned into residential /custom framing and excelled with his passion as a builder for 10 years. Working 15 years of non-union work, Eric moved into a journeyman position with the Carpenters union working for a local company building tilt-ups and formwork expanding into steel erections and siding/roofing. Read More

Greg Vanderwerff
Instructor
 
Kristen Holmes
Program Specialist
Dustin Gregory
Coordinator
Dustin started his apprenticeship in 1998 in Renton, working his first 16 years with Kiewit Construction on projects like The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the 520 Floating Bridge, and the Hood Canal Bridge. After the 520 Bridge he decided to make a change and started to do Hospital Tenant improvement work and doors and hardware with companies like Sellen and Howard S. Wright. His proudest achievement is the safety record that he kept as a foreman.
Heather Maldonado
Program Specialist
Dave Leon
Instructor

Dave Leon has been an interior systems carpenter for 35 years. He started his career as an apprentice and journeymen in the Southwest Region in 1983. From 1991-2006 Dave served as a journeyman, leadman, foreman and project supervisor in the Pacific Northwest for WPI, Western Partitions, GL Systems, Ledon Drywall and Firstline Systems INC. He returned to the Southwest in 2006 and became a lead On-the-Job Trainer for the Southwest Carpenters Training and Apprenticeship Program. In 2010 he returned to the greater Seattle area as a leader in the industry and began working as an instructor for the Northwest Carpenters Institute in 2014.  

Jesus Romero
Instructor
Jesus has been a Carpenter for 25 years and an instructor since November 2007. Becoming an instructor has been one of his proudest accomplishments. He specializes in General Carpentry and enjoys the opportunity to work outdoors doing what he has always wanted to do- Carpentry- while earning a living that allows him and his family to live a comfortable lifestyle. Some advice he gives his apprentices is; knowledge is power, keep your mind open to learning new skills and technologies and model leadership on the jobsite. Read More
Abraham Chavez
Instructor

Abe Chavez recently relocated from Kennewick, Washington to join the DuPont training center team, continuing his role as a general carpentry and rigging instructor. Abe also provides instruction for many of the skills-upgrade courses available at NWCI. 

David Jernigan
Instructor

David is a welding Instructor with over thirty years of experience, wo started welding in 1991 after graduating from the welding program at Lake Washington Technical College in 1993. He spent 15 years in Fab shops building everything from aerial ladder fire trucks to debris screens, conveyor belts, and grain towers, culminating in high end motors homes. In 2006 he went into welding sales and ended up traveling the country as a manufacturer’s representative doing welding and cutting demos and training at customer sites. David also worked outside sales for a major welding equipment supplier, and in 2016, looking to broaden his horizon, he joined the UBC under local 41 Interior Systems as an apprentice. 

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