Today, we had the chance to chat with Nathan Wellman.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’ve lived in Kansas City, Missouri my entire life and I love it here. Come for the BBQ; stay because it’s the best in the world!
My dad is an instrumentation engineer, so I grew up around technology and love finding ways to integrate it into my life. My love of technology developed into work; I built my first PC when I was 16 and slowly started helping all of my friends build PCs too. I really enjoyed helping my friends and family learn more about their tech, and that eventually led me to work in IT.
How did you end up at the Public Safety Group?
My first tech job was on-site IT support for student and staff equipment at Central Middle School in the Kansas City Public School District. My favorite part of that job was working with passionate teachers who wanted to learn how to utilize digital tools to teach their students more effectively.
A couple job changes later, I ended up on the Ascend Learning Technical Support Team and supporting Jones & Bartlett products. I branched out and learned other products to support as well, and you may have even spoken with me on a support call! After some time in tech support, I was fortunate to join the Solutions Consultants Team under the Public Safety Group, a team dedicated to training and supporting the instructors and schools using our products.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
I truly enjoy getting to work with and support the instructors who are helping train future first responders. With the world we live in today, we need outstanding emergency professionals, and it's incredible to be part of the solution to teach students how to save lives. The instructors I work with never cease to amaze me with new ideas and techniques for teaching their students; I’m part of something much bigger than just supporting an online course.
What’s something you’ve done that most people haven’t done?
I have raced my motorcycle on a track! Heartland Park Racetrack is a short drive from KC, and they regularly host track days. I am overly cautious riding on the street, so it’s awesome to get to let loose on a track. Flying down a straightaway at 130 mph is exhilarating!
Outside of work, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy?
My number one hobby is riding my motorcycles; I have one for the street and one for the woods. I try to travel out of state each year to ride off-road for a week. So far, my favorite trip has been Colorado. I’m also a big PC gamer, I home-brew beer, roast my own coffee, and have a small vinyl collection.
Stay tuned for the next "People of PSG" feature!