A 2018 graduate of the EdD program in Distance Education from Athabasca University, Lisa’s dissertation, The Transient Spaces of Studio Learning: Building a Theory of Online Studio Pedagogy in Graphic Design Education, focused on how design educators choose to extend studio learning via the internet. Through her work, Lisa aspires to inspire design educators to be brave in the face of complexity and build inclusive structures where all participants can learn how to navigate and thrive in an increasingly information-abundant world.
Lisa is currently the Associate Dean of Curriculum with Independence University, a fully online university based in Salt Lake City, Utah. In this position, she both teaches a variety of undergraduate graphic design courses and oversees curriculum design for the graphic design program. As a teacher, Lisa is passionate about creative empowerment believing that each person has a unique vision, outlook, and contribution they can make to the world. Because of this, she is committed to spend her life creating structures that promote connection, enable access, nurture creativity, and ultimately affirm all humans as unique and valued. As a curriculum designer, Lisa strategizes creative ways to both ensure the program remains relevant in the face of an ever-shifting professional landscape and nurture transformative community amongst geographically disparate participants.
Lisa also works as a freelance designer. As a designer, Lisa is committed to creating work that communicates clearly and delights the senses. She believes that design is joyful communication--connecting people with ideas, solutions and previously unknown possibilities. The design Lisa creates, whether in print, digital, or environmental format, is human-centered, fueled by an empathetic understanding of the narratives that shape all of our lives.