Renee Ford
STATE COLLEGE,PA
Summary
Instrumental and creative Instructional Designer, Instructor, and Organizational Leader offering over 28 years' experience in teaching and learning with technology and organization development in the non-profit sector. Specialist in delivering assessment of information and design to develop value-added learning programs that accomplish organizational and program objectives and foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Personable leader in fostering relationships with paid and volunteer stakeholders and gaining vital insights on educational needs. Expert in leading multiple teams while coordinating with subject matter professionals to drive effectiveness and achieve success.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Instructor
Penn State's Smeal College of Business
University Park, PA
08.2021 - Current
- PSU 6, First-Year Seminar (August 2021 to present)
- MGMT 445, Diversity in the Workplace (January 2024 to present)
Sr. Instructional Designer
Penn State's Smeal College of Business
University Park, PA
03.2021 - Current
- eLearning Design Innovation Group
- Design, develop, and maintain the following and create learning resources and related documentation as dictated by course design:
- Smeal's new and existing online courses and create learning resources and related documentation for increased student engagement
- Hybrid/blended learning courses, including large enrollment courses (~750-150 students)
- Serve as the lead designer for a number of Smeal’s online programs
- Design and Develop Assist in the development and implementation of team project management processes, staff processes, and procedures, and provide mentoring to team members
- Act as lead designer for design and accessibility needs for Smeal’s Executive MBA program
- Lead Smeal Academy professional development efforts in teaching and learning for the college that provide training and resources related to teaching and learning solutions and best practices:
- Network and act as a liaison with University and national organizations, committees, and task-forces that promote instructional design, learning theory, and technology innovations
- Provide residential course support and resources
- Research and evaluate to align Smeal courses with The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation standards and improve the field of learning design by:
- Researching learning theories, best practices, and emerging technologies to further knowledge of the field of instructional design
- Presenting findings at conferences and workshops
- Collaborating with faculty and staff to develop appropriate evaluation methods to assess the effectiveness of web-based instruction on the curriculum
- Support Smeal's initiatives while leading and supporting projects related to new and emerging technologies.
Minister
Susquehanna Conference, United Methodist Church, Ordained
Mechanicsburg, PA
01.1999 - Current
- (Please Note: Susquehanna Conference was formed from the Former Central Pennsylvania & Wyoming Conferences, merged in 2010)
- Responsible for ordering the life of the church for mission and ministry
- The minister of a congregation functions much like the CEO of a company
- Duties include, but are not limited to: training, equipping and overseeing church members to lead the church, planning and leading weekly worship services, funerals, and weddings, teaching Bible studies and other classes, overseeing the administrative leadership of the church, overseeing Christian education programs in the church, leading committees to recruit, interview, hire/enlist, train, develop job descriptions for, and supervise all paid and volunteer positions in the church, counseling individuals, couples, and families as needed, visiting sick and homebound members and training others to do this task, assessing needs within the local community, and networking within the community to find ways to share resources and provide for the needs of people in the local community and worldwide
- I have led churches ranging in size from 14 members to over 900 members.
Committee Member and Secretary
State College District, United Methodist Church
State College , PA
07.2003 - 09.2024
- This committee supervises all matters dealing with candidacy for the ordained ministry and with persons licensed as local pastors, examining and interviewing persons for ministry, evaluating their gifts, call education, training, and qualifications.
Instructional Designer
The Pennsylvania State University, College of Business
University Park, PA
08.2012 - 03.2021
- ELearning Design Innovation Group
- Designed, developed, and maintained Smeal's new and existing online courses and create learning resources and related documentation for increased student engagement as dictated by course design
- Served as the lead designer for Smeal’s online programs in business analytics, strategic management and executive leadership, and corporate accounting foundations
- Design and Develop hybrid/blended learning courses, including large enrollment courses (~750-2300 students) and create learning resources and related documentation as dictated by course design
- Assisted in the development and implementation of team project management processes, staff processes and procedures, and provide mentoring to team members
- Provided residential course support
- Network and act as a liaison with University organizations, committees, and task-forces that promote instructional design, learning theory, and technology innovations
- Provide training and consultation related to teaching and learning solutions and best practices:
- Research and evaluate to align Smeal courses with The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation standards and improve the field of learning design through committee service, research, presenting, and collaborating
- Support Smeal's initiatives while leading and supporting projects related to new and emerging technologies.
Online Instructor & Learning Designer
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA
01.2012 - 06.2014
- Supplemental PSU Professional Personnel Development Center for Career and Technical Education
- Assisted faculty in exploring new technologies
- Collaborated with faculty and worked with a creative team to develop and deliver
- Online courses
- Instructed literacy components of online courses and work with other faculty to
- Ensure student success.
Instructional Designer
The Pennsylvania State University, School of Nursing
University Park, PA
01.2012 - 08.2012
- Worked interactively with faculty and staff to design and develop online course instructional materials and support faculty in related methodologies
- Designed and develop new course offerings using various delivery formats
- Enhanced existing online course offerings and continuing education modules.
Instructor
The Pennsylvania State University
07.2007 - 12.2011
- PSU Professional Personnel Development Center for Career and Technical Education
- Collaborated with faculty and worked with a creative team to develop and deliver online courses for special education components of Workforce Education and Development and Agricultural Extension Education
- Developed online course content for Workforce Education and Development online courses & Act 48 online courses
- Assisted faculty in exploring new technologies
- Ensured courses met copyright and ACT 48 compliance
- Served as online review coordinator and team member for the program’s National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) review
- Designed and managed the Workforce Education and Development and Professional Personnel Development’s websites and did a complete redesign migrating content to Plone
- Led Professional Development Workshops
- Recruited students.
Independent Training Consultant
Penn State University Athletics
University Park, PA
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Served as instructor and instructional Designer – Beaver Stadium Employee Online Training, required of all game-day employees
- Responsible for converting face-to-face training into an online training format and delivering and monitoring online training
- Facilitated game-day training for Beaver Stadium Employees prior to football games
- Conducted a needs assessment of the training program.
Instructor and Instructional Designer
Leadership University, Susquehanna Conference UMC
, Central
01.2006 - 01.2011
- Online Courses Designed and Taught:
- Conflict Resolution, Online Campus
- Conflict Resolution, Bellefonte Campus
- Hospitality 101, Williamsport Campus
Founding Member
Workforce Society for Peer, Vitalization Team
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Pennsylvania Governor’s Institute for Math-In-CTE 2007, Planning Committee Member
- Congregational
Consultant, Coach, and Executive Team Member
Circuit Minister, Upper Calder Circuit
Mytholmroyd, England
01.2004 - 01.2008
- Worked in partnership with two ordained ministers and 18 lay ministers to provide for the ministry needs of ten churches., Worked as a trainer and consultant with congregations and church leaders throughout Central Pennsylvania doing visioning, needs assessment, coaching through change & conflict, appreciative inquiry, and de Bono's Six Hats.
Camp Dean
Central Pennsylvania Conference, United Methodist Church, Camp Penn Grades 1
Waynesboro, PA
01.2003 - 07.2006
District Program and Lay Empowerment Team Member
District, Central Pennsylvania Conference United Methodist Church
01.2000 - 01.2003
Camp Director
Wellsboro District, Central Pennsylvania Conference United Methodist Church, His Thousand Hills
Wellsboro, PA
01.2000 - 01.2002
Minister
British Methodist Church
London, England
07.1998 - 08.1998
Calderdale Health Care System, Hospital Chaplain
Halifax, England
01.1998 - 01.1999
Youth Director
Indian Run United Methodist Church
Dublin, OH
01.1996 - 01.1998
- Penn State’s Center for Online Innovation in Learning (COIL) Research Initiation Grant reviewer, 2014.
Orchestra Manager
Adirondack Youth Orchestra
Plattsburgh, NY
01.1995
Education
Ph.D - Workforce Education & Development (HRD And OD)
The Pennsylvania State University
05.2015
M. Div - Ethics
Methodist Theological School in Ohio
01.1999
B.A. - Music Education, Philosophy
SUNY Plattsburgh
01.1994
Skills
- Teaching and Learning Strategies and Methods
- Universal Design for Learning and Accessibility
- Organizational Performance
- Curriculum and Assessment Design
- DEIB Training and Advocacy
- Group and Individual Instruction
- Instructor Training and Professional Development
- Administration and Management
- Course Design (Online, Hybrid, Face-to-Face)
- Technology-Enhanced Learning
Accomplishments
- Numerous national and international conference presentations on topics of online learning, assessment, accessibility and universal design, (see full CV for details).
- Dan and Robyn Ives Innovation Fund Gift (2024). Secured a $100,000 gift from Dan Ives for AI and Innovation in Business Education and am managing related projects that use of this funding.
- Ford, R. & Schiefelbein-Guerrero, K. (2024, anticipated). Succession planning in congregations and religious communities. Succession Planning Handbook. Rothwell, W.J., King, S.B., Poole, D., & Zaballero, A. (Eds.). Edward Elgar Publishing, United Kingdom.
- Smeal's AACSB Accreditation and Assurance of Learning Team Member (2024 to Present)
- Northeastern Jurisdiction UMC Committee on Native American Ministries secretary and indigenous member (2024 to present).
- AACSB Online Learning Affinity Group Steering Committee member (2021 to present).
- Penn State University Smeal College of Business Accessibility Liaison (2021 to present).
- Canvas Business School Advisory Council Core Member (2018 to present).
- Association for Talent Development Member (2007 to present).
- Leadership Strategies and Individual Profiles – Face-to-Face Training 2006 (disc Inventory, Master Planning Group’s Team Profile, and Conflict Management Style) led by Jim Griffith, Griffith Coaching
- Ford, R. (2006). Lessons learned from John Wesley. The Link, 36 (2), 6
- Watson, W.R. (Executive Producer) (2002, February 15). All Things Considered [Radio Broadcast]. Washington, DC: National Public Radio. Interviewed about confronting the Aryan Nations hate group and preventing them from establishing headquarters in Potter County, PA
Certification
- Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats Certified Facilitator – Face-to-Face Training 2005 Pat Carlisle, The de Bono Group.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Instructor
Penn State's Smeal College of Business
08.2021 - Current
Sr. Instructional Designer
Penn State's Smeal College of Business
03.2021 - Current
Instructional Designer
The Pennsylvania State University, College of Business
08.2012 - 03.2021
Online Instructor & Learning Designer
The Pennsylvania State University
01.2012 - 06.2014
Instructional Designer
The Pennsylvania State University, School of Nursing
01.2012 - 08.2012
Independent Training Consultant
Penn State University Athletics
01.2009 - 01.2011
Instructor
The Pennsylvania State University
07.2007 - 12.2011
Founding Member
Workforce Society for Peer, Vitalization Team
01.2007 - 01.2008
Instructor and Instructional Designer
Leadership University, Susquehanna Conference UMC
01.2006 - 01.2011
Consultant, Coach, and Executive Team Member
Circuit Minister, Upper Calder Circuit
01.2004 - 01.2008
Committee Member and Secretary
State College District, United Methodist Church
07.2003 - 09.2024
Camp Dean
Central Pennsylvania Conference, United Methodist Church, Camp Penn Grades 1
01.2003 - 07.2006
District Program and Lay Empowerment Team Member
District, Central Pennsylvania Conference United Methodist Church
01.2000 - 01.2003
Camp Director
Wellsboro District, Central Pennsylvania Conference United Methodist Church, His Thousand Hills
01.2000 - 01.2002
Minister
Susquehanna Conference, United Methodist Church, Ordained
01.1999 - Current
Minister
British Methodist Church
07.1998 - 08.1998
Calderdale Health Care System, Hospital Chaplain
01.1998 - 01.1999
Youth Director
Indian Run United Methodist Church
01.1996 - 01.1998
Orchestra Manager
Adirondack Youth Orchestra
01.1995
Ph.D - Workforce Education & Development (HRD And OD)
The Pennsylvania State University
M. Div - Ethics
Methodist Theological School in Ohio
B.A. - Music Education, Philosophy
SUNY Plattsburgh
- Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats Certified Facilitator – Face-to-Face Training 2005 Pat Carlisle, The de Bono Group.
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