Meet Holly Owens — educator, instructional designer, podcast host, LinkedIn powerhouse, and passionate advocate for building better learning experiences. With over 18 years of experience spanning K–12, higher ed, corporate learning, and EdTech, Holly brings a human-centered, action-driven approach to everything she does.

Holly's career has been a rich tapestry—from classroom teaching to eLearning development, to instructional leadership and strategic marketing. She has taught at institutions such as the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Coppin State University, and Northern Virginia Community College. For the past seven years, she has proudly served as an adjunct instructor at Touro University’s Graduate School of Technology, preparing the next generation of instructional designers.

She holds a B.A. in American Studies from UMBC and dual master’s degrees in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from the University of Maryland Global Campus, along with a certificate in Distance Education Leadership. Her deep love for educational technology and online learning continues to drive her mission: to empower learners and learning professionals alike.

Most recently, Holly served as the Director of Growth Marketing at Yellowdig, where she led community-centered campaigns and championed student engagement through storytelling, partnerships, and brand advocacy.

With a growing LinkedIn community of 47,000+ followers, Holly is a recognized voice in L&D and EdTech. She has been named one of the Top 35 eLearning Experts to Follow by iSpring Solutions and LXD Guild. As the host of EdUp L&D (formerly EdUp EdTech), Holly has interviewed over 165 thought leaders—including CEOs, founders, and learning professionals—bringing bold, honest, and inspiring conversations to the forefront of education.

She lives in Wilmington, NC, with her partner Will, their daughter Juniper, and their sweet rescue pup Freddie. Whether she's podcasting, mentoring, or cheering others on, Holly lives by the words of Maya Angelou:

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."