iDesign is a wonderful place to use my diverse skill set. I am a graduate of Wellesley College, I have earned master’s degrees in political science and teaching from the University of Washington, and I hold a Quality Matters certification. Previously, I served as a Distance Learning Director and was part of a university teaching, learning, and innovation center for over ten years. I joined iDesign in 2020. As part of my work on discovery projects, I provide creative solutions that advance student engagement and student support. I have also served as a Learning Architect and Lead Learning Architect, attending to the granular details needed to shepherd projects from initiation to successful completion. I love leading teams that help programs make a difference in lives of students through stronger opportunities for content connection and application.

At iDesign, I am proud to be part of the Human Resources team, where I have the incredible opportunity to inspire individuals and foster their professional growth. Working at iDesign is more than just a job; it is a fulfilling journey of empowering individuals to reach their highest potential. Our company values the unique talents and strengths that each employee brings to the table, and we believe in creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive. By guiding and nurturing our talented workforce, we are not only shaping the future of iDesign but also making a positive impact on the lives of our employees.

My career in higher education has had a lot of unexpected twists and turns, and working at iDesign has been one of the most surprising. In the summer of 2018, I was looking for some extra contract work for a few months and was hired by iDesign to be a Subject Matter expert in communication and human resources. I was then offered the opportunity to move into a Learning Architect (LA) role. This was perfect timing for me as I had been bitten by the instructional design bug and was really intrigued about the process of building enriching online learning experiences. As an LA, I was mentored, supported, and provided opportunities to hone design my skills. I loved working with faculty and developing a collaborative relationship where we created amazing learning experiences for students—so much so that I walked away from my full-time faculty position to free up more time to work with iDesign. Yes, “a few months” quickly turned into a few years! In November 2022 I moved on to my next (unplanned!) adventure as Director of Learning Experience Design. Every day there is something new to learn at iDesign—and I love that!

The OPM space has some big players, but it is also kind of a small pond as an industry. iDesign had been on my radar for a few years when the opportunity arose to work here. This is why I'm here...a lot of OPMs are enrollment mills, they might provide lip service about academics and course design and might even provide some of those services...but at the end of the day they really only care about enrollments and don't provide a lot of support for the institutions once the programs start running. iDesign is different. We recognize that good instructional design is a key part of retention and we don't just let the institutions figure things out for themselves once the programs run. I get to play a role in this and I'm proud of the role I get to play, especially when some of our partners refer to me as "part of their team". If I can help get them past the Us/Them mentality that you get with these kinds of partnerships, I am very happy. I like doing what I do here because it involves troubleshooting and helping organizations to develop, build, and grow. I do what I do here because these programs don't only have a personal impact, but a wider societal one, particularly because we focus on nursing. One other thing that is truly unique at iDesign. I've seen a lot of companies who talk about things like trust and collaboration, but iDesign is the only company I have ever worked at where collaboration is a reality and we truly trust people to do their jobs. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This past year of restrictions due to the pandemic has truly changed the way we think about work. People are starting to rethink their life priorities and how to focus their time. The remote work that was forced upon some gave people the opportunity to rethink what they really want to be doing in work. Perhaps you are one of those people. I encourage you to think about enjoyment in your work as a life priority. We spend so much time at work that we ought to truly enjoy what we are doing. Company culture plays a huge role in this. Some companies are opening up remote work positions where they didn't exist before as they witnessed the productivity of remote workers this past year. This could mean a huge benefit for you. As you seek new opportunities, look at the culture of the company you are pursuing. Make sure the culture aligns with your personal core values. This will help create harmony in your life which will lead to greater contentment in your work. When we at iDesign look for people to add to our team, we look for people who are seeking this harmony who will be a good fit for our company culture. We are fiercely protective of our company culture so bringing on new team members isn't just about the skills of the individual. It is the heart of the people that matters most!

Being part of iDesign has given me many opportunities to grow professionally and personally in ways that I have expanded and stretched as a leader and as a human. I am encouraged to be myself, to take risks and be open to mistakes and failure, to support others in ways of growth as they desire and to be a lifelong learner. It is the work AND the people who make me feel grateful to be a collaborator within iDesign.

My journey at iDesign began in August of 2020 as a Graphic Design Intern, eager to learn and be part of a team of people that share an excitement for developing and enhancing meaningful learning experiences. In November of 2020, I accepted a Visual Designer role and in January of 2022, I was thrilled to join the team full-time as a Graphic Design Coordinator. When I think of iDesign, the words ‘caring’, ‘genuine’, and ‘transformative’ come to mind. I feel incredibly grateful to be a part of a team where that stellar trio is present in every facet of what we do- which is putting people first.

In all the years I have worked in Higher Education, I have always been driven to understand this often complicated link between University stakeholders, student experience, and positive learning outcomes. I knew and understood their importance well, but even after working for a few years in the EdTech space, I realized that I never had the opportunity to be a real change agent in shaping the future of digital education and I was so eager to become an advocate for the student experience. Enter, iDesign! I am so excited to be a part of an organization that not only has the students' interest at heart, but also tackles bringing their partners' visions to life with tact, agility and an unwavering commitment to student outcomes.

Working for iDesign is just good for my soul. No matter the situation, it's about supporting human potential, treating each other well, doing the right thing, and collaboratively creating anew. This is the foundation of everything we do.

I am grateful to be part of an organization that is very supportive and gives me the opportunity to grow and expand my talent and skills in many areas. My journey with iDesign started in April 2018 as a Learning Architect and was promoted to be Sr. Learning Architect a couple of years later. Since then, I've been working on a variety of projects. Each project is unique and has its own challenges. How we are dealing with each of the challenges that we are facing helps me grow as a person and as a professional. In January 2022, I accepted the position of Director of Healthcare Design. In my new role, I will continue to support my team members and be there when they need me. The success of the project is impossible without teamwork.

'I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.' - Kurt Vonnegut

Education has a transformative power on individuals and their families. It brings me joy to know that we are designing opportunities for people to advance in their educational pursuits and career paths.

I am grateful to be a part of a company that values teamwork AND individual creativity in the workplace.

My career in instructional design began almost by accident. I earned my Ph.D. in Communication & Information from the University of Tennessee with the intention of becoming a college professor. Throughout my decade in the college classroom, I took advantage of the college’s Teaching, Learning, and Technology (TLT) department. I became a fixture in their offices, attending almost every workshop and being a guinea pig for new instructional technologies. When a position opened in the TLT office, I was encouraged to apply. And so started my journey into instructional design. By another happy accident, I was introduced to iDesign in September 2018 and I’ve never looked back. iDesign has provided many opportunities for me to grow and expand my skills, including serving as a Lead Learning Architect and Quality Review Coordinator. In January 2022, I accepted the position of Director of LX Design and am thrilled to collaborate with future-focused partners who prioritize student success. I am grateful to be part of an organization that understands the transformative power of education and strives to improve access to people around the world.

I was never a traditional student, so I love that I am able to impact the online learning space for others. It’s just icing on the cake that I get to do that with a company like iDesign. We truly put the student and faculty experience at the forefront of everything we do.

Test, optimize, scale. Rinse & repeat.

Besides working for Disney, I have always been involved in higher education serving in a variety of roles across the student lifecycle. While serving in these roles, I was fortunate to meet Paxton, Ned, and Whitney at a variety of higher ed events. In 2016 when an opportunity opened up at iDesign, I dropped everything and flew to a small office in Dallas to say, "I'm in!" In my current role, I am not only able to work with the amazing people at iDesign, but I am also fortunate to collaborate with Presidents, Provosts, faculty, and staff from some of the top institutions. It is my daily goal to help our partners find the best students, provide the best student experience, and support their student's success. If you can dream it, iDesign can do it!

I started my Graphic Design internship at iDesign in January of 2021 as an eager-to-learn Web and Graphic Design student. After endless opportunities to learn, explore, and grow with an incredible Creative Team, I accepted a part-time Graphic Design Coordinator position in August of 2021. I am constantly amazed by the comradery, empathy, dedication, and creativity of iDesign as a whole. I feel very lucky to be a part of a company that values collective success. In over three years of design roles for academia, I have never felt so excited to do what I love every day. I hope to continue my journey of growth as a designer here at iDesign, all while helping instructional design be beautiful.

Working in higher education has always given me great purpose and fulfillment. There is an inherent nobility to serving educators and students that is very attractive. Following work in publishing and international student recruitment and admissions I was fortunate enough to join the iDesign family and serve higher education in a new and exciting way. Now I'm learning to work closely with faculty and administrators to design world-class student experiences and unlock the potential of online learning for both institutions and students. We've learned a great deal and done incredible work - and the best is yet to come!

"Vision without execution is hallucination." – Thomas Edison

At every stage of my life, my focus has been on helping people. When I joined iDesign in 2015, my focus as a Learning Architect was on helping our students be successful in achieving their dream of a college education. I never realized that my career path in iDesign would take me out of the Design Team and into HR but I am so glad it did. Now, I help people as they are starting their careers, changing careers, and growing in their existing careers. iDesign’s company culture makes my job easier. I am so proud that our leadership remains committed to keeping our company culture-positive and supportive while we grow and change.

I started at iDesign as an Administrative Assistant in July 2014. After receiving considerable encouragement, support, and guidance from leadership, I moved into the Financial Administrator position in 2020. iDesign’s holistic approach to identifying and creating unique solutions, not only ensures successful client relationships but also allows team members to grow, recognizing their full potential. I am truly blessed to be part of an amazing team of insightful and creative individuals with a passion for empowering others! In short, I found my happy place!

I started at iDesign doing general research work in 2016, I knew immediately that this is a company I wanted to work for. After a few years of learning and growing, I am now the HR/Accounting Assistant. I am beyond grateful to work in such a positive work environment with people that respect and support what everyone brings to the company. The amount of dedication and care that iDesign brings not only to their customers but to their workers is extraordinary. My hope is to grow both personally and professionally within my position.

I was once the only graphic designer at iDesign, still young in my career. Every professional challenge I have faced since then has been an opportunity to learn and grow my design skills. As our company continues to grow, I'm reminded all the time that it's the people here and the encouragement they give me that do the most to drive me toward success. In my role as Creative Director, I now get to do the same for a whole team of graphic designers.

I jumped at the opportunity to work in a burgeoning space while being surrounded by many of the most dynamic and forward-thinking minds in online education. Helping institutions and students around the country achieve their goals while pushing the boundaries of what education will become is what keeps me excited about the future of iDesign.

I began working for iDesign one year ago and it has been the best career move ever for me. I have always been blessed to work with such amazing people and companies in my career but there is something so special about the culture at iDesign that stands out from the rest. For nearly 10 years I worked for IBM but always knew I wanted to work in Education. Then I worked for Pearson in Higher Education, following that working directly on a college campus at Colorado State University surrounded by wonderful students. But when the opportunity to come to iDesign was presented to me I had zero hesitation. iDesign is a family. iDesign has passion, they care about not only their employee's but their employee's families as well. iDesign's goal is making a positive impact on higher education and doing it in a caring way that ultimately puts the student success first. As a student Success Coach for iDesign supporting Salve Regina University and York College I get to work with some of the best nurses out there and help them full-fill their career goals and dreams all while working in an amazing culture and learning from some of the very best leaders in the business. iDesign has reminded me how to stay balanced, how to put my family first while still making work a top priority as well, and how to remember to also take care of myself. iDesign has taught me so much more about Higher Education, the future of online learning, and the reminder of what impact we are making daily to help others better themselves. I hope to have a very long lasting career at iDesign that allows me to keep growing, build strong leadership skills, stay challenged, continue learning, working directly with student success, and continue to always make a positive difference in the lives of others. I am thankful to work for such an amazing and supportive company such as iDesign!

“Education is the great equalizer in a democratic society, and if people are not given access to education, then what we are doing is creating an underclass of people who will challenge our life” Gerardo Gonzalez (2001). I am thankful to be part of the iDesign team that provides innovative and world-class access to so many students seeking to improve their positions in life.

My road to instructional design was windy and began when a mentor gave me a chance to work with faculty following the completion of my MBA. I had the student services pieces having worked in admissions, accessibility, and the testing center, but I lacked experience with faculty. I will forever be grateful for my mentor seeing that my growth mindset and customer service attitude was exactly what faculty needed most. I joined iDesign as a Learning Architect in September of 2018. I was already working in the field of instructional design, but I was looking for a challenge! I wanted to work with faculty from across the country and across disciplines. iDesign gave me that opportunity! I quickly rose to the ranks of Lead Learning Architect as I enjoyed the administrative side of leading projects and teams. In June of 2020, I accepted the position of Director of LX Design with iDesign and would lead the creation of the Instructional Design Support Center as a service support line to help support during the continued pandemic. The IDSC ramped up quickly to provide just-in-time instructional design support to institutions and their faculty. iDesign provides me the opportunity to spread my wings and showcase my skills daily. They are not scared of strong leaders and encourage innovation and taking the lead. iDesign provides me the opportunity to work with amazing administers and faculty every day. I feel blessed to be part of iDesign and all the work we do!