It all began, as so many things do, with a degree in Environmental Resource Management and a minor in Technical Writing from Penn State. This, as you might imagine, is not the kind of academic background that sets the world on fire, but it did give me a solid foundation for a career that would prove to be both eclectic and unexpectedly rewarding. My first job was as a technical writer for a consulting firm, where I helped Fortune 50 agricultural companies navigate the labyrinthine process of pesticide registration. It was, in a word, riveting. If you’ve ever wondered whether a certain bug-killer was safe to drink, wonder no more. I probably reported its findings and can speak for it. And let me tell you, it’s not a job that comes up much at dinner parties.

But then, as the world of technical writing began to change in ways that were both subtle and profound with the rise of the infamous Internet, I decided to make a leap to tech. I traded pesticides for PowerPoints and found myself in the curious world of instructional design. This turned out to be a surprisingly good move, as it allowed me to channel my love of words into creating training materials and eLearning courses. It was, in many ways, like discovering a hidden door in a house you’ve lived in for years—a door that leads to a room you never knew existed.

My career path soon took on the characteristics of a particularly well-traveled suitcase. I wrote documentation for Coca-Cola (because even the world’s most famous beverage needs instructions on how to drink it), developed eLearning content for the University of Georgia, and somehow ended up living and working in Barcelona, Prague, and Santiago, Chile. These experiences taught me many things, including how to design learning experiences for adults who would rather be doing almost anything else and how to order a coffee in three languages without accidentally insulting the waiter. In Santiago, I even started my own eLearning agency, which I ran for 16 years. It was, in many ways, like running a small, slightly chaotic kingdom, complete with loyal subjects, occasional rebellions, and a never-ending quest for more coffee.

Today, I find myself at UC Davis, where I lead the development of learning content from initial concept to final launch. It’s a bit like being the conductor of a jazz big band, except instead of trombones and saxophones, I have learning objectives and the occasional Zoom hiccup. My journey has given me a deep appreciation for the art of audience engagement, a knack for turning complex ideas into digestible content, and an unshakable belief that humor is the secret ingredient in any successful learning experience involving accounting. So, whether I’m designing a course on General Ledger to PPM subledger reconciliations or pondering the mysteries of quantum mechanics, I approach it all with the same philosophy: keep it simple, keep it engaging, and for heaven’s sake, keep it fun. After all, life’s too short to be boring.