BACKGROUND

In 1995, I was teaching English at York College of Pennsylvania, working part time at a marketing company in Baltimore, and writing my dissertation on Wallace Stevens at the University of North Texas. The Web exploded that year, and the marketing company wanted a Web site. So I did it. Soon, I started doing Web sites for other companies, schools, and organizations. And soon, I began to change the direction of my life.

I never finished that dissertation, and I eventually stopped teaching English. Instead, I started taking classes in Instructional Design at George Washington University, teaching classes on information literacy at York College, and, of course, continuing to pursue the more lucrative contract work on Web site designs.

In 1998, I started work at UMUC as a Distance Education Coordinator. I did a lot of faculty training and support there, along with online instructional design. I also participated in a lot of planning and policy matters regarding course development. The title I had when I left full time employement at UMUC in 2002 was Assistant Dean of Distance Education.

In the past ten years, I've worked primarily in the university / college setting. But I have also served as a consultant on e-Learning to government agencies and private corporations. And I have continued to moonlight, on occasion, as Web designer/developer.

Currently, my day job is Director of Instructional Technology and Online Learning at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. I manage an online graduate program there and do a lot of online instructional design. I also consult on occasion and, of course, still teach a little. At UMUC, I currently hold the position of Associate Adjunct Faculty.

EDUCATION

Over the years, I've gone to school quite a bit. I've attended Hardin-Simmons University, Texas Wesleyan University, University of Texas, University of North Texas, George Washington University, The University of Baltimore, and UMUC. I have degrees in Religion, Philosophy, and English. My most recent degree is from UMUC. I completed the Masters in Distance Education (OMDE) in 2008.

INTERESTS

My current professional interest is how best to use Virtual Worlds, online learning platforms, and social networks to design new, virtual learning spaces.

My primary hobby is books. I collect them obsessively. Even read a few of them. I attend opera whenever and wherever I can. I did a little rodeoing in Texas when young and still find the sport interesting. I'm seldom happier than when canoeing a river.

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