RALEIGH, N.C., October 20, 2026 – Wake Tech Community has joined the Alliance of Future Makers (AFM), a national innovation initiative launched by Austin Community College District (ACC) to shape the future of higher education. The Alliance brings together educators, administrators, industry leaders, and students to co-create strategies that prepare students for an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.

Wake Tech is one of 17 institutions with 72 individual participants across the cohort to learn foresight methods, experiment with innovative approaches, and apply future-focused strategies across institutions and industries. The Alliance of Future Makers, developed through ACC’s Office for the Future, brings members together monthly to identify emerging trends, develop scenarios, and design solutions that anticipate the needs of students, colleges, and communities.

Led by Dr. Monique Reeves, ACC’s Executive Vice Chancellor for the Future, the Alliance offers unique cohort tracks for college and university presidents and CEOs, administrators and department chairs. The initiative will culminate in spring 2027 with the 2nd Annual Summit of Future Makers, where members will showcase future-ready models for higher education and workforce development.

“The jobs of tomorrow will require new skills, new technologies and new approaches to education,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. “Through the Alliance of Future Makers, Wake Tech is helping shape workforce training that keeps pace with change and prepares students and employers for what’s next.”

Representing Wake Tech for 2026-27 are:

President/CEO Circle

Dr. Scott Ralls

Administrator Cohort

Monica Gemperlein, Associate Vice President for Workforce Development and Chief Continuing Education Officer

Dr. Jonathan Vester, Associate Chief Information Officer

Fellows Cohort

Cindy Lutrell, Dean of Information Technology

Dr. Hessam Ghasemmi, Associate Professor and Program Director, Mechanical Engineering

Beth Ihnatolya, Director of Civil Engineering and Geomatics Technology Programs

Dr. Mike Nicholson, Biotechnology Instructor

Jim Matlock, Assistant Professor of Computer Programming

“This is not a conversation for later. It’s a call for leaders, innovators, and educators to step into the work now,” says Dr. Reeves. “By joining the Alliance, you become part of the community that will decide what higher education looks like in 2030 and beyond and ensure that it continues to serve students, employers, and society in ways that matter.”

For more information about the Alliance of Future Makers, visit austincc.edu/afm. 

About Wake Tech: Wake Tech is North Carolina’s largest community college, serving more than 76,000 adults annually across nine campuses and training sites throughout Wake County, as well as through a comprehensive array of online learning options. The college offers more than 250 associate degrees, diplomas and certificates that prepare students for university transfer or immediate employment, along with short-term workforce training, public safety education and training, customized corporate training, small-business support and adult education programs.

About the Alliance of Future Makers: The Alliance of Future Makers, launched by Austin Community College District’s Office for the Future, is a national network of educators, industry leaders, and futurists committed to reimagining higher education. Through collaborative foresight, innovation, and design, AFM equips institutions to anticipate change, build agility, and prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving world.

About ACC: Austin Community College District is a nationally recognized two-year college serving Central Texas. The college is focused on student success and building brighter futures through upward mobility. Through collaborative partnerships and innovative learning programs, ACC provides affordable, flexible pathways to help everyone reach their education goals, learn new job skills, or advance their career. The college enrolls more than 70,000 students annually.