Professional Summary
As an Instructional Designer, Jess partners with NECO faculty to turn complex clinical curricula into clearly organized, intuitive learning experiences. She brings more than 15 years of higher education and learning design experience leading strategic design initiatives across universities, corporate environments, and non-profit organizations, including key roles at a Research 1 university and a learning design consulting firm. Jess’ approach is rooted in an academic background in information science, specializing in information literacy and instruction, which naturally sparked her passion for user-experience design, human-computer interaction, and collaborative project management. Her dedication to the learner experience is also shaped by her professional experience as an academic advisor mentoring graduate students.

Jess draws on a firsthand understanding of student friction points and learning science to apply evidence-based frameworks to remove technical hurdles, allowing faculty to focus on teaching and students to focus on mastering their future profession.

Areas of Expertise

• Online Course Design & Development

• Meaningful, Engaging, & Active Learning Experiences

• Authentic, Scaffolded Assessments & Feedback Loops

• User Experience & Human-Centered Learning Design

• Curriculum Mapping & Information Architecture

• Digital Learning Resource Architecture & OER Integration

• Agile Project Management & Collaborative Leadership

Personal Statement
I believe that exceptional instructional design balances systemic architecture with human connection. Learning occurs when we actively engage with ideas in authentic contexts, navigate clear pathways, and receive scaffolded feedback that builds real-world capability. In my practice, I partner with subject matter experts to demystify technology, curate credible learning resources, and build sustainable, high-quality course structures. Having spent over a decade in the field, my core philosophy is to meet subject matter experts exactly where they are. I look for creative, out-of-the-box ways to adapt to each individual’s unique needs, aiming to reduce cognitive load throughout the design process. Ultimately, this allows us to focus on working together collaboratively while keeping learner success at the center of everything we build.