C5 Consortium Teams Forum Oct. 9, 2025

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Moderator

Dawn Erlandson is a member of the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.  On a national level, she has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT).  

Speaker

Lieutenant Colonel Richard “Sean” Danaher is Commandant of the Community College of the Air Force. He is a career Operations Analyst officer, assessing and evaluating the capabilities and operational readiness of Air Force and joint partner weapon systems.  

Background

The Air Force has always recognized the positive effects of education on enlisted Airmen and Guardians and continually established various programs to meet the needs of the Department of the Air Force, its personnel, and society as a whole. Community College of the Air Force is the only 2-year institution exclusively serving enlisted personnel. The college awards the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree upon completing program of instruction within the applicable discipline designed for an Air Force specialty.

Additional Materials

Power point slides associated with the speaker's presentation and a history of the Community College of the Air Force are available by reaching out to Tom Downs at Downs Government Affairs LLC, tcdowns@downsgovaffairs.com.

Speaker

Dr. Randi Reich Cosentino is President of the United States Naval Community College (USNCC).  Prior to joining the USNCC as President in 2020, Dr. Cosentino served as chief academic officer at Guild Education; chief operating officer of Quad Learning/American Honors; and provost and chief academic officer at Strayer University. She also worked in education technology and served as assistant director of the Mayor of New York’s Office of Transportation.

Dr. Cosentino holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University, and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania.

USNCC Background

The United States Naval Community College (USNCC) is an online community college that grants associate degrees and undergraduate professional diplomas and certificates.  The official community college of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, USNCC was launched in 2019 under a $147 million Department of Defense (DOD) contract.  

In 2020, 119 community colleges in the United States responded to a United States Navy Data Call Delivery Order and were awarded a contract as part of the USNCC Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contract.  That contract award enabled colleges to be approved for student enrollment.  USNCC began enrolling students in 2021 and reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2023, with 2,600 students.  

USNCC provides a means for the Naval Services to provide educational opportunities to enlisted personnel to prepare for future challenges.  USNCC activities include:

· Conferring transferable and recognized associate level academic degrees and certifications as a fully accredited institution.

· Providing flexible delivery methods to account for operational demands and technological constraints of a globally distributed workforce.

· Developing academic programs in alignment with the organizational needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.

· Recognizing various forms of learning obtained through military technical and leadership training.  

Areas of USNCC instruction

USNCC online learning focuses on programs that include the following: 

· Cyber Security 

· Data Analytics 

· Engineering (mechanical and electrical) 

· Emerging Technologies 

· Logistics

· Health Sciences 

· Machine Learning 

· Nuclear Technology 

· Environmental Sciences 

· Communications/Information Systems 

· Organizational Leadership 

· Security Studies 

· Management Science 

· Naval Sciences 

USNCC programs currently are open to enlisted personnel in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.  In the future, USNCC may extend this opportunity to personnel in other branches of the Armed Forces, and potentially to civilian federal employees.

USNCC currently relies on its training partners to award associates degrees.  In the future, USNCC plans to seek accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  Once accredited, USNCC may have the ability to award degrees.

Key USNCC partners

The following are engaged with USNCC to develop its online programs:

· Alexandria Technical and Community College (Minnesota)

· Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

· Northern Virginia Community College

· University of Arizona

· University of Maryland Global Campus

· Western Governors University

Dawn Erlandson, Moderator

Dawn Erlandson is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.  On a national level, she has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT).  Founder and president of Aurora Strategic Services, based in Minneapolis, MN, she has extensive experience in stakeholder communications, media, and government relations.

Brian J. Lovell, ACP President

With over 32 years of experience in the automation industry, Brian Lovell has established himself as a leading expert, working as a successful entrepreneur, educator, and national consultant. He is a co-founder of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center, the highest level of NSF Advanced Technical Education (ATE) funding. Brian spearheaded the development of the nation's first Building Automation Systems (BAS) program leading to a state-sanctioned Associate's degree, establishing a national model for workforce development.

He is a co-author of the influential “Campus as a Living Laboratory” (2013) guide, connecting automation education to campus energy efficiency. This publication was sponsored by a consortium of leading organizations, including the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and the Kresge Foundation. Brian also led a multi-million dollar initiative to establish state and national education standards for automation education and credentialing, further solidifying his commitment to advancing the field.

His expertise has earned him recognition as a subject-matter expert to industry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Capitol Hill, solidifying his position as one of the nation's foremost automation and education leaders. Brian has designed and built multiple state-of-the-art automation laboratories that have garnered national attention, attracting site visits from the White House, federal legislators, and state governors. The significant societal impact of his BAS laboratory and programmatic development has resulted in millions of dollars in corporate support from global industry leaders such as Siemens, Inc.

Brian’s leadership has been recognized with multiple awards from organizations including the Atlanta Braves, Georgia State University, and numerous state and federal agencies. He holds a Master's in Education, a Bachelor's in Pre-Medicine, and technical degrees in HVAC and Electronics. For over 25 years, he has also been a licensed contractor of Mechanical Systems and Control Systems in the State of Georgia.

Sarah Vilms, SEIA Vice President of Strategic Growth Initiatives

Sarah Vilms is SEIA’s Vice President of Strategic Growth Initiatives where she leads SEIA’s work on funding priorities, opportunities and related efforts in support of the solar industry.

Sarah brings more than 30 years of experience in energy, environment and natural resources policy. Having specialized in renewable energy, Sarah has worked with major US entities including national trade associations, Fortune 100 and 500 companies, municipal governments, universities and community colleges, nonprofits and startups.

Prior to joining SEIA, Sarah spent more than two decades at the top-ranked public policy firm, Squire Patton Boggs, in Washington, DC. Sarah began her career having gained experience in the US House of Representatives, the US Senate and with the Chairman of the Environment Committee for the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney, Australia. 

Sarah is a member of the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment and holds a BA in Political Science from Brown University.

Beck Long, Director of Workforce Services and Apprenticeship

As part of SEIA’s Equity and Workforce Development Team, Beck engages with SEIA members on workforce development issues such as options for registered apprenticeships and connecting with pre-apprenticeship and training providers under the Apprenticeship in Clean Energy (ACE) Network. They also work to encourage recruiting and retention of diverse talent and foster an inclusive environment within the solar industry. Prior to this role, Beck led SEIA’s events team in planning and implementing events that supported SEIA’s core mission of building a strong solar industry to power America.

Beck has a background in public service and a passion for sustainability. They previously served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan and Moldova and then planned study trips for international business leaders while working at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Beck holds an Executive Master of Natural Resources in Leadership for Sustainability from Virginia Tech and a B.S. in Business Information Systems from the University of Maryland.

Todd Echols, SEIA Digital and Video Production Manager

Todd supports SEIA’s public affairs and advocacy efforts through video content creation for digital platforms, educational materials, and SEIA events. Todd previously worked as SEIA’s communications coordinator. Prior to joining SEIA, Todd interned for the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy, and for the Leadership Office of U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.  Todd holds a B.A. in Politics with minors in Studio Art and Mass Communications from Washington and Lee University. 

Dimitri Stevenson, Manager of Workforce Development and Equity
Dimitri Stevenson explores ways to increase service to the Solar Energy Industry and increase non-dues revenue in the process. Dimitri loves to listen and potentially apply solutions to pain points or hurdles within an ever-growing industry.

Dimitri has worked in associations where he was able to build relationships with partners such as the CDC and is honored to have worked with Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. Dimitri received a Bachelor of Science from Bowie State University, in Maryland. 

Dr. Kenneth Walz, Director of the CREATE Energy Center, 

Madison College, WI

Dr. Kenneth Walz has taught science, engineering, and renewable energy at Madison Area Technical College since 2003, where he serves as the Director of the CREATE Energy Center funded by the National Science Foundation. Dr. Walz earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin while performing research on lithium-ion batteries with Rayovac and Argonne National Laboratory. 

Dr. Walz has also taught graduate courses in Environmental Engineering, Engineering Professional Development, and Teaching Methods for Scientists and Engineers with the university.  Dr. Walz is an alumnus of the Academies Creating Teacher Scientists Program at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and he also spent time as a visiting scientist with the University of Rochester Center for Photoinduced Charge Transfer.  He has served as an advisor and board member for the Wisconsin Distributed Resources Collaborative, the K-12 Energy Education Program, the Center for Energy Workforce Development, and the Solar Ready Vets Program. Dr. Walz has been recognized as Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and as the Energy Educator of the Year by the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education.