Meet the Training Team
Amy Thompson Ph.D
Chief Talent & Training Officer
athompson@ccat.us
Dr. Thompson currently leads the Talent & Training Group and the Talent & Training Accelerator for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technologies (CCAT). In her role she has led the operational and educational aspects of the development of CCAT’s new Digital Thread Lab (DTL). Prior to joining CCAT's executive team, Dr. Amy Thompson was an Associate Professor-In-Residence of Systems Engineering and Associate Director for the Pratt & Whitney Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering at UConn. Prior to joining UConn in 2017, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of New Haven and received her Ph.D. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. Her interdisciplinary teaching and research merge the fields of energy-efficient and intelligent facility design, manufacturing systems engineering, model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering for product development, supply chain design and operation, and engineering education. Dr. Thompson is the recipient of the US EPA Environmental Merit Award Region 1 in 2017 for her collaborative work with United Illuminating Company related to community engagement for smart buildings.
James Brino, EIT, CAEM ®
Sr. Technical Trainer & Curriculum and Training Manager
jbrino@ccat.us
James currently serves as the Lead Technical Trainer and Curriculum Developer for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT). He has contributed significantly to curriculum development for CCAT’s new Digital Thread Lab (DTL). James is supporting the DTL in managing its day-to-day operations, curriculum development, and training program execution. Prior to joining CCAT and the DTL, James served as the Engineering Manager at PIC Design, a division of RBC Bearings Inc, where he was responsible for applications, manufacturing, automation, and industrial engineering. Prior to joining RBC Bearings, he was a Systems Engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat. James received his MBA and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hartford, where he currently is an Adjunct Professor of Management in the Barney School of Business, primarily teaching Operations and Supply Chain Management. James is an active member of the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM).
Sean Parzuchowski
Senior Technical Trainer and Automation Nexus Manager
sparzuchowski@ccat.us
Sean is a Senior Technical Trainer and Automation Nexus Manager for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT). Since joining the team, he has focused on systems and equipment integration as well as the automation of digital processes in the Digital Thread Lab (DTL). Prior to joining CCAT and the DTL, Sean served as the Director of Manufacturing Operations at Elinco Intl. JPC, where he oversaw all OEM operations and developed/patented a novel motor winding technique. Along with previous engineering roles at Ward Leonard (now Fairbanks Morse Defense), Sealed Air, Medtronic, and NAVSEA, he also has extensive experience as an operator, machinist, and programmer from working at local machine shops through his teenage years before attending Drexel University for Mechanical Engineering. Sean’s wide experience in all manufacturing phases gives him a unique perspective that will be invaluable to students and implementations across all industries.
Raquel Bolling
Talent & Training Lead, Data Science for Buildings and Manufacturing
rbolling@ccat.us
Raquel currently serves as the Talent & Training Lead for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) and the Program Lead for SmartBuildings CT where she bridges the gap between sustainability and data science in buildings and manufacturing. She also contributes to curriculum development and training program execution for CCAT’s Digital Thread Lab (DTL). Prior to joining CCAT, Raquel dedicated herself to tutoring mathematics at both middle and high school levels as an AmeriCorps Fellow at the GO Foundation and in the Guilford County School systems in North Carolina as a Project Math Success Fellow. Through these experiences, she honed her skills in social-emotional learning and leadership. Additionally, Raquel served as a Data Science Research Trainee at the National Science Foundation (NSF), focusing on addressing issues of food security through data analysis and supply chain optimization of non-profit logistics in food banking operations. Raquel received her M.S. and B.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University, where she also became Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
Interested in getting started?
Course offerings will be expanded throughout 2024. Stay tuned!