Staff

Our dedicated team of facilitators specialize in student support. Facilitators provide one-on-one coaching to students, lead recruiting efforts, and serve as instructional staff for courses across the curriculum. They represent a wide range of engineering fields and industries.

Andrew Hanegmon

Coordinator of Facilitators

Andrew Hanegmon, EIT; COORDINATOR OF FacilitatorS

Why IRE?
Being part of a community of very intelligent people doing big things drew me to Iron Range Engineering (IRE). IRE has become known for being an innovator in engineering education, and I am highly attracted to being part of new programs that have a mindset of continuous improvement and are effective at it. The team and the students who are part of Iron Range Engineering aren’t just good at working but are also genuinely great people always willing to be there for each other which is why I am a part of this team.

Experience
Prior to attending college, I worked in the mining industry rebuilding heavy equipment parts and assemblies. I graduated from Iron Range Engineering in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. After college, I worked in a supervisory role at a remanufacturing plant while starting my own business which I still run today. My facilitating role with the college started in 2017 where I would guide one student project each semester. My full-time role with the college started in January of 2019.

Research
While I do not do any official research at this time, my personal research focus is in the realm of makerspaces. I own and operate a makerspace that allows members to access a variety of equipment and tools they can use to start businesses, enhance current businesses, complete personal projects, spend time with a creator community, or enhance their education. This space acts as a research lab for how spaces like this can create economic development and develop self-directed learners.

Jodi Nelson

Facilitator

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Andy Lillesve

Facilitator

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Kaitlyn Mann

Facilitator

Kaitlyn Mann; Facilitator

Kaitlyn is a biomedical engineer who serves as a facilitator at IRE. She supports student development through coaching and mentorship, helping student engineers build the skills they need to thrive in their professional careers. She also coordinates key events such as the STEM Showcase, IRE Expo, and end-of-semester celebrations. Kaitlyn earned her bachelor’s degree through the Iron Range Engineering program in 2017 and is passionate about creating meaningful educational experiences. She also partners with Minnesota North College – Engineering on program development and recruiting efforts to strengthen and grow the engineering community. Outside of work, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her husband and their three daughters. She also loves crafting, reading, and finding creative outlets in her free time.