"Meet the AACRAO Staff" is an occasional Connect feature. It’s one way for members to get to know some of the folks hard at work in the AACRAO office. Come to the Annual Meeting this April in Baltimore, MD and meet some of the AACRAO staff in person!
What do you do with AACRAO?
Primarily, my work is managing the online courses. AACRAO offers four online courses throughout the year: Admissions Counselor/Recruiter 101, Managing the Admissions Office, Registrar 101, and Essentials of Strategic Enrollment Management. I organize these courses when a class is ready to begin and I also answer questions for anyone interested in taking a course.
My other work consists of any special projects relating to professional development. This may include writing about our professional development services on the AACRAO site, creating a career planning tool for those in the registrar or admissions profession, or developing professional development sessions at the Annual Meeting, Technology and Transfer Conference, or the Strategic Enrollment Management Conference.
I've been working in distance education since 2002. I previously had a civil service career, and I was looking for a new career that would also make a difference. Online learning provides so many educational and training opportunities for people unable to go to a campus.
What will you be doing at the Annual Meeting?
I will be involved with two sessions: I will be in "Contribute to the Profession through AACRAO" with Heather Zimar, Brooke Barnett, Martha Henebry and Janet Szamosszegi. I will be sharing how AACRAO members can provide content or even become faculty for any of our online courses. I will also be presenting with Jacqui Elliott and Rodney Parks in "Serving the Student You Can't See: Registrar and Admissions Challenges for Online Students" about the challenges and best practices in serving online students.
If I'm not in a session or a meeting, I will be at the AACRAO booth, happy to talk to anyone about AACRAO's professional development opportunities.
Is there anything you're excited to do in Baltimore?
Staying warm! I live in Tallahassee, Florida, and although I've spent 30 years in Maryland, I am very happy to be back home where it is nice and warm.
What do you like to do in your free time?
As of February, I took on a full-time position as program chair for a Masters of Distance Learning program at the University of Maryland University College. Prior to this new responsibility, I taught in this program for the past five years.
I also love doing anything in the sunshine and anywhere near palm trees, whether it's working in my yard, playing in the pool with friends, or just walking the dog. I also love to go on cruises. Just this past February, I went on a cruise in the Caribbean.