Reflections on 2021 and Aspirations for 2022 from Digital Learning Leaders and Learners

Jennifer Seymour

Vice President, General Education & Applied Technologies, WSU Tech

Jennifer began her career in education accidentally…she never intended to be an educator, but after she was laid off from her job in the staffing industry an opportunity to teach at Butler Community College was too good to turn down. Jennifer taught business administration courses at BCC for seven years before accepting a position as associate dean of career and technical education. After almost 20 years in education, Jennifer currently serves as the Vice President for General Education & Applied Technologies at WSU Tech. Along with her team, Jennifer was instrumental in receiving ASE accreditation for the automotive technology program, developing new programs such as alternative fuels and culinary arts, creating the first education-sponsored apprenticeship in construction in Kansas, and implementing BibliU Universal Learning as the main source for course materials.

Kelvin Thompson

WCET Steering Committee, Vice Provost of Online Strategy & Teaching Innovation, University of Louisville

@kthompsoLinkedIn Profile

Jessica Rowland Williams

Director, Every Learner Everywhere, WCET Staff 2019 - 2023

jrwilliams@wiche.edu

LinkedIn Profile

Jessica was the director of Every Learner Everywhere, a network of organizations with a mission to help institutions use new technology to innovate teaching and learning and better serve Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students, poverty-affected students, and first-generation students. As director, she provided leadership and vision for the network and lead the operation of the network strategy.

Prior to this role, Jessica served as the completion grant initiative project director for University Innovation Alliance. She also worked as project director in Georgia State University’s Office of the Senior Vice President of Student Success. During her time at Princeton University, Jessica served four years as a diversity fellow in the Office of Academic Affairs and Diversity and was honored with the Patrice Y. Johnson *80 Memorial Service Award by the Association of Black Princeton Alumni in recognition of her high levels of performance and service to the university. Jessica has devoted her career to helping institutions better serve marginalized students.

Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University. She is also a mother of four children. As her spare time allows, Jessica enjoys traveling and escaping into the world of literature. Currently, her favorite literary character is Janie Crawford, from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

Kiara Williams

Recruitment, Membership and Programs, WCET

Kiara Williams is a radiant Afro-Asian-Latina with a passion for education. As a recent graduate of Georgia State University, she received her degree in human learning and development, with focuses on family & community literacy, counseling, and working with multilingual populations. Throughout her collegiate journey, Kiara acquired a deep interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds and differing environments. She has served as a teacher, mentor, world traveler, school ambassador, leader, programs director, Every Learner Everywhere Network fellow, and is now taking on the nonprofit field! Kiara currently serves as the education outreach coordinator for 3D Girls, Inc., where she is able to bring energy, fun, and excitement to the organization’s school-based programs and partnerships, while educating, empowering, and advocating for the girls they serve.

Carrie O'Donnell

Founder & CEO, O’Donnell Learn

For over 25 years, Carrie O’Donnell has been a change agent in the education industry, focusing on digital learning solutions for the workplace and higher education and on using customer insight to build great learning experiences. Her firm, O’Donnell Learn, is a leading learning design agency in higher education. Founded 30 years ago as a virtual company, the team includes hundreds of learning designers who partner with institutions and their faculty to improve virtual or blended learning.