Meet the Team
Our Instructional Design team works with faculty members across the entire state of Wisconsin to create media-rich courses using cutting-edge technology. With the goal of bringing to students the best possible experience, designers collaborate with faculty to ensure that all courses go through a rigorous design process grounded in current instructional design theory.
Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources (OPLR) designers have advanced degrees and work to stay current with the latest trends in the field of instructional design by attending and presenting at national and local conferences.
And course creation is just the beginning. OPLR designers assist faculty for the duration of each course, refining course design to meet new needs of instructor and students. Courses are also periodically reviewed and revised to maintain accurate content and quality design.
Ryan Anderson
Senior Director of Instructional Design and Media
Ryan Anderson
Senior Director of Instructional Design and Media
Programs/Projects
I oversee all of the instructional design work for the Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources.
Previous Employment
Epic Systems, group lead of E-Learning and Clinical Applications; Verona Area High School, English teacher; Madison College, Adult Continuing Education instructor
Education
UW-Madison, BS in Secondary English Education; UW-Madison, MS in Curriculum and Instruction; Edgewood College, Doctoral Student in Educational Leadership
Special Interests
Competency-based education, m-learning, MOOCs, gamification, adaptive learning, social learning, educational technology, scenario-based learning, and micro-credentialing
Personal Interests
Spending time with my family, hiking, hunting, singing, and service projects
Abbie Amadio
Editor
Abbie Amadio
Editor
Programs/Projects
All programs/projects
Previous Employment
University of California
Education
University of Wisconsin-Madison, BA; Mills College, MFA
Special Interests
Copyediting, proofreading, strategies for teaching student writing
Personal Interests
Hiking, walking, cooking, reading and writing, and spending time with family and pets
Nathan Ewings
Senior Instructional Designer and Manager
Nathan Ewings
Senior Instructional Designer and Manager
Programs/Projects
Digital Marketing, Workplace Training Programs
Previous Employment
Epic Systems: trainer, instructional designer, and e-learning developer
Education
UW-Madison, BS in Biology Education; Purdue University, MS in Education
Special Interests
Interactive design, retention/engagement strategies, and visual design
Personal Interests
Hiking and being outdoors, being a great dad, keeping up on current events, and listening to mentally stimulating podcasts whilst doing work around the house
Eileen Horn
Senior Instructional Designer and Manager
Eileen Horn
Senior Instructional Designer and Manager
Programs/Projects
UW Flexible Option
Previous Employment
UW-Madison: School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Nursing
Education
UW-Madison, BA; UW-Milwaukee, MS; UW-Madison, Distance Education Certificate
Special Interests
Learner-created content, online collaboration spaces, and visual organizers
Personal Interests
Theater, art, hiking, biking, camping, and outside fun in general
Gaby Huebner-Noblitt
Instructional Designer
Gaby Huebner-Noblitt
Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Sustainable Management
Previous Employment
System Software Associates, Chicago; Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Wauconda, IL
Education
University of Hamburg, Germany, PhD in Latin Literature
Special Interests
Online course design, e-learning technologies, and generational learning styles
Personal Interests
Spending time with my green iguana, trying new recipes, home decorating and gardening, and reading
Jennifer Jaworski
Instructional Designer
Jennifer Jaworski
Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
MHWM and Fin Tech
Previous Employment
New Mexico Highlands University, Wisconsin Digital Learning Collaborative, iForward
Education
University of Chicago, M.A.T.; University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A.; UW-Stout, Instructional Design Graduate Certificate
Special Interests
Universal design, learner engagement, simulations and scenario-based learning, project-based learning, learner experience (LX/UX) practices, narrative-based learning, micro-credentialing, open-educational resource development
Personal Interests
Family time, backpacking, kayaking, climbing, gardening, playing cards (sheepshead) with family
Kristin Kowal
Senior Instructional Designer
Kristin Kowal
Senior Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Applied Computing
Previous Employment
UW Colleges Online
Education
Saint Louis University, BA with a major in History; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, MS in Library and Information Science
Special Interests
Faculty development, teamwork and collaboration, user experience design, best practices
Personal Interests
Music, board games, cooking, drawing, film, playing with my dog
Amy Lane
Instructional Designer
Amy Lane
Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Information Technology Management and Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, BSN@Home
Previous Employment
Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN Community Faculty Member in the College of Business and College of Sciences / Community Engagement Coordinator at the Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship. University of Wisconsin-Stout, Adjunct Graduate Faculty Member and Career Services Director.
Education
Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis; South Dakota State University, BS degree in Secondary Education and MS degree in Counseling and Human Resource Management
Special Interests
Assessment (Formative and Summative), Program Assessment, Online Teaching and Learning / Instructional Alignment / Situational-Based Learning / Project Based Learning / Experiential Learning
Personal Interests
Playing piano, music, art, baking, perennials, spending time with family and summer festivals
Jessica O'Neel
Associate Instructional Designer
Jessica O'Neel
Associate Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Independent Learning
Previous Employment
Glenwood City School District, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Education
UW-River Falls, BS; UW-Stout, Instructional Design Graduate Certificate
Special Interests
Experiential Learning, Gamification, Performance objectives, Scenario-based learning
Personal Interests
Hiking, Snowshoeing, Gardening, Knitting, Reading
Kristine Pierick
Senior Instructional Designer
Kristine Pierick
Senior Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Associate of Arts & Sciences and Independent Learning
Previous Employment
Epic Systems
Education
UW-Madison, BS in Secondary Education-History
Special Interests
UW Flexible Option and Independent Learning
Personal Interests
Being a mom, fishing, baking, spending time with family and friends, and watching Badger football and basketball
Liz Seitz
Associate Instructional Designer
Liz Seitz
Associate Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Health Care Administration, Biodiversity Conservation and Management
Previous Employment
UW-Madison Division of Extension
Education
University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS; University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, MS
Special Interests
user experience design, faculty support and development, and designing for inclusion and access.
Personal Interests
Being a mom, music, volunteering
Lindsey Smeaton
Associate Instructional Designer
Lindsey Smeaton
Associate Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Flexible Option
Previous Employment
Art educator for students in elementary, middle, and secondary public schools in Wisconsin.
Education
Mount Mary University, BA in Adaptive Education; UW-Whitewater, MS student in Instructional Design and Learning Technology.
Special Interests
Emerging technologies in learning and adaptive learning.
Personal Interests
Spending time with my family, hiking, creating art, biking, and traveling.
Terry Tao
Senior Instructional Designer and Manager
Terry Tao
Senior Instructional Designer and Manager
Programs/Projects
UW collaborative programs, UW Flexible Option projects, MOOCs, and ASG Group Projects
Previous Employment
University of Central Florida, instructional designer
Education
University of Central Florida, PhD in Education
Special Interests
Collaborative online program development, evaluation, qualitative/quantitative research data analysis, training design and development, instructional design theories and practice, MOOCs, and competency- based education
Personal Interests
Chinese community in Madison, cultural diversity, and work with the Chinese Students and Scholars Association
Kelsey Zeller
Associate Instructional Designer
Kelsey Zeller
Associate Instructional Designer
Programs/Projects
Health Information Management & Technology
Previous Employment
Universities of Wisconsin (Enrollment Adviser), UW-Madison
Education
Salem College, BA in English & K-6 Education; UW-Madison, MS in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis; UW-Stout, Certificate in Instructional Design
Special Interests
Student engagement, cooperative and collaborative learning, universal design for learning
Personal Interests
Walking, visiting dog parks around Madison, trying different fiber arts, reading