My journey at NICC began in June of 2017 and brought along 28 years of experience in post-secondary alternative delivery work. I enjoy meeting with faculty about course design; which allows me to become somewhat familiar with their curriculum and academic discipline. My role as Executive Director of the DIID team allows me to lead an extraordinary instructional design team on the "BRIGHT-side" and feed my innovative soul developing courses for the Competency-Based Education (CBE) Initiative. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Communication Technologies – Graphic Arts from UW-Platteville. 

As an instructional designer, I support faculty and administration in the instructional design process for courses and programs. I also assist faculty with building and implementing embedded assessments in the Brightspace Learning Management System. 

My passion for instructional design has been fueled by over a decade of experience in teaching, academic coaching, and accessibility support. I have taught and coached all kinds of students, including high school drop-outs, college students with disabilities, and seasoned professionals in the midst of career change. My goal is to design courses that meet the unique strengths and needs of all types of students and faculty while leveraging exciting and accessible technology. I hold master’s degrees in  professional writing (MPW) and teaching (MAT) from Chatham University, and a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh. 

As an instructional designer at NICC, I assist instructors in the planning, design, and development of credit and non-credit courses. I am passionate about supporting Brightspace users and am eager to help troubleshoot questions from students, staff, and instructors alike. I also serve as an adjunct instructor in the 8-Week Z-Degree format, teaching U.S. History and American Government courses for the college.

My  dynamism for designing began and has followed my high school graduating class motto: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" Lau Tzu. Over many years of playing with different technologies, I found the path to DIID and it has uncovered a desire for helping others. I began the journey by owning my own cosmetology salon, moved into teaching cosmetology at NICC, while helping a friend build websites for my community. Next, came the incorporation of countless computer based resources to enhance instruction and the rest is history. I now have my own motto: “If I can help others, that’s all that matters” and found my passion as a faculty support specialist.

My journey as an employee at NICC began in July 2016, bringing knowledge and experience in customer service, different technology platforms, and a drive to help others succeed.

As an Instructional Designer, I will assist instructors in building intuitive and interactive courses. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, gardening, and being creative.

I have obtained a couple of degrees over the years: an AAS in Graphic Design from NICC, a BA in Graphic Design from Upper Iowa University, and an AAS in Business and Web Programming from NICC.

Technology should be a gateway to enhance teaching & learning – not a barrier. Since beginning my work in educational technology in 2008, I have been passionate about learning the latest trends, products, services and features to ensure we have solutions in place to help you in the course room. Once I started administrating the Brightspace Learning Environment in 2016, I have been inspired by the creative ways my colleagues and connections use Brightspace. 

I proudly hold two degrees from Upper Iowa University – Master of Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. When I am not behind a computer screen, I enjoy biking, making music (bass guitar & drums), spinning records, sports, playing video games, and cooking.

With our team’s expertise and technological tools, I look forward to developing impactful educational solutions for our faculty, staff, and students in Brightspace.

I began with the College in 2018, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in customer service and support, which I pride in providing at a superior level. I lead the LMS support efforts with managing the Brightspace Knowledge base and assisting with questions and issues related to our Brightspace and Organizational Development sites.  With my interest in learning about new technology-related tools, I am now the go-to for anything and everything Panopto-related and will be sharing new tips, tricks, and tools as I review them. I work with a very dedicated and accomplished team to ensure our students, faculty, and staff have the best user experience with our platforms.