Change Management Across Institutions

Melody Buckner

WCET Steering Committee, Associate Vice Provost, Digital Learning Initiatives and Online, The University of Arizona

Melody Buckner is the associate vice provost of Digital Learning and Online Initiatives for the University of Arizona. In this role, she collaborates with university leaders, faculty, and academic staff to articulate the implementation of online education and assist in defining the institutional values for digital learning to align with the University’s mission. Her faculty affiliation is with the College of Education, and she conducts research and teaching in the areas of educational technology, digital and creative literacies, and multicultural education.

She serves on the board of BYTE, a cross-border youth development program offering tennis and academic classes on both sides of the Nogales US/Mexico border. She became involved with this organization because of her passion for digital storytelling and love of the game of tennis. Her informal education consists of living in over 40 different places, including several countries overseas.

Ryan Faulkner

WCET Steering Committee Vice Chair, Dean of Online Learning, College of Eastern Idaho

ryan.faulkner@cei.edu

LinkedIn Profile

Ryan Faulkner is celebrating 25 years of experience in distance education and eight years at the College of Eastern Idaho (CEI). He began his career at Idaho State University, where he managed video-based courses before transitioning into online learning. In January 2018, he joined CEI and led the development of the institution’s online learning program as it transitioned from Eastern Idaho Technical College to the College of Eastern Idaho.

Ryan serves the digital learning community representing two-year institutions on the State Authorization Network (SAN) Advisory Group and the WCET Steering Committee, of which he is the vice chair.

Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife and his dogs. He is also the proud owner of a pet turtle named Pokey.​‌

Kim Scalzo

WCET Steering Committee, Senior Associate Provost, Digital Innovation and Academic Services (DIAS), Open SUNY

Karen Watté

WCET Steering Committee, Senior Director, Course Development and Training, Oregon State University Ecampus

Karen Watté serves as the Senior Director of Course Development and Training at Oregon State University Ecampus where she leads a large team of instructional designers, multimedia developers, and faculty development specialists to support faculty and departments across the institution in designing their courses for online delivery. She’s involved in multiple initiatives focused on improving quality in online course design and teaching. Her areas of focus include faculty professional development, organizational behavior, and online program management, and she has special interest in the use of AI tools in online teaching and learning.