Hello

I'm a Higher Education Administrator with significant experience as a Director of Student Life, looking to take my side work in instructional design into a full-time career. I am bringing advanced skills in curriculum development, event management, and education delivery. Key projects include:

Managed a New Student Orientation program for 5 years that introduced 800 - 1000 students plus their guest each year to the college, using learning principles to engage students and prepare them to begin college
Facilitated leadership development programs, including the annual Student Leadership Academy (5 - 50 students) and the Student Leadership Development Conference (100 students)
Developed curriculum and eLearning materials and managed the LMS for a leadership development program for a nationwide professional membership organization
Taught multiple classes and courses, in-person and virtually, graduate and undergraduate, in leadership development, student develop- ment, humanities, physical education, and college orientation

I aim to leverage this experience to effectively deliver impactful training and professional development programs.

My Story

I am currently the Director of Student Life and Recreation at Gordon State College. I began working at Gordon in 2019, and I oversee student organizations, the campus food pantry, intramurals, club sports, and campus events, as well as teach courses, implement leadership development programs, and manage New Student Orientation. I began my career in higher education at Lee University in Cleveland, TN. I started as the administrative assistant in the Student Development office and earned my master's degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Tennessee while working at Lee; I then worked my way up to the Director of Student Development before I left Lee to pursue my doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina, which I completed in 2020.

The benefit to working at small schools is the variety I have had in my duties; at small institutions, your job expands to include whatever work needs to be done. So, while my official job description was in student life, I was able to teach various courses, serve on strategic planning committees, and work on applying and implementing grant opportunities. The skills I gained in higher education have made the transition to designing learning experiences smooth. Teaching college students in the classroom, online, and on-the-job has taught me how to plan curriculum, lessons, and experiences in ways that the learners can relate to and apply to their lives. Adult learning principles make sense to me, because I have been using them with young adults for years. By managing complex projects and events for my college students and team members, I can competently manage eLearning experiences. I have been teaching my students leadership principles formally and informally for years, and these are the same leadership principles needed in a corporate setting. At its core, my work has been about holistically developing students and preparing them for their careers, and this core is the same for instructional design.

When I'm not working I enjoy reading, and I listen to audiobooks constantly. I also like to spend time with my family and friends, spoil my dog, and travel. I occasionally try to knit and craft, am slightly obsessed with Ted Lasso, and am passionate about slow fashion.