Learn from industry pros and caring educators

After working in public administration for 10 years, Chef Rich Matthews enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He gained extensive industry experience in large hotels in the Hudson Valley and Fort Lauderdale, primarily in catering and banquets before moving into leadership roles.

He has cooked for thousands at events such as the Kentucky Derby, the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament and the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and he won a gold medal at the Société Culinaire Philanthropique in New York City in 2004.

Maureen Penniman is a graduate of Louisiana State University and Chattahoochee Technical College, where she earned her degree in Culinary Arts. A long-term resident of Cobb and Cherokee Counties, she owned and operated successful catering and culinary entrepreneurial kitchens for 25 years.

Maureen has taught culinary classes on and off-site to a wide variety of audiences. She also specializes in adaptive cooking and life skills training and is expanding her expertise to include sewing and quilting classes.

Michelle Di Maio Pellegri has been baking, cheffing, and teaching professionally since 2004. Leaving the corporate world behind, she shifted gears and decided to turn her passion for baking and creativity into a new career. She graduated from the culinary program at Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta, GA and rounded out her education with a transformative culinary internship in Burgundy, France at Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne.

A native Atlantan and first-generation Italian-American, Michelle grew up with fresh baked bread, homemade pasta, and a vegetable garden; all of which instilled an appreciation for cooking and eating really great food. Her professional pastry experience includes stints at Bacchanalia, Star Provisions, Rainwater, and Varasano's Pizzeria. She teaches cooking classes all around Atlanta and if she could bake one thing everyday for the rest of her life it would be croissants.

Erick Hohler is an AutoCAD instructor with a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Kennesaw State University. He teaches AutoCAD through KSU’s Community and Professional Education program while working as an engineer, bringing industry knowledge and years of hands-on teaching and tutoring experience.

With a clear and practical teaching style, he simplifies complex concepts and emphasizes efficient, real-world solutions. He helps students develop core engineering and design skills through real-world principles and hands-on projects, building a strong foundation for college and future careers.

Fikera Gerald graduated from Marion County Practical Nursing Program and has worked in various areas of nursing for 30 years, specializing in pediatric and adolescent medicine. She has been a high school nurse for the last 15 years and is a CPR/First Aid/AED/Stop the Bleed instructor, as well as hearing and vision trained and IV therapy and phlebotomy trained.

Working in a high school allows her to educate students on caring for their health, from diabetes management and seizure-trigger awareness to everyday wound care. Her approach centers on empathy, education and empowerment so students and families feel supported and informed. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her fur baby, Cream.

Dr. Stephen Johnston is an engineering educator and researcher with expertise in thermal fluid sciences and design. He joined the department of Mechanical Engineering at Kennesaw State University in 2026 as a lecturer to assist with the development of the new Aerospace degree programs.

Stephen has experience working with pressurized fluids at both high-temperature and cryogenic conditions. He has performed sensor and laser-based flow visualization on low-speed and supersonic flow fields. As an Eagle Scout, he is dedicated to sharing his interest in engineering and physics with younger students and developing the next generation of scientists and engineers. He is also passionate about using scientific visualizations to communicate complex physical phenomena, blending creativity with engineering to make research more accessible and engaging.

Sherrie Goodman serves as the Director of Employer and Corporate Relations in the Department of Career Planning and Development at Kennesaw State University. With a strong background in career services and employer engagement, she has successfully raised significant funds for internship programs and led major projects to enhance career readiness among students.

Sherrie has been instrumental in developing innovative programs such as the Diversity in the Workplace dinner and has received multiple awards for her contributions. Her leadership extends to various professional organizations, where she has held key positions and driven impactful initiatives. Originally from Columbus, GA, Sherrie is passionate about creating meaningful connections between students and employers to support their professional growth.