Senior Instructional Designer

Training that drives real performance, not just completion.

I partner with organizations to diagnose root causes of performance gaps — and design solutions that actually move the needle. Because a course is only worth building if it solves the right problem.

My Philosophy

Training is valuable when it's the right solution — not the default one.

  • Performance gaps don't always require a course
  • ADDIE keeps solutions grounded in real analysis
  • Learners deserve design that respects their time
  • Measurement matters from Day 1 of design

Performance first.
Always.

AAnalyze
DDesign
DDevelop
IImplement
EEvaluate

Before a single slide is built, I ask the hard questions: Is training actually the answer? What's the gap between current and expected performance? What environmental or motivational factors are at play? The ADDIE process isn't just a framework — it's a discipline that protects organizations from wasting resources on solutions that don't fit the problem.

Instructional designer. Performance partner. Problem solver.

With over a decade in instructional design, I've worked with federal agencies, healthcare organizations, and fire service leadership to build training that changes what people actually do on the job — not just what they know when they exit a course.

My background spans complex compliance-driven curricula, technical skills training, and leadership development. I bring the same rigorous front-end analysis to a 2-hour e-learning module as I do to a 96-hour instructor-led curriculum.

I'm currently based in Grand Rapids, MI and open to remote full-time roles with organizations that value thoughtful, evidence-based learning design.

Certified Trusted Tester — Section 508 Conformance
Articulate Storyline & Rise 360 Expert
Federal Agency Training Experience (USDA, IHS)
10+
Years designing performance-focused learning
96h
Largest curriculum developed (IHS Public Health Nurse series)
Fed
Deep experience with federal agency requirements, 508 compliance & government stakeholders

What I bring to your team

Instructional Design
ADDIE Needs Analysis Performance Consulting Bloom's Taxonomy Adult Learning Theory ILT Design SME Collaboration Storyboarding
Tools & Technology
Articulate Storyline Rise 360 Camtasia Adobe Creative Suite Microsoft 365 Google Workspace LMS Administration
Compliance & Standards
Section 508 WCAG 2.1 SCORM Federal Training Standards NFPA Standards Trusted Tester Certified

Organizations I've partnered with

USDA
Indian Health Service (IHS)
IAFC — International Association of Fire Chiefs
FDA
Lead Training, LLC

Michelle doesn't just build courses — she asks the right questions before anyone opens a tool. That front-end discipline has saved us time and budget more than once.

— Client Testimonial (edit with your own)

Her ability to translate complex technical and regulatory content into accessible, learner-centered training is genuinely rare. Our SMEs trust her process.

— Client Testimonial (edit with your own)

Ideas worth sharing

Let's work together

Open to full-time remote opportunities with organizations that take learning seriously. Let's talk about what you're trying to solve.

Prefer email? Reach me at you@yourdomain.com