OLC Presenter Services

Dr. Tawnya Means is Assistant Dean and Director, Teaching and Learning Center (College of Business – University of Nebraska-Lincoln). She provides vision and leadership focused on the needs of students and faculty. Her team develops and implements comprehensive and effective learning support for students and creates faculty development programs and resources to assist faculty with instructional innovation and adoption of pedagogical best practices. Her expertise is in online and blended learning, active learning, technology innovation, and preparation to teach. She has long been a leader in campus initiatives and committees and actively presents at conferences and other institutions and organizations.

Dr. Sherri Restauri joined the Coastal Office of Online Learning as Director in 2016; this fall she is starting her 18th year serving in online learning. Her research focus is on improving the teaching and learning process across all teaching modalities through the use of technology, with specific interest in pedagogical practices to increase student engagement, and best practices in online pedagogy. Sherri is heavily involved in digital accessibility, OERs, and integrating quality standards into the T/L process for faculty across all modalities of teaching. She also serves as a teaching associate in the Department of Psychology at CCU, specializing in Developmental Psychology. She has served in the planning and steering committees with OLC Innovate and Accelerate for a number of years, serving in the 2018 year as Program Co-Chair for Accelerate and Workshops Track Chair for Innovate 2019. She is the Editor of the Professional Coaching board for MERLOT, as well as a long-time board member in the Psychology Editorial Board for MERLOT.

Coming Soon

Catherine Honig, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and Chair, MBA Program in National Louis University’s College of Professional Studies and Advancement (CPSA). She earned her doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology from Bowling Green State University and has over 25 years of higher education teaching experience. She currently designs and teaches online courses in leadership and I/O psychology, and her research interests place emphasis on high-touch online instruction, student perceptions of online and blended learning, and the impact of EdTech tools on student learning and engagement in online courses. Catherine also serves as the Editor of MERLOT’s Psychology Editorial Board.

Angela Gunder is the Vice President of Learning for the Online Learning Consortium. Prior to her role at the OLC, she served as the Director of Instructional Design & Curriculum Development for the Office of Digital Learning, managing and mentoring the team that builds the fully-online programs for The University of Arizona. Her over fifteen-year career as a designer for higher education informs her instructional design practice, where she leverages her expertise in web design, usability, visual communication, programming, and standards-based online learning. From 2009-2017, she served as the technical lead of a federally-funded grant from the National Security Agency on emerging technology for critical language acquisition (Annual Direct Costs: $100K). She is an Associate Editor for the Teacher Education Board of MERLOT, and the recipient of the 2018 MERLOT Distinguished Service Award, the organization’s highest honor. She is also the recipient of two Online Learning Consortium Effective Practice Awards for the creation of a framework for personal learning networks, and for the creation of exploratory installations of education technology, respectively. In 2019, Ms. Gunder was named an OLC Fellow for her dedication to service, innovation, and scholarship in support of student success in online learning. Her research interests include open educational practices, digital literacies, narrative in online course design, and emerging technology for second language acquisition. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Fine Art from Fordham University, a M.Ed. in Education Technology from Arizona State University, and is completing her Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies at The University of Arizona.

Tina Rettler-Pagel is a Faculty member and Chief Online Learning Officer at Madison College, in Madison, Wisconsin. Tina holds a B.S in Education with an emphasis on Emotional Disabilities from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.S. in Administrative Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is currently working on a Student Affairs Administration Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Tina has completed an Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Teaching Certificate, as well as participated in OLC’s Institute for Engaged Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL) in 2017. Her research interests include retention and persistence in the online classroom, women in higher education leadership and governance, digital equity, and community college approaches to teaching and learning.

When consulting with faculty, and in her own practice, Tina shares three important lessons: start small, engage at all costs, and never underestimate the power of kindness and inclusion in the classroom.

Taylor Kendal is an educator, writer, designer, improviser, community developer, techno-philosopher and the Chief Program Officer at Learning Economy. His work with the U.S. Dept. of Education, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Library of Congress, MSU Denver, and CU Denver has led him to a lifelong love for education, innovation, design, and the cultivation of decentralized, future-focused networks. He holds an MA in Information Learning Technologies from CU Denver and has 20 years of experience in project/event management, digital/social strategy, instructional/LX design, culture-crafting, improvising, and systems-level hacking of post-secondary education.

Taylor is currently focused on Web 3.0, digital ethics, bridging cultures of entrepreneurship and education, infusing agility and intellectual honesty into bureaucracy, learning from/traveling to distant lands (virtually and physically), exploring the future of education on blockchains, and occasionally writing to help make sense of it all.

Keegan Long-Wheeler is an educational technologist in the Office of Digital Learning at the University of Oklahoma. Keegan uses his background in science, pedagogy, and technology to provide instructors with holistic solutions to their instructional and technological needs. Additionally, Keegan passionately creates open source professional development curriculum to engage faculty in digital literacy, experiential learning, game design, coding, and more! In particular, Keegan loves working with Domain of One’s Own projects and his open professional development programs: GOBLIN, eXperience Play, WebFest, Canvas Camp, and more!

Becky Adams was the Director of Online Faculty Support and Online Course Development for UNM Extended Learning for the past 13 years. She holds a PhD in Education specializing in Instructional Technologies, and a minor in Educational Administration. She holds a Technical Coordinator Certification with the State Department of Education. She has taught online for over twelve years for two universities. Her combination of educational and technical background, as well as experience as an online student, course designer and online instructor, assists her in managing the increasing demand of online courses. As the Director, she works with her staff to facilitate the design and delivery of UNM Online Courses for Main Campus, ensuring quality day-to-day support for online faculty and students, as well as training services for faculty and students utilizing the UNM Learning Management System and academic applications. Becky served on the New Mexico Learning Network’s Statewide initiative for online learning, chairing the sub-committee for Best Practices. She is a Quality Matters Master Reviewer, her OI&LS online course is Quality Matters Certified and she received a 2012 Director’s Choice Blackboard Catalyst Exemplary Course Award.

Sharon Goldstein was appointed Campus Operating Officer for Berkeley College Online in January 2007. Ms. Goldstein oversees day-to-day operations, finances, student and staff retention, space management, creative programming, community outreach and expansion. She joined Berkeley College in 2003 as the Director of Career Services.

Prior to joining Berkeley College, Ms. Goldstein spent 15 years working as a recruiter in the staffing industry and holds the CPC (Certified Personnel Consultant) designation. Sharon is currently serving as co-chairperson of the 2018 OLC Accelerate conference. Additionally, Sharon serves as an Advisory Board Member of Stevens Institute of Technology, Web Campus. Ms. Goldstein has also served as a Board Member for United States Distance Learning Association, and the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Goldstein was recently named a Fellow and inducted into the 2018 Lead NJ class and is a graduate of both Leadership Berkeley and Leadership Paterson. Sharon has been serving as a mentor in the Leadership Berkeley program since 2008.

She is a passionate advocate on the subject of work/life balance and delivers keynotes and workshops based upon her “Feeling of Balance” concept.

Jodie Hemerda, Ph.D. is the Director of Instructional Design & Academic Quality at Zovio where she oversees the instructional design team. With more than 20 years of experience in both the academic and corporate world, Jodie has been a business owner, instructor, instructional technologist, instructional designer, and curriculum innovative leader. Her passion for learning is evident as she actively facilitates dialogue in an effort to move people from passive to active participants in their lives, in both the classroom and conference room. Jodie completed her dissertation in Educational Technology on the use of feedback for self-regulated learning.

B. Jean Mandernach, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching at Grand Canyon University. Her research focuses on enhancing student learning in the online classroom through innovative instructional and assessment strategies. In addition, she has interests in the development of effective faculty evaluation models, perception of online degrees, and faculty workload considerations. Jean received her B.S. in comprehensive psychology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, an M.S. in experimental psychology from Western Illinois University and Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Dr. Kristin Palmer is the Director of Online Learning Programs at the University of Virginia (UVA). In this role, she is responsible for massive open online courses (MOOCs), facilitating pan-university e-learning needs assessment and fulfillment, and conducting research. She represents UVA on the Networked Learning Collaborative of Virginia (NLCVa), is a member of the Accessibility Task Force, Online Education Advisory Committee, Teaching and Learning with Technologies Committee, Bicentennial Committee, and the President’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee (2012-2014). She co-created the annual the Innovation in Pedagogy Summit at UVA. Prior to UVA, Dr. Palmer worked in both education and business on complex technology projects. She has worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP), eBay, Disney, Intuit, and the Children’s Health Council. Dr. Palmer has lived in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. She has backpacked across Europe, sailed down the Nile, taken a train across India, climbed mountains in Nepal, and traveled through the Far East. She met her husband on a rainy evening in the desert and then bicycled with him across Canada. She has three sons, is a yoga instructor, and an avid gardener. She aspires to connect students and faculty to experiences that will lead them on new adventures and make the world a better place.

Dr. Sherri Restauri has served in academia for 17 years. During this time, she has served as an instructional designer, faculty member in the field of psychology and other areas, and also as an administrator over Online Learning at several universities. Dr. Restauri joined the Coastal Office of Online Learning as their Director in July 2016. Her research focus is on improving the teaching and learning process across all teaching modalities through the use of technology, with specific interest in pedagogical practices to increase student engagement, and best practices in online pedagogy.

I am currently a Creative Manager with a Master’s in Educational Technology from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from University of Michigan – Dearborn. Creative Manager probably doesn’t tell you much about what I do. I am part instructional designer where I work with faculty to move their face-to-face courses online using effective practices for online learning. I am also part manager, where I oversee all of the instructional designers and coordinate the cohorts courses being developed.

In my past career, I was a middle school science and math teacher for three years. I have also taught mathematics at the college level to students who were struggling with basic math skills.

My husband is my soul mate and has helped me reach goals in my life that I never thought possible. He is my rock, the sane one, the one who stays grounded while my head is in the clouds.

Our daughter is the best thing that ever happened to us. She is curious, active, sweet, intelligent, and so much more. Spending the evenings and weekends with her as a family keeps me going on a weekly basis.

I have three amazing dogs who help turn some of my worst days into some of my best days just by looking at me.

Laura Widenor serves as an instructional designer for Kansas State University Global Campus. Her primary responsibilities include assisting faculty in the design of online coursework, course reviews, and providing resources for best practices in online teaching. Prior to joining the K-State Global Campus, Laura acquired several years teaching experience in Idaho and held a variety of administrative positions in student life.

I was once introduced as a cheerleader for faculty. I am okay with just that. After ten years of teaching high school English and nearly twenty years teaching and instructional designing I have learned that faculty, like all of us, need good, healthy relationships and support. On a good day, I can be that. I work to help faculty dream about the wonderful ways we can create learning places and spaces. I do that because it is important work and I am lucky to be able to contribute.