Emily Holliday began at Wake Tech in December 2014 and transitioned into her role as coordinator of eLearning Support in January 2017. She holds an undergraduate degree in information systems, as well as a master’s in business administration and a master’s in technology systems.

Emily has been teaching online via Blackboard and other platforms since 2008. Her teaching experience includes courses in computer applications, management information systems, leadership and social media. She enjoys technology and is always looking for new tools for online learning. She is EPIC certified and also has her Quality Matters Teaching Online Certificate and Quality Matters Peer Reviewer Certificate. Emily also serves on the Executive Board of the North Carolina Community College Association for Distance Learning (NC3ADL) as president.

Katie Surber joined Wake Tech in September 2019, first as an e-technologist and then an instructional designer. In 2023, she became coordinator of Instructional Design and, in 2025, the manager of Instructional Design and Development.

Prior to joining the Academic Technology and Support Services Department, Surber taught English for 15 years in the community college system. She holds a BA in English and Education, an MA in English Literature from East Tennessee State University and an M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technology from North Carolina State University.

Surber has decades of experience teaching and developing courses online for community colleges and universities. Through that experience, she developed a passion for supporting student success through engaging content and design using technology. She also has created professional development presentations on increasing diversity and equity in the classroom. As part of this research, she has worked with faculty to improve student engagement through culturally relevant pedagogy, recognizing equity barriers and increasing inclusivity in course materials. Most recently, she has been focused on student-centered learning in the age of AI.

Matt Kelly started with Wake Tech as an e-learning technologist in April 2023. He holds a graduate degree in multimedia technology, an undergraduate degree in digital design and an associate degree in computer science.

Prior to joining Wake Tech, Kelly was an instructor and administrator at Living Arts College. For many years, he served the Living Arts College community as an online and seated course multimedia instructor, LMS administrator and campus director, as well as many other roles. Throughout his career, he has developed a passion for student success and support and creative technology.

Jamie Purnell returns to Wake Tech after eight years in California, spearheading the creative implementation of educational technology with Cañada College, 2U, Glendale Unified School District and Stanford University.

In his previous work at Wake Tech, Purnell served on Staff Council, spearheaded the first technology implementation with College and Career Readiness, co-developed state technology academic learning standards and created an online pedagogy professional development workshop as part of a first-of-its-kind instructor certification program for the North Carolina Community College System.

When he is not at work, he is a published songwriter and children's book author, and he enjoys spending time with his wife and their dog, Oscar.

Patrick Tribble joined Wake Tech in 2003 as an instructor in the Information Technology Division, where he taught computer literacy and software application classes until 2018. He became an e-learning technologist in 2007 and has been providing online learning training and support at the college since then.

Tribble has a BA in History and Education from North Carolina State University and is a licensed professional educator. He is EPIC certified and has several industry certifications, including Quality Matters, Microsoft Office Master Specialist and IC3 Digital Literacy.

In addition to his regular duties, he is the Veteran's Club advisor and a Green Zone veteran's program representative at the college. He is a six-year Navy veteran who served aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Boston.

Lucy Hughes began her career teaching high school English in the North Carolina public school system for six years before joining Wake Tech as an English instructor, where she taught for five years. After working as a content writer, a professional Girl Scout and supporting the Teaching Fellows scholars at North Carolina State University, she is excited to return to Wake Tech as an instructional designer.

A former Teaching Fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill, Hughes earned a BA in English and Psychology. She also earned an M.Ed. in English Education via the Master Teacher Fellows program at Wake Forest University.

In her free time, she enjoys creating fiber art, seeing live music and spending time with her family. She looks forward to supporting faculty and staff in various areas, including translating research into practical strategies for neurodivergent learners.

Grace McDermott started at Wake Tech in 2023 as an Instructional Designer. She holds a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to joining the department, she taught high school English for eight years.

Nancy Mosley joined the department in 2022 after completing her MS in Learning Design and Technology online from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Prior to that, she taught high school students in Raleigh for more than 15 years with National Board Certification and an M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies from Wake Forest University. She also has a BA in Sociology and Journalism & Mass Communication (Visual) from UNC-Chapel Hill and does graphic design and public education advocacy on the side.

Sharron Rogers started with Wake Tech as an instructional designer in January 2015. She holds a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from North Carolina State University. She has more than 15 years of experience in education and instructional design. Prior to coming to Wake Tech, she worked as an eLearning specialist and a high school English teacher.

Erik Sugg started at Wake Tech during the summer of 2017. He was the instructional services librarian for the Scott Northern Wake and RTP campuses and served as an interim co-director for the SEP. In 2022, he transitioned to Academic Technology and Support Services and took on a new role as an instructional designer. He looks to build upon his collaborative relationships and to work toward creative and equitable solutions for faculty, staff and students throughout the Wake Tech community.