Organizational Workplace and Performance Learning Faculty and Staff

Marker spent several years as a freelance consultant in the greater Boston area before moving into academia. He has served in several roles including principal technical writer, instructional designer and developer, project manager and principal consultant. The projects he has worked on have included work in the telecommunication, financial, pharmaceutical and government arenas. His research interests include identifying those current critical research gaps facing the field of human performance technology, examining organizational change issues that involve systemic cultural change and the capacity to develop wisdom and to act with greater wisdom in the workplace.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University.
• B.A. in East Asian Studies, Indiana University

Marker’s Experts Page

Chyung has expertise in conducting research and evaluation studies in the learning and performance improvement context as well as evidence-based survey design. She is an author of three textbooks, including 10-Step Evaluation for Training and Performance Improvement published by SAGE and Foundations of Instructional and Performance Technology published by HRD Press. She has published more than 70 papers in professional and academic research journals and refereed conference proceedings, focusing on program evaluation, survey design, e-learning strategies as well as STEM education. Through her consulting, she helps organizations conduct program evaluations, design survey questionnaires and analyze quantitative organizational data.

Educational Background:

• Ed.D. in Educational and Instructional Technology, Texas Tech University
• M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, Southern Illinois University
• B.A. in Education, Ewha Womans University

Chyung’s Experts Page

da Silva has experience teaching and developing innovative educational practices in a variety of instructional contexts. He has used his expertise and passion for instructional design to create engaging governmental training materials as well as creative English as a Second Language tools and approaches, such as interactive training modules and educational games. His research has been featured in TechTrends and the International Journal of Designs for Learning. These publications led him to receive the Robert M. Gagné Award for Graduate Student Research in Instructional Design in 2020. His research interests include game-based learning, project-based learning and game-based moral development.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology, University of Georgia
• M.Ed. in Learning, Design, and Technology, University of Georgia
• B.A. in English as a Second Language and English Language Literatures, State University of Londrina, Brazil

da Silva’s Experts Page

Martinez has dedicated his professional life to learning experience design, program management and strategic direction. In higher education, he has designed courses for MBA and Executive Ed courses at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In industry, he built a global, multi-year machine learning training program for engineers at Adobe. At Facebook, he used learning science research to set forth the strategy for the training of 40,000 reviewers that moderate Instagram and Facebook content worldwide. His scholarship centers on the learning designs, instructional strategies and uses of technology that succeed most effectively at improving individual, team and organizational performance.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology (minor: Organizational Behavior, Kelley School of Business), Indiana University, Bloomington
• M.S. in Instructional Psychology & Technology (emphasis: Research and Evaluation), Brigham Young University
• B.S. in Health Science, Brigham Young University – Idaho

Pokimica has considerable experience in teaching organization development, instructional design, facilitation skills, principles of human resource education and research methods. She has been studying research collaboration in strategic international university partnerships across disciplines, as well as administrative/executive collaboration in such contexts, using collective case study designs. Pokimica is past managing editor of Human Resource Development International Journal. She is multilingual and has had ample international and multicultural experiences from Serbia, France, Denmark and Hong Kong. She has been a recipient of the Donna Riechmann HRD Award, Outstanding Woman-Scholar Award and is a KSU Honors College Alumna.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D., Human Resource Development – Strategic Partnerships, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Dual master (MPA, MA), The University of Akron
• B.A., International Relations and French, Kent State University

Pokimica’s Experts Page

Winiecki began as a drafter and technical and commercial illustrator and switched to designing computer-based and conventional training and technical documentation for corporate and military clients in the 1980s. His work is now oriented to the use of social scientific methods in instructional technology and performance improvement with a focus on critical needs assessments. He is also the proprietor of Handid Braille Services, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Handid Braille Services provides braille transcriptions and tactile graphics to make any content accessible to tactile readers. Handid also offers consulting to facilitate creation, preparation and production of media for visually-impaired readers.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, Central Queensland University
• Ed.D. in Educational and Instructional Technology, Texas Tech University
• M.S. in Technology Education, State University of New York, College at Oswego
• B.S. in Industrial Arts and Technology Education, State University of New York, College at Oswego

Winiecki’s Experts Page

Dumesnil is the founder of the AI Innovation Lounge. She helps teams prepare for an AI-driven future with hands-on training and use case development. She is a UC Berkeley 2024-2025 Tech Policy Fellow and dedicated to the people-side of tech to ensure meaningful and impactful implementations. She is certified as a Prosci Change Practitioner and in Luma’s Human-Centered Design.

Educational Background:

• M.S. in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning (OPWL), Boise State
• Bachelor’s in Social Sciences, Washington State University

Hanegan has more than 20 years of experience working in the data and analytics industry and is currently the chief learning officer at Qlik, a software company that provides real-time data integration and analytics solutions. His focus is on the intersection of data and analytics with organizational learning and psychology. Hanegan has authored multiple books and articles on the topics of web design, data-informed decision-making and data analysis. His latest book, Turning Data into Wisdom (2020), presents a six-phase, 12-step process to help those at all levels of an organization use their knowledge, skills and experience to make data-informed decisions.

Educational Background:

• M.S. in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning, Boise State University
• B.S. in Computer Science, Villanova University
• B.S. in Mathematics, Villanova University

North started as an accidental learning and development professional when she was promoted in a role where she trained quality procedures for new hires in a telecommunications company. Since her first role, she has worked in corporate, higher education and consulting settings with organizations such as Amazon, The Ohio State University, Silfex and Circulo Health. She is the owner of The Learning Camel, a learning and development consulting agency, and she facilitates online courses for the Association for Talent and Development (ATD). She also shares her experiences on her YouTube channel, Unfiltered ID.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. candidate in Learning Technologies, The Ohio State University
• M.A. in Workforce Development, The Ohio State University
• B.A. in Broadcast Journalism, University of Kentucky

Scott has been a member of the graduate adjunct faculty in the Department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning since 2013. He has held a wide variety of positions in the private sector, including positions in human resources, training, operations management, industrial engineering and the management of special projects. He has served as the chief HR executive in two organizations and is currently focused on helping small to medium sized organizations develop the human side of the organization during times of growth. This includes a strong focus on developing an organizational culture that supports high performance and aligns with clearly defined core values.

Educational Background:

• M.S. in Instructional and Performance Technology, Boise State University
• Graduate Certificate in Human Performance Technology, Boise State University
• B.A. in Economics and Social Science, Boise State University

Shamsy is a commercial airline pilot by day and instructional designer, researcher and writer by night. Over the last twelve years, she has combined her love of aviation and passion for instructional design through course design, development, implementation and evaluation as well as instruction of hundreds of future aviation professionals at several higher education institutions. Through collaboration with Chyung and other researchers, she has participated in several program evaluations for non-profit organizations and more recently researching and writing about evidence-based survey design.

Educational Background:

• M.S. in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning, Boise State University
• Workplace Instructional Design Graduate Certificate, Boise State University
• Masters of Aeronautical Science – Human Factors degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• B.S. in Aviation Technology, Purdue University

In addition to adjunct professor duties, Slater works full-time as the director of flight standards and training development at Cirrus Aircraft in Knoxville, Tennessee. His research focuses on the testing and integration of adult cognitive curiosity to enhance workplace learning and performance. He has presented his research at national and international conferences, including the annual meetings of the International Society for Performance Improvement, American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, International Self-Directed Learning Symposium and the Coast Guard Human Performance Technology Workshop.

Educational Background:

• Ed.D. in Adult Education and Staff Development, Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA
• M.S. in Instructional & Performance Technology, Boise State University
• B.A. in Social Science with a major in Psychology and minor in Human Development, Washington State University, Pullman

Snyder is the founder of Dawn Snyder Associates, a learning and performance firm that provides consulting on learning strategies, curriculum architecture, performance assessment and evaluation. She has also been an instructor at Indiana University, where she taught courses in learning skills and critical reading; The Ohio State University, where she taught occupational analysis, performance analysis and corporate instructional design; and Franklin University, where she has taught instructional design leadership, coaching and consulting, organizational learning and knowledge management, evaluation and principles of human performance technology.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University
• M.S. in Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University
• B.A. in English Language and Literature, Butler University

Urban worked as a technical communication consultant for many years. Working as an independent consultant, she designed, developed and delivered many types of performance support, including documentation, online help systems, instructor-led training (face-to-face and virtual) and self-paced asynchronous training. She also worked as a usability specialist on product development teams and conducted usability evaluation of software and documentation. During her time as a consultant she also served as an instructor at the University of California Berkeley Extension, where she taught courses in technical communication, usability testing, information architecture and developing online help.

Educational Background:

• Doctoral student in the School of Leadership Studies, Fielding Graduate University
• M.A. in Organizational Development and Change, Fielding Graduate University
• M.S. in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning (OPWL), Boise State
• B.A in English, University of California at Berkeley

Watson is the principal of 9m, an innovation consulting firm based in Boise, Idaho. He began his career in the US Air Force as a forward air controller, serving in the invasion of Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division. He worked with the Bechtel Corporation as an organizational development project manager and training director, with Hewlett-Packard as a business strategy project manager and director of talent development, and with My Career Maps as their COO. He is also the former chairman of the board for the Community Veterans Justice Project.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine University
• M.S. in Learning Technologies from Pepperdine University
• B.A. in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University

Hello students! I am excited to support your academic and career goals in OPWL. I have a successful background in academic advising with diversified professional career experience in business and leadership. I am dedicated to supporting you in successfully balancing your academic and personal responsibilities while preparing for success in an evolving workplace — I’m here to help you succeed!

Smith brings more than 10 years of experience working in higher education. She began working at Boise State in 2014 in the Registrar’s Office. In 2016, she moved to the College of Engineering as an academic advisor.

She grew up in Belgium prior to moving to Idaho where she earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from the University of Idaho. She has also earned her MBA. Outside of work, you can find Smith hiking and camping with her family, baking or traveling. She has visited 19 countries with many more on her travel wish list.