"There is no such thing as failure; failure is just life trying to move us in another direction."
Oprah Winfrey

Degrees

Master of Arts
University of North Dakota, 2014
Discipline: Teaching and Learning
Specialization: Instructional Design and Technology
Masters Project: Designing Instructional Discussion Forums
Advisor: Dr. Richard Van Eck

​
​Bachelor of Arts
State University of New York at Albany, 1999
Major: Sociology; Minor: Psychology
Additional Credits: Computer Science, Counseling, Education and Music
​

Certifications and Credentials / Badges
Blackboard Academy - Digital Teaching and Learning Certified Expert

Complete: December 2021
This certification is awarded to those who successfully complete the Digital Teaching and Learning Series. This is a professional development pathway that combines pedagogical and technological expertise in Digital Teaching and Learning, delivered over 6 months. Each course is delivered in a cohort and facilitated by experts in the field. Participants have to complete coursework and final exam for each course, equivalent to 40 hours of learning.


ACUE-ACE Credential in Effective College Instruction

Complete: August 2021
In ACUE's courses in effective teaching practices, educators learn about and implement the essential, evidence-based teaching practices shown to promote student success. Working across five comprehensive units of study, educators collaborate with peers, receive expert facilitation, and develop practices necessary to: 1. design an effective course 2. establish a productive learning environment 3. use active learning strategies 4. promote higher order thinking 5. assess in ways that inform and promote deeper levels of learning. These courses prepare educators in all of the core competencies defined in ACUE's Effective Practice Framework and lead to a Certificate in Effective College Instruction awarded in collaboration with the American Council on Education.
​
Universal Design for Learning
​Associate Credential - Level 1

Complete: November 2019
​A foundational credential, demonstrating competency in understanding why Universal Design for Learning is so important.
Complete: November 2019

Other Professional Development

User Experience (UX) Fundamentals
The Team W - Susan Weinschenk, PhD
Complete: December 2021
Course Objectives:
Describe what user experience design is and why it's important.
Describe the principles of great user experience design.
Describe the process you should follow to design a great user experience.
Describe the skills and knowledge that you need to be a user experience professional.
Describe the obstacles that are common to great user experience design and how to overcome them.
Know what to do as a next step for you as a user experience professional.

​UDL 101: An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning
Fitchburg University and CAST
3 graduate credits
Complete: December 2018
​Using the UDL framework and its practical guidelines, participants will gain:
  • A working knowledge of the theory and research basis of UDL, including how individual variability plays out in different educational environments
  • Strategies for evaluating and improving lessons to reach more varied learners and to support high levels of engagement and achievement for all learners
  • Tips, guidelines, and techniques for applying UDL principles to the design of lessons and curriculum units that need to be aligned to educational standards
  • Strategies for using new technologies, to make the curriculum more effective
  • Access to and tips on using CAST learning, authoring, and planning tools such as: Book Builder, UDL Studio, UDL Editions, and UDL Curriculum Self-Check

​
​Disability Awareness and Support
University of Pittsburgh
Complete: April 2017
The goal of this course is to promote equal opportunity and the full participation of students with disabilities in higher education by helping participants advance their awareness of the meaning of accessibility in education. Participants will gain competence and confidence in working with students by focusing on legislation, universal design, and assistive technologies.​


​Fundamentals of Graphics Design
California Institute of the Arts
Complete: May 2017
At the end of this course you will have learned how to explore and investigate visual representation through a range of image-making techniques; understand basic principles of working with shape, color and pattern; been exposed to the language and skills of typography; and understand and have applied the principles of composition and visual contrast. If you complete the course, along with its optional (but highly recommended) briefs, you will have a core set of graphic design skills that you can apply to your own projects, or to more deeply investigate a specialized area of graphic design.