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Dr. Ali Ahmad is Director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) of Louisiana, which operates under the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Dr. Ahmad is a professional with over 18 years of experience in industrial engineering, research and management fields. He was previously an Associate Professor and Head of the Engineering Technology Department at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. He obtained his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida. Dr. Ahmad has diverse expertise in human-computer interaction, quality engineering, and simulating manufacturing systems. Ali worked on projects related to transfer of training, user-centered design, process improvement, and virtual environments. Dr. Ahmad is a Certified Simulation Analyst and a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

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Dr. Willie E. Smith has been working in the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) and colleges for the past 18 years. He currently serves as Vice President for Training and Business Partnerships for LCTCS, and Acting Director for Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC). Most recently he was the Interim Director of South Central Louisiana Technical College (SCLTC) from June 2017-June 30, 2018. Dr. Smith also served as Vice President of Academics and Workforce Solutions at South Louisiana Community College (SLCC). Dr. Smith earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Tulane University, where he attended on a full athletic scholarship. He earned his Master of Public Administration from Troy University in 2001. He earned his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Argosy University in 2014.
Dr. Smith has a long and faithful career with the former Louisiana Technical College, which became Acadiana Technical College (ATC), and now South Louisiana Community College. At SLCC he served in many roles such as Vice Chancellor for Economic and Workforce Development, Vice Chancellor for Business and Industry, Acting Vice Chancellor of Student Services, and Dean of Students. At ATC he served as Associate Dean for the Acadian, C. B. Coreil, and T. H. Harris Campuses, Director of the Keeping Youth Trained & Educated (KYTE) program, and coordinator of LTC incumbent worker training program. He is a Certified Grant Writer and Certified Special Program Coordinator.
Prior to these positions, Dr. Smith was a Program Director with the following organizations: Lafayette Parish School System, LTC- Sullivan Campus YouthBuild program, Washington Correctional Institute, and the TANF 3 program. Dr. Smith also served as a Social Worker Supervisor for the Mobile Police Department in Mobile, Alabama from 1998-2001, where he was awarded civilian employee of the month for addressing and combating high levels of juvenile crime.

Dr. Smith is extremely active in the community and received many awards for his service and dedication, such as the Men of Excellence award from KPC Ladies Auxiliary Immaculate Heart of Mary Court 76 for his work in Public Service in 2015. Dr. Smith was recognized by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) and was the recipient of the Outstanding Professional Staff award in 2013. He is a graduate of the LCTCS Leadership Development Institute (LDI), Louisiana Technical Colleges (LTC) Leadership Series where he was a member of the inaugural class of 2009, and LED/LCTCS Certified WorkForce Development (CWD) program inaugural class of 2015. He has served as the inaugural and former educational Chair for 100 Black Men of Greater Southwest Louisiana.

Dr. Smith was honored as the Outstanding Professional Employee for SLCC in 2013. Dr. Smith was recognized by Community Policing News in Washington, D.C., for his hard work addressing juvenile delinquency in Mobile, Alabama in 2000. He was awarded Civilian Employee of the Month, from the City of Mobile in 2000.

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