Meet the Specialists

Since coming to NCSSM in 2012, Crystal Woods -- an Emmy Award winner who used to work for WRAL-TV, UNC-TV/PBS, and Spectrum News -- has served as a Digital Media Specialists, producing NCSSM's videoconferencing courses, serving as a support and extending the capacity of our instructors to effectively teach students seated in as many as eight classrooms around the state. 

At NCSSM, Crystal took the NCSSM Enrichment program, a collection of activities taught by NCSSM instructors to younger students, and developed S.I.D.E. (Student Instructors Developing Enrichments), a leadership program of residential and online students who design and deliver hands-on STEM curriculum, reaching thousands of elementary and middle school students in schools across the state every year. 

Additionally, Crystal's leadership on Staff Senate has transformed this organization, effectively engaging participants and ensuring NCSSM staff and their unique needs are represented at meetings with Councils from the other constituent campuses. She also serves as the Chair-Elect of the UNC System Staff Assembly representing the Staff Senates of the 17 UNC System institutions. 

Crystal holds a B.A. in Music industry: Media Communications, a M.Ed in Instructional Technology, and an Executive MBA in Management. 

Jeff Hatley has a passion for sharing ideas through video. He’s enjoyed everything from camera to newscasts, commercials to classes. He started his career in his home state of Montana in television, where he won local, state, and national awards for his commercial production and also worked as the newscast director. He transitioned to distance learning at the university level, where in addition to broadcasting and recording classes, he worked with the university’s IT Help Desk and taught an undergraduate class in animation. 

Jeff was also co-owner of Story Weavers, a marketing company that served clients across the United States. When he and his family moved to North Carolina, Jeff became a Studio Manager and then Digital Media Specialist with a talented group of DEEPsters at the Distance Education Program of NCSSM, where he has served since 2005. His Montana background ideally suited him to be a trouble-shooting, fix-it guy – always ready to lend a hand. 

In his off-time Jeff enjoys the outdoors, walking, playing music, learning new skills, enjoying adventures with his wife and a montage of a blended goofy family including two kids, two grandkids, two doggies, and one bossy cat.

Jeff holds a B.A. in Social Work.