Meet Our Instructors

David, the Chief Academic Officer, has a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Penn State University and an MBA from Point Loma Nazarene University. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects. He has been teaching Autodesk programs for over 10 years and enjoys working and teaching in the architectural industry. In addition to working with the Autodesk suite, he has significant experience in 3D modeling, the Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam Revu, and SketchUp. David enjoys spending his free time with his wife, biking, hanging out with his kids, and listening to audiobooks by the fire. 

Credentials:

• Licensed Architect
• Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI SILVER – Certified > 5 Years)
• Autodesk Certified Professional: AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion 360
• Adobe Visual Design Specialist
• SketchUp Certified 3D Warehouse Content Developer

John has been working in the Multimedia World for more than 15 years but has had an interest in it ever since he was a child. He moved to San Diego to attend the University of California, San Diego, and upon graduating, decided to stick around “because of the weather.” He joined the VDCI Team in 2019 and has since come to appreciate a multitude of VDC Software.

• Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI)
• Bluebeam Professional

Luis has a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Southern California and over 10 years of professional AEC industry experience. He has made extensive use of AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit and Photoshop in his work, and is happiest when helping others achieve success. He’s an avid traveler who has run 10 marathons and enjoys reading, yoga, camping, volunteering and attending music festivals all over the world.

Michael is an Instructor for VDCI San Diego focusing on teaching and creating Revit courses to help students learn workflows through project based exercises that can be applied to real world projects. As a Licensed Architect in the State of California he has over 25 years of experience working on award winning commercial, municipal and industrial projects; creating spaces for some of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world, and enriching communities with projects like the El Cajon Animal Shelter, Mission Hills Library and El Centro Library. As an Autodesk Certified Platinum Revit Instructor he has helped train thousands of students over the past 15+ years within the San Diego AEC community and beyond

• Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI GOLD – 1 of 20 Awarded Globally)
• Autodesk Certified AutoCAD Professional
• Autodesk Certified Revit Professional
• Revit

John O’Malley is a Registered Architect based in San Diego with over a decade of experience delivering projects across many different sectors. He leads multidisciplinary teams through all phases of design and construction.

Known for his technical expertise and leadership in project delivery, John holds a California architecture license, is LEED AP BD+C certified, and is an Autodesk Certified Instructor. He is also dedicated to supporting future design professionals through his volunteer work with the ACE Mentor Program. 

• Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI SILVER – Certified > 5 Years)
• Autodesk Certified AutoCAD Professional
• Autodesk Certified Revit Professional
• AutoCAD

Ed started Wenz Consulting after 35 years as a professional estimator. He continues to work on various projects while also dedicating time to teaching and training through Wenz Consulting and VDCI. Ed has over 10 years of experience in Sage Estimating Development and Digital Takeoff Systems and has an extensive background in Construction Software and Communications Technology. Ed enjoys spending his free time with his wife and grandchildren in San Diego.

• Sage Estimating Certified Instructor
• Construction Cost Estimating

Katie is a licensed Mechanical Engineer in the state of Missouri. She has 10 years of experience in the mechanical design and construction industry. She’s worked on a range of different projects including Industrial, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Data on both the engineering and construction side. She currently works for a mechanical contracting group that specializes in offsite construction. Katie manages projects through the full life cycle – from project development, construction in the fabrication shop, and turnover at the project site.  Offsite construction requires fabrication level Revit models. These Revit models are output into product shop drawings which are fabricated in the local shop and shipped to project sites all over the country.

• Autodesk Certified Instructor
• Revit MEP

Over the course of the last 10 years of his architectural experience and training, Derek has developed a very strong set of skills and talents towards architecture, design and visualization. Derek grew up in an architectural family with his father owning his own practice in custom home design. Throughout the years, Derek has had the opportunity to work and be involved at his father's architecture office, dealing with clients, visiting job sites, and contributing in design and production works. Recently, Derek has built up an incredible resume of architecture experiences working at firms such as HOK in San Francisco, GENSLER in Los Angeles, and RNT, ALTEVERS Associates, HMC, and currently as the lead designer at FPBA in San Diego. Derek has specialized in the realm of architectural design and digital design.

• SketchUp Pro

Reid isn't just someone who knows CAD and BIM; he's a licensed architect and contractor who deeply integrates these technologies into every facet of his career. His hands-on experience as a practitioner building real-world projects provides him with an invaluable understanding of how BIM and CAD streamline workflows and enhance design. This practical foundation led him to Autodesk, where he shared his expertise, helping others effectively leverage these powerful tools. Throughout his professional journey, Reid also dedicates himself to education, consistently teaching university courses and shaping the next generation of design professionals by equipping them with essential CAD skills. His unique blend of practical experience, industry knowledge gained at Autodesk, and passion for teaching positions Reid as a true specialist in BIM and CAD technology, capable of bridging the gap between theory and real-world application.

Credentials:

• Autodesk Fusion Certified User
• Autodesk Revit Certified Professional
• Autodesk Certified Instructor
• Licensed Architect
• Licensed General Contractor

David is the AEC Software Specialist at VDCI, with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and an Associate’s degree of science in Drafting and General Design from ITT Technical Institute. A San Diego native with over 12 years working in the Design Industry and construction industry, David brings his construction and design expertise to help all students achieve their goals in the field. Outside of his professional life, David loves attending concerts, festivals, playing his guitar and restoring and repairing all types of vehicles.

Credentials:

• OSHA 30 hr. Construction Safety Certified
• Construction Software: SketchUp, Bluebeam Revu, Autodesk Suite (AutoCAD, Fusion, REVIT)
• Mechanical Software: PTC CREO Parametric, Solidworks, MasterCAM

Dan Rodney has been a designer and web developer for over 20 years, creating coursework and leading innovative training initiatives. Dan has been at the forefront of integrating AI into design and business workflows, spearheading AI courses. In addition to teaching and curriculum development, he writes custom scripts for InDesign (Make Book Jacket, Proper Fraction Pro, and more) and works with automation and AI-driven tools in his free time. You can find Dan on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, and at danrodney.com.

Matt Morris is a registered professional engineer and has extensive experience in many aspects of the engineering and construction industry. He holds a BS and MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder. In his roles as a civil engineering officer in the U.S. Air Force and a project manager for a major commercial general contractor, Matt has led over 160 projects totaling over $1 Billion. As a professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado School of Mines, Matt has taught over 2,000 students through 16 different university courses in addition to thousands of students online.  Matt’s experience spans across many markets, including federal government, public works, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, manufacturing, laboratory, pharmaceutical, corporate, heavy civil and water conveyance. Additionally, Matt’s varied roles have enabled him to manage every phase of a project as an owner, contractor and designer. Matt is currently a Senior Instructor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Garfield is an experienced software trainer with over 16 years of real-world professional experience. He started as a data analyst with a Wall Street real estate investment company & continued working in the professional development department at New York Road Runners Organization. He enjoys bringing humor to whatever he teaches and loves conveying ideas in novel ways that help others learn more efficiently.

Since starting his professional training career in 2016, he has worked with several corporate clients including Adobe, HBO, Amazon, Yelp, Mitsubishi, WeWork, Michael Kors, Christian Dior, and Hermès. 

Outside of work, his hobbies include rescuing & archiving at-risk artistic online media using his database management skills.

Eugenio Solis de Ovando is a Senior Instructor specializing in graphic design, web design, and visual communication. With over 20 years of experience in the creative industry, Eugenio is passionate about helping students develop strong technical skills and a solid design foundation across print, digital, and web platforms.

Eugenio teaches a wide range of courses, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, WordPress, UI Design, and Artificial Intelligence for Graphic Design. His classes are known for their clear, hands-on approach, blending technical mastery with creative exploration to help students bring their ideas to life with confidence and precision.

He holds a Ph. D. in Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Human Performance Technology, where his research focused on integrating emerging AI technologies into adult education and training. 

As an Adobe Certified Design Master and Licensed Private Career School Teacher in New York State, Eugenio is dedicated to delivering high-quality instruction and sharing best practices in digital design workflows. He brings real-world insights into the classroom, guiding students through professional techniques in layout design, typography, color theory, image editing, and responsive web design.

Colin Jaffe is a programmer, writer, and teacher with a passion for creative code, customizable computing environments, and simple puns. He loves teaching code, from the fundamentals of algorithmic thinking to the business logic and user flow of application building—he particularly enjoys teaching JavaScript, Python, API design, and front-end frameworks.

Colin has taught code to a diverse group of students since learning to code himself, including young men of color at All-Star Code, elementary school kids at The Coding Space, and marginalized groups at Pursuit.

Colin lives in Brooklyn with his wife, two kids, and many intricate board games.

Subjects taught by Colin Jaffe:

Web Development, JavaScript, React, Python, Data Science, Data Analytics

Brian McClain is an experienced instructor, curriculum developer, and web developer. Brian served as Director for a coding bootcamp, where he is now a lead instructor and course developer for both JavaScript and Python. He teaches Web Development, JavaScript, Python for Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI. He taught Python Data Science and Machine Learning as an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Westchester County College.

Brian is also an active industry professional in the field of generative AI app development. His website and iOS app, Artmink, provide appraisals of art and antiques from user-uploaded images.

Richard Hess is an accomplished designer with over 23 years’ expertise in architecture, interior, and furniture design. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degrees in Architecture and Interior Architecture from Auburn University before pursuing a Master of Architecture at NewSchool of Architecture & Design, where he graduated top of his class. Currently, Richard serves as the Director of Career Services at his alma mater, while teaching thesis and portfolio courses, equipping graduates for careers in the ever-evolving field of architecture and interior design.

Matt Franzen is a well-rounded construction professional with a diverse background of construction industry experience. Matt has strong experience working on major commercial and residential construction projects, overseeing projects from pre-construction through to closeout. He also has a deep knowledge of the construction technology space, having hands-on experience with many of the major players in the construction technology landscape. Matt loves sharing his industry knowledge with others and continuing to learn about the newest trends in construction technology.

William Tenney is a career Solidworks designer. He began his career in consumer products then shifted to retail display design, corporate interiors, and finally furniture. His time with Solidworks spans almost two decades where in that time he designed many pieces for mass production, was awarded co-inventor status on five patents, obtained the Professional Certification and Surfacing Certification for Solidworks, and also contributed to many pieces shown in such publications as Architectural Digest, Interior Design Magazine, Fashion Magazine, and 1st Dibs. Outside of his work life, he is a husband to a wonderful spouse and a father to two future creatives.

Rebecca Lockwood earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the Michael Graves College at Kean University in New Jersey. She began her career working in residential interiors, where she developed a love for creating homes that reflect the people who live in them. That same dedication naturally grew into a desire to nurture learning and inspire future designers to tell their own stories through design.

Today, Rebecca teaches an array of Interior Design courses at a local college in North Carolina and also works with high school students around the world as a remote art and design instructor. She is committed to making design approachable, inspiring students to gain confidence in their skills as they create meaningful interiors.

Rebecca is also an Educator member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Outside the classroom, she writes poetry, appreciating the parallels between poetry and interior design, from structure and rhythm to depth and storytelling. She enjoys spending time with her children and noticing the everyday moments that shape life and design.