I’m an Emmy Award-winning TV producer and instructional designer with 18 years of video production experience. I am the Senior Director of P2Pro and Content at SPARXiQ. In this role, I consult different departments on how to leverage technology to improve workflows, efficiency and creativity. I train professionals to use technology for effective internal and external communication.
My passion for innovating learning led me to pursue a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in instructional technology. The skills I’ve developed in my different positions make me a powerhouse trainer with a deep understanding of how people learn and how to keep people engaged.
Prior to joining SPARXiQ, I taught adult learners in person and online for 7 years at the University of South Florida totaling 1,237 hours of live in-person training and 550 hours of live online training.
My infatuation with innovation and instruction began in my former career as an executive TV producer at the San Diego Union-Tribune. I trained newspaper journalists to use cell phones to enhance their storytelling on multiple platforms. Not only did this enable us to provide more value to our community, it also helped save journalists’ jobs. It became very clear that smart training programs make a huge difference in empowering a company to flourish when others falter in the face of technological and logistical challenges. Leading so many people in a tumultuous time in the industry’s history imprinted in me a sense of responsibility to help workers develop new skills so they can keep their jobs and contribute to the success of their companies.
After 11 years of producing TV news in America’s largest media markets, I know the precision and creativity it takes to create high-quality content for big companies. I produced thousands of stories that aired on Tampa’s NBC and PBS TV stations, Tampa’s NPR radio station, San Diego’s ABC TV station, and the San Diego Union-Tribune. I used daily Nielsen data to refine my choices and measure my success. I learned how important it is to know your audience to customize experiences.
I received my Master’s in Digital Journalism and Design. I then became an instructor at the University of South Florida in 2015. I was charged with re-envisioning five classes to ensure students were prepared to enter competitive careers using cutting-edge technology. I was fortunate to also work for USF’s Innovative Education department. They hired me as a contract producer to create virtual reality campus tours to increase recruitment. It couldn’t have come at a better time because the coronavirus pandemic soon made it impossible to tour the university in person. In creating the tours, I met with stakeholders and subject matter experts across campus to help them tell their stories.
My time as a journalist, instructor, and VR producer made me see the power of storytelling when paired with polished and intentional visuals. My mass communications background makes me very comfortable creating content for thousands of people. I know how to process complex information and format it in a concise way that makes people want to learn. My success training adult learners is evident in the new skills they now apply in their jobs. I take pride in combining research-based strategies and learning principles with interactive multimedia presentations to make people better at their jobs.