About Me

            Looking back, I never imagined that I would end up going down the road of instructional design. In my early adult life, I spent several years working with a Youth Employment Program in a variety of roles. I started by co-facilitating work readiness classes for youth aged 14–21, then moved into classroom facilitation planning lessons, managing classrooms, and helping students navigate job sites. Those experiences taught me the subtle craft of planning, and the patience needed for problem-solving though at the time, I didn’t realize these skills were quietly guiding me toward instructional design. (Also, if you can survive a classroom full of teenagers, you can make it through ‘most things’.)

       Alongside my professional work, I sought opportunities to grow through service and volunteering, joining university-led trips that expanded my understanding of leadership, empathy, and collaboration. In 2018, I traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, to explore borders and immigration while building homes with an organization called Esperanza. The following year, I participated in a program in New York supporting gender identity and sexuality empowerment initiatives with ACT UP. In 2020, I co-led a trip focused on substance use recovery in Chicago but it was ultimately canceled due to the pandemic proving that even the best laid plans can be out of our control. These experiences didn’t just give me skills they gave me perspective. They taught me how to listen, how to meet people where they are, and how to adapt when things don’t go as planned.

        Much of my work now and recent involve translating complicated policies into understandable steps, resolving conflicts, and connecting students to the resources they need. Some days can feel  like playing educational puzzle figuring out how all the pieces fit together. But  I realized I was essentially designing learning experiences before I even knew what instructional design was, whether that be helping people learn systems, navigate processes, and solve problems  to gain  clarity.

      If I am being honest, when I first explored graduate programs, I wasn't sure why I felt drawn to ID. But I had a moment of clarity: all the skills I had been developing  breaking down complicated processes and creating learning opportunities  were already central to instructional design. Once I started coursework, the creative and theoretical aspects of the field captivated me. Learning about andragogy and Malcolm Knowles principles of adult learning gave language to my instinct that learners need relevance and autonomy to truly engage. Discovering Bloom's Taxonomy helped me see that I had been designing for surface-level recall when I could be pushing toward deeper  critical thinking. These frameworks didn't just explain the "why" behind what I had instinctively done   they fundamentally shifted how I design, pushing me to be more intentional about learner agency.

       Thinking on my journey, ID has given me a framework to my curiosity and  creativity. Most importantly, it has affirmed that my passion lies in creating learning experiences that empower others, translate complex processes into accessible knowledge, and blend theory with meaningful practice. This journey has shaped my approach to instructional design: I focus on creating human-centered, performance-driven learning experiences that help people apply knowledge in real-world, often high-pressure situations. My work is grounded in understanding the learner’s context, identifying root causes, and designing solutions that balance empathy with practical application.