Education
Master of Arts, Maryville University, May 2017
Simon School of Business
Major: Management and Leadership
Master of Arts, Iowa State University, December 2012
Department of English
Major: Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication
Minor: Curriculum and Instructional Technology
Advisor: Dr. Geoff Sauer
Committee Members: Dr. Greg Wilson and Dr. Ana-Paula Correia
Creative Component: The Professional Connection: Videos from Industry Leaders to Improve Student Communication
Bachelor of Science, Iowa State University, December 2010
Department of English
Majors: Technical Communication and English
Minor: Biology
Professional Experience
Columbia College
Senior Instructional Designer | November 2024 – Present
Instructional Designer | November 2020 – October 2024
- Collaborated with faculty and subject matter experts to design high-quality and engaging online courses.
- Utilized current learning theories, instructional design models, and best practices in online education.
- Incorporated current educational technologies to promote effective teaching strategies and improve student learning experiences.
- Utilized project management principles to coordinate multiple courses in various stages of development.
- Developed courses in D2L Brightspace learning management system.
- Built responsive instructional materials using Bootstrap and HTML.
- Completed regular course reviews to ensure courses met WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards and the internal course design rubric criteria.
Gateway Pet Guardians
Community Director | February 2018 – October 2020
- Managed community programs in the Metro East to increase life-saving efforts.
- Developed new programming, adjusting to the needs of the community and organization.
- Developed relationships with community and government leaders, as well as other industry leaders to share community programming benefits and best practices.
- Established standard operating procedures for community programming.
- Developed training resources to use both internally and externally.
- Recruited and managed a team of volunteers to support various projects and programs.
Maryville University
Senior Learning Designer | August 2017 – February 2018
Instructional Designer | January 2013 – July 2017
- Worked with subject matter experts to design and develop online and blended courses.
- Provided technical and pedagogical assistance to faculty in the design, development, and implementation of online and blended courses.
- Designed and developed instructional materials using software programs such as Articulate, Storyline, and the Adobe Creative Suite.
- Developed courses in Desire2Learn and Canvas learning management systems.
- Ensured quality online learning experiences for students across programs.
- Managed 10-15 course developments at any given time utilizing project management principles.
- Collaborated with publishers in incorporating packaged content into online courses.
- Coordinated and facilitated new online student orientation virtual webinar each term.
- Onboarded and mentored new designers in the department.
Freelance, Contract, and Part-time Experience
Virginia Commonwealth University
Instructional Designer (Part-time) | May 2023 – Present
- Collaborated with faculty to develop high-quality online courses based on pedagogical best practices.
- Consulted with faculty to create learning objectives, activities, assessments, and course content.
- Developed the online course environment in the Canvas learning management system.
- Supported the implementation of other learning technologies into online course design, including Harmonize, Peerceptive, Flipgrid, and Jamboard.
- Utilized CidiLabs DesignPLUS tools for building learning interfaces.
Maryville University
Instructional Design Assistant (Contract) | July 2022 – Present
- Ensured designated courses met accessibility standards.
- Redeveloped media and page structure according to the design style guide.
- Ensured quality online learning experiences for students.
- Updated course materials with new textbook editions.
Thinkful, A Chegg Service
Instructional Designer (Contract) | June 2023 – May 2024
- Collaborated with subject matter experts and stakeholders to develop an online curriculum for adult learners upskilling in the cybersecurity industry.
- Conducted competitive analysis as part of the discovery process.
- Leveraged generative AI technology to enhance instructional design processes and efficiently produce high-quality educational materials.
- Reviewed learning content, activities, and assessments for quality assurance.
St. Louis University
Course Migration Assistant (Part-time) | September 2021 – May 2022
- Migrated course content and materials from the Blackboard learning management system to Canvas.
- Ensured activity and tool functionality in the content transition.
- Consulted faculty to ensure materials transitioned appropriately.
Gateway Pet Guardians
Project Manager/Instructional Designer (Contract) | February 2021 – January 2022
- Managed a grant-funded project titled “Unicorn Foster Squad Implementation Bootcamp” with the goal of supporting animal welfare agencies to provide resources for long-stay at-risk shelter dogs.
- Established lesson plans and designed presentations for synchronous online meetings.
- Designed the learning experience and created custom content to be disseminated through Canvas learning management system.
- Provided technical support to participants and facilitators.
- Completed all grant reporting requirements and data collection relevant to the project.