About

Who I am

I’m a San Francisco Bay Area-based learning experience designer with over 15 years of experience in creating courses for various industries, including higher education, adult education, utilities, health and wellness, and business education. My expertise lies in blending instructional design principles, emerging technologies, and a learner-centered approach to deliver exceptional results.

Feel free to look at my resume (below) for more detailed information about my previous experience.

My philosophy

Context matters! I tailor my process to fit a given project and what the organization already has in place. You can count on me to explain the learning science rationale behind my design choices, and to critically evaluate the science behind the existing learning solutions. All learning experiences should be thoughtfully designed to minimize cognitive load and help learners commit key information to long-term memory, and how I work reinforces this principle.

I’m particularly interested in how both low- and high-stakes assessments can enhance learning, and how incorporating theories of practice (deliberate, interleaved, etc.) into eLearnings, ILT and vILT assessments can result in better learner outcomes.

Want to see an example of my commitment to learning science? Click View portfolio project to see my incorporation of Meyer’s Multimedia Principles and the knowledge check map I developed for a lifestyle intervention program at Calibrate.


What I’m looking for

I am open to taking on new projects, either full-time or on a freelance basis. I am also always open to connecting with fellow learning enthusiasts, learning experience designers, and those looking to break into the field. Please reach out if you’d like to chat!

View portfolio project

Resume

Expand the plus signs to learn more about my relevant work experience, education, and ed tech skills.

  • Meta (via ELB Learning)
    2022 - 2023 - San Francisco, CA (Remote)
    Learning Designer

    I collaborated with Meta learning designers and learning partners to create an onboarding training for an internal audience of marketing and technical support agents at global call centers. Referencing internal resources and interviews with learning partners, I adapted marketing and advertising content into eLearnings and decks.  

    Recology (via Edge R&D)
    2022  -  San Francisco, CA (Remote)
    ERP Curriculum Project Manager     

    I developed a curriculum plan for enterprise-wide training for a new ERP software solution (SaaS) that spans 5 business sectors. In this role, I collaborate cross-functionally with business analysts, business process owners, and learning designers. Additionally I schedule training, create individual learning plans for software processes, review learning materials, and conduct site interviews to adapt plans and materials for future implementations at new sites.  

    Calibrate
    2022 - New York, NY (Remote)
    Senior Learning Designer

    I analyzed member-facing, behavioral change content and proposed several learning design solutions for course delivery via Calibrate app that adapted existing content into more digestible and pedagogically sound deliverables. Referencing internal user research studies and learning design best practices, I used visual design software (Adobe XD, Figma, Canva) and eLearning technologies (7taps and Evolve) to create mockups and prototypes for suggested learning solutions. For all steps in the process of course creation, my learning design team of three collaborated cross-functionally with research, content, and creative teams.

    Meta (via IntraEdge)
    2021 - 2022 - San Francisco, CA (Remote)
    Learning Designer

    I interviewed WhatsApp product managers and engineers to design and storyboard courses that highlighted new WhatsApp for Business features and that addressed user pain points. I collaborated cross-functionally with graphic designers, editorial teams, content developers, project managers, and SEO specialists to develop these storyboards into Meta Blueprint eLearnings using Evolve Authoring software and virtual instructor-led trainings (vILTs) using PowerPoint. To see eLearning samples that are publicly available, visit Meta Blueprint. 

    Mosaic
    2019 - 2021 - San Ramon, CA
    Instructional Design Consultant

    I reviewed technical documents and collaborated with electrical engineers and technical writers to build legally defensible and pedagogically sound training content for apprentice electricians at Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). I wrote learning objectives in collaboration with apprenticeship stakeholders and created instructor-led trainings (ILTs) using PowerPoint and AuthorIt, web-based trainings (WBTs) using Articulate Rise and Vyond, and assessments that measure the effectiveness of the training created using Excel and QuestionMark software.

    University of San Francisco
    2014 - 2019 - San Francisco, CA         
    Rhetoric and Composition Professor

    I developed and taught written communication courses for first-year university students, creating assessments and rubrics to meet program learning objectives. I served as the co-chair of the Adjunct Rhetoric Conference committee and maintained a higher-than-university-average teaching effectiveness student evaluation score (5.4/6.0)

  • EdD in Learning and Instruction
    Concentration in Educational Technology
    University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
    2018 - Present    

    Master of Arts in English: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
    Certificate in the Teaching of Composition
    San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
    2013    

    Bachelor of Business Administration 
    Schiller International University, Heidelberg, Germany
    2007

  • Productivity: Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite, chatgpt 

    Visual design: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe XD, Figma, Canva

    eLearning software: Articulate Rise, Articulate Storyline, Evolve Authoring, 7taps, Vyond, AuthorIt, QuestionMark, Camtasia, Squarespace  

    LMS: Intellum, Canvas, Moodle

Recommendations

“Maree is one of the few Learning Experience Designers I've met that can articulate every learning theory behind what she designs. She has an appetite for learning the LD best practices and shows her passion by creating spaces for exchanging new ideas. As her manager, I always appreciate her feedback and collaborative nature. She strongly understands how to simplify content to deliver the best learning experience.”

Ateka Ali
Head of Learning Design
Bonfire (Ex-Meta, Ex-Google)

“I had the pleasure to work with Maree during our time at Calibrate. She brought incredible knowledge in learning theory and curriculum design into our projects which included elearnings, decks, videos, and many more. She even started a biweekly lunch and learn series which brought so many cross-functional teams together. It was so inspiring to be able to work with someone with such extensive knowledge in learning and so pleasant to work with through the ups and downs of a start-up environment. I am already jealous of the next team that gets to work with her!”

Fiona Lau
Learning Designer
Meta