
Faculty & staff
Dana Spessert
NHLA Chief Inspector & School Dean
[email protected]
901-399-7551
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Dana began working for NHLA as Chief Inspector in September 2010. He is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the NHLA grading rules by supervising the Association’s field staff of 7 full-time inspectors and is the Dean of the Inspector Training School. Dana is a native of West Virginia where he was born into the lumber industry – his father had graduated from NHLA Inspection School in 1962.
He started his career by working at their family-owned sawmill and later graduated from NHLA Inspector Training School in the spring of 1986. He worked independently as a lumber inspector for several sawmill and lumberyards in the areas surrounding Elkins, WV. Dana was also employed by Colonial Millworks, Ltd. for five years as a production supervisor and spent the next nine years working for Coastal Lumber Company as Quality Control Manager.
He is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training Course.
Roman Matyushchenko
Instructor/Associate Dean of Education
901-399-7569
[email protected]
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Roman, a native of Russia, has always enjoyed learning new languages. He began learning English when he was just twelve-years-old, and it was his love of language that brought him to the hardwood lumber industry. Roman now speaks Russian, English, and German fluently.
He began his career in the hardwood industry in 2007 as a Quality Manager for AVA Company in Russia. He attended the NHLA Inspector Training School in Elkins, West Virginia in 2008 and graduated as the top student in his class.
NHLA hired Roman in 2013 as an International Inspector, which involved traveling around China, Vietnam, and Malaysia for lumber inspection and lumber grading workshops. In 2019, Roman moved to the U.S. to become the Associate Dean of the NHLA Inspector Training School.
Roman can be reached via email at [email protected].
Carol McElya
Education Services Project Manager
901-399-7563
[email protected]
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Carol has been with NHLA since 2014. She began her career in the NHLA Accounting Department before being promoted to the position of Inspector Training School Administrator. Carol has over 25 years of experience in administration, management, and customer services fields. She holds an Applied Associate of Science degree in Business Management and has a passion for learning, generating new ideas, and goal planning. She is dedicated to the success of the Inspector Training School and its students. Carol is also an Industry Services Coordinator, working with the NHLA Kiln Drying program and Facility Grade Certification program. As the ITS Administrator, Carol is the center-point for all school activities. If you have a question about the school, she knows the answer!