Meet the Team

The CCC Workforce Education Department is a team of learning professionals with more than 30 years of experience and expertise!

Tyre Bush

Tyre is our Senior Director of CCC's Workforce Education Department and brings with her more than 25 years of experience in higher education. Tyre is focused on coordinating and expanding our Open Enrollment options; guiding the efforts of our Program Coordinators as they seek to better serve our region's companies, agencies, and businesses with their training needs; and developing the Prison Education Program. Recently, Tyre led one of our six teams for Middle States accreditation and was just selected for the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Professional Service.

Amber Cloke

Amber is our Program Coordinator and has more than 10 years of experience working in higher education, primarily in academic advising and career coaching. She is responsible for managing customized corporate training for businesses within the healthcare, financial, hospitality, and retail sectors in our area. Amber also coordinates our WE department marketing, and specifically, social media marketing by sharing tips, upcoming courses, and so much more. Follow us on Facebook & Instagram to find out what’s new, what’s coming, and what’s happening within our Workforce Education Department!

Ericka Lehman

Ericka is our Program Coordinator and has more than 23 years of experience in local advertising, marketing, and new business development in the radio and broadcast television industry in Southern Tier New York and Northern Tier Pennsylvania. Currently, she is responsible for customized corporate training for businesses within the Advanced Manufacturing, Government, Construction and Transportation sectors within our area. Ericka also helps coordinate our WE department marketing, social media marketing on LinkedIn, and any updates or changes on our Workforce Education website.

Nancy Riesbeck

Nancy is our Office Manager for Academic and Workforce Development Center (Elmira Center) and Airport Corporate Park locations as well Administrative Assistant to the Director of Workforce Education. Nancy has more than 33 years of experience working for SUNY CCC, working in a variety of departments and joining our Workforce Education Department in June 2007. She assists with the open enrollment process, adjunct pay processing, facilities management, and room rentals at both locations.

bellinger1 Mark Bellinger

Meet Mark Bellinger, the Workforce Education Welding Instructor and Program Coordinator. Most of Mark's life has revolved around welding and fabrication in one way or another. Running welders and working with metal since he was a kid. Mark's desire to weld as a professional started when he was young, with one of his earliest memories being of his dad putting sparklers in the stinger of their old stick welder, letting Mark copy him to pretend he was welding. Around age 13, Mark started off sticking every scrap piece of metal he could find together to modifying bicycles and lawn tractors. Since then, Mark's passion, skills, and understanding of this field has only grown and continues to grow. To now possessing many qualifications through AWS. Welding/fabrication is an art that can always be improved on, and Mark thrives on chasing perfection and expressing his creativity through metal. Mark's favorite welding process would easily be TIG. Particularly on alloys like aluminum, stainless and titanium. - Mark is known to be quiet and introverted. Some may wonder why he's in this role. Throughout his entire academic journey, Mark has rarely been a fan or enjoyed the way his previous teachers have taught. Mark strayed away from “formal” and take a more casual approach. Adopting one-on-one training as much as possible. Mark tries to bring a relaxed and refreshing experience to subject learning. Transferring his own knowledge to those with the willingness to learn, knowing that he has impacted a person’s life through his words and skills is an awesome feeling. Leaving fun life long memories for not only himself, but his students. Similar to those who may remember their own old high school shop teacher. Mark takes great pride in shaping the best preforming and employable welders possible. Some of Mark's hobbies include restoring and modifying classic vehicles, racing dirt bikes, hanging out with his German Shepherd, and spending time with his people.

kellogg Jason Kellogg

Jason Kellogg is our Director of Automotive Technology with over 7 years of experience in higher education, 22 years of automotive experience, and is a current ASE Master and GM World Class Technician. Jason is responsible for our Automotive Certificate Program at our Airport Corporate Park location at focused on hybrid and electric vehicles with the support of area dealerships and service centers. Jason is also an Assistant Professor who will be teaching a majority of the automotive classes.

Gary Saunders

Gary Saunders is our Manufacturing Technician Program Director with over 30 years of experience in the advanced manufacturing sector. Gary is responsible for developing, continuously updating and growing the Manufacturing Technician Program along with the Battery Academy Program. These programs will teach our Workforce Education students subjects commonly used in manufacturing as well as Battery Storage Technology. This knowledge will help students enter the local advanced manufacturing industry with the skills necessary for success.

mcgee Wendy McGee

Meet Wendy McGee our Success Coach for our Automotive Technology Program bringing with her over 20+ years of experience in Education and most recently as the Admissions Recruiter for the Adult Learner population here at SUNY CCC. Wendy works closely with the community in identifying the needs within the Automotive Industry. Wendy recruits students who have a passion for auto, working closely with them to ensure successful internships with the ultimate goal of finding gainful employment at dealerships and service centers.

derico Nicholas "Nick" DeRico

Nick DeRico is our Manufacturing Technician Program Recruiter. Nick brings a diverse background in education, social work, and technology support to his role as Manufacturing Tech and Battery Storage Recruiter. With a B.S. in Psychology and an A.A. in Elementary Education, as well as his ongoing pursuit of a M.S. in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, Nick’s professional journey encompasses roles such as High School Prevention Support Specialist at CASA Trinity, where he implemented tailored drug and alcohol prevention programs and facilitated support groups for underserved youth. Nick also spent 3 years teaching high school AP Psychology, Sociology,World History,Special Education, and he also served as a Remote Business Continuity Disaster Recovery Expert. Nick is leveraging his multifaceted work experience into his current role, where he is recruiting and building local industry relationships for potential future program opportunities.

Rusty Hauptman

Russell (Rusty) Hauptman is the Assistant Director of the Southern Tier Law Enforcement Academy. Rusty is a 1984 graduate of Horseheads High School. He first became interested in law enforcement while attending summer classes at SUNY Corning Community College on Goff Road while attending SUNY Fredonia full-time in the late 1980s. He was hired by the Elmira Heights Police Department hired in January of 1997 and attended session 14 of the Southern Tier Law Enforcement Academy (STLEA) at CCC’s Goff Road Criminal Justice complex.

Prior to becoming a police officer, Hauptman worked plain-clothes security for local retail and uniformed security at the Arnot Ogden Medical Center, while also working at Schweitzer Aircraft, Chemung County 911, and as a driver for the Elmira Heights Fire Department.

Since retiring from the Elmira Heights Police Department in May of 2018, Hauptman has served as the Assistant Director of the Southern Tier Law Enforcement Academy, teaching many different blocks of instruction and coordinating classes and instructors for the many required classes for the Basic Police Course, Supervisor School, and other in-service courses.

Over the past 32 years, Hauptman has held many titles in both the police and fire services. Hauptman has held the following police titles:

Patrolman (1997-2002) - Basic Police School STLEA at CCC Session 14 graduate (July 1998)
Police Sergeant (2002-2016) - Supervisor School STLEA at CCC (March 2003)
Police Chief (2016-2018)

Certifications & Responsibilities

NYS Bike Officer
General Topics Instructor
Grant Writing Coordinator
Juvenile Law Day Coordinator
IMPACT Records Management Coordinator
Radar/Lidar Operator
Breath Test Operator
Payroll Coordinator
Scheduling Coordinator
Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Presenter
Strong Kids/Safe Kids
Fire Department Open Houses

stewart Zachary Stewart

Zachary Stewart is a native of Elmira, New York. He received an A.A.S. in Criminal Justice from SUNY Corning Community College and attended Session 13 of the Southern Tier Law Enforcement Academy (STLEA) in 1997.

Stewart began his law enforcement career with the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office where he worked in the Corrections and Patrol Divisions. Stewart then worked for the Village of Horseheads Police Department and finally for the City of Elmira Police Department. While employed in these agencies, Stewart held positions in patrol, criminal investigations, the drug enforcement unit, SWAT, and as a supervisor. Stewart retired as an Acting Captain from the Elmira Police Department in July of 2022.

While employed full-time in law enforcement, Stewart returned to college and obtained a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Keuka College and a Master of Justice Administration from Norwich University.

Certifications

General Topics Instructor
Master Instructor
Firearms Instructor
RADAR/LIDAR Instructor
Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor
Field Training Officer
Clandestine Laboratory Technician
Clandestine Laboratory Site Safety Officer
Forensic Interviewing
Evidence Technician