Senior learning experience designer & people leader with 10+ years building high-performing teams and learning programs that change what people are capable of.
I'm a creative, forward-thinking L&D professional with a career spanning training and development, support operations, technology, and communications. That breadth isn't accidental — it means I can sit across from a VP, a software engineer, or a frontline support agent and understand their world before I start designing for it.
My work lives at the intersection of strategy and experience design. I've led rapid classroom-to-online conversions, built Salesforce onboarding simulations, redesigned knowledge base ecosystems, and guided organizations through multiple large-scale content migrations — always with the learner at the center. Earlier in my career, I converted an entire in-person classroom software training curriculum for customers to both web-based, instructor-led, hands-on training and self-paced eLearning equivalents — completing the full conversion in less than six months. I hold six professional certifications across instructional design, Salesforce, AI, and change management.
I've also built and led global teams — with direct reports across the US, India, and Brazil — developing talent, managing performance, navigating organizational change, and creating environments where people do their best work. Strong L&D programs start with strong teams, and I take both seriously.
I'm an artist, which shapes everything I touch. Good design isn't decoration — it's communication. I also designed janettedickerson.com, my mother's fine art portfolio. Whether it's a branching Storyline simulation or a visual system, I care deeply about how experiences feel, not just what they teach.
Giving a voice to those who can't speak for themselves. VocaliD (acquired by Veritone Voice, project now retired) blended volunteer vocal recordings with a recipient's own vocal remnants to create unique, personalized voices for people who rely on assistive speech technology. Over 3+ years of contributing, I provided enough recordings to enable a complete voice to be built — matched to someone who shared my vocal characteristics. Every sentence recorded was a step toward someone being heard in a voice that actually sounded like theirs.
Every design decision traces back to a measurable behavior change — not just content coverage.
Training, knowledge base, change management, and self-service belong in the same strategic conversation.
Thoughtful visual design improves comprehension and trust. Aesthetics and accessibility are partners.
I build teams that thrive. Developing others is as central to my work as any deliverable.
Illustrative case studies grounded in real experience. Proprietary details have been generalized — the design thinking and problem-solving are authentic.
A branching click-through simulation built in Storyline 360 on a real Trailhead developer org. Teaches support agents Service Cloud case management with try, practice, and assess modes. Consequence branching shows the downstream impact of incorrect routing decisions in real time.
View case study →Converted an entire customer software training curriculum — from in-person classroom to both web-based instructor-led and self-paced eLearning equivalents — in under six months. Includes the full design playbook: analysis, modality mapping, storyboard templates, and a reusable framework for future conversions.
View case study →End-to-end redesign of a Salesforce-powered knowledge base to drive self-service adoption and reduce inbound support volume. Includes content architecture, findability strategy, article templates, and a governance model with defined ownership and review cycles.
View case study →Led four distinct large-scale migrations across knowledge base and training content: a full Salesforce Knowledge Base migration into a new Salesforce instance; a myTrailhead-to-Articulate 360 & Workday Learning migration converting licensed platform content into owned assets; and two LMS migrations moving training libraries into Absorb and Docebo respectively. Each involved content audits, metadata architecture, stakeholder communications, change management, and admin enablement.
View case study →A custom-skinned simulation series in Adobe Captivate with accessible keyboard navigation, performance support overlays, and a consistent visual system. Try/practice/test methodology with WCAG 2.1 AA compliance designed in from the start — not bolted on at the end.
View case study →Blended program developed with Articulate AI to accelerate content creation while maintaining instructional rigor. Demonstrates a human-in-the-loop workflow — AI drafts scenarios, SMEs validate, the designer shapes the experience — cutting development time without sacrificing quality.
View case study →A complete multi-page travel guide for the Cortez, Colorado area and Four Corners region — built entirely from scratch using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Features a live 10-day weather dashboard (Open-Meteo API, 9 locations), interactive trail and mountain bike guides, day trip planner, town guides, safety resources, and a thru-hike section. Demonstrates instructional design thinking applied to information architecture, UX writing, and self-directed web development.
View live site →These aren't side projects — they're expressions of who I am. I believe learning changes lives, communities are built one relationship at a time, and the skills we carry are most meaningful when we share them.
Best Friends Animal Society is one of the country's most respected animal welfare nonprofits — and they needed help modernizing their training materials. I'm volunteering as an instructional designer, converting legacy job aids and PowerPoint-based training into structured, accessible courses in Articulate Rise 360.
This is an ongoing, project-by-project role I hope to grow over time. In our very first meeting, I was already able to offer concrete improvements to their file organization in Rise and share strategies for how they use Asana for project management — the kind of practical consulting that comes from years of doing this work, now given freely to a mission I believe in.
The Cortez Makerspace, part of the nonprofit Fundamental Needs, just opened — and it landed right where a dream of mine had been living for years. I've already been participating as a community member, and now I'm helping it grow by sharing what I know.
In July, I'm teaching a computer basics class developed in response to requests from the community and the local Colorado Workforce Center. The curriculum covers the digital fundamentals that open doors: OS structure, file management, email etiquette, password safety, avoiding scams, and navigating the internet with confidence. For some participants, this class is a genuine first step toward employment and independence.
"Strong programs start with strong teams. Developing people is not separate from the work — it is the work."
Grounded in ADDIE and SAM, informed by change management, flexible enough for rapid deployment. Every project starts with one question: what does success actually look like for this learner?
Stakeholder interviews, needs analysis, task analysis, audience research, gap mapping.
Learning objectives, modality selection, content architecture, storyboards, UX wireframes.
Rapid prototypes, simulation builds, SME review cycles, QA and accessibility testing.
LMS configuration, SCORM/xAPI publishing, change communications, pilot launch.
Kirkpatrick levels 1–3, completion data, knowledge checks, business impact metrics.
Documentation, templates, and governance models ensure every project I touch leaves the organization more capable — not dependent on me to maintain it.
"I have had the pleasure of working with Mary Ann in multiple areas, including Operations, Customer Success and as a Project Manager. Her communication skills are excellent — everyone on the team stayed updated on project status. Beyond her impressive technical skills and experience, Mary Ann understands people — she is open and trustworthy, she accepts feedback extremely well, and listens deeply. She will be an asset to your team."
"I was fortunate to work for Mary Ann for four years. During that time I saw her grow the team globally, consistently exceed our team's goals, and all while taking a special interest in the growth and development of each individual on her team. I learned a lot from her as an eLearning developer and instructional designer. I'm proud to have worked for such a dedicated person. Mary Ann would be a great asset to any organization."
"Mary Ann was the best trainer I have ever crossed paths with. She worked with us and created a friendly training for our needs. Very oriented and talented. She created a great atmosphere for us to be trained and never turned us down in training virtually. She did both physical and virtual training and both were detailed oriented and easy to understand."
"Mary Ann is extremely talented and has got vast experience in the field of training, support, eLearning and managing diversified groups across the globe. She is good at organising, planning and scheduling of tasks. She is a people-centric leader."
"I worked directly with Mary Ann for more than 18 years. She has vast experience with everything from support, training, Knowledgebase, technical writing, and eLearning. She is very versatile and open-minded in how she approaches any task. One of her greatest strengths is how she cares for her coworkers and how much time she spent developing the skills of her direct reports. It has been a pleasure working with her, and I have learned a lot from her over the years."
"Mary Ann is a joy to work with and for. She is extremely talented in conveying her ideas about making trainings more client/customer-friendly. She works at a fast pace and can go from brainstorming and white-boarding ideas to a working training curriculum in a short time period. She can manage any size team, in person and remotely, while making sure all are receiving the mentorship and guidance they need. I learned so much working for Mary Ann, and hope to have the opportunity again in the future."
View all recommendations on LinkedIn →
Always happy to connect with fellow L&D professionals, share ideas, or discuss the ever-changing landscape of learning design and technology. I respond within 48 hours.
Message received! 🎉
I'll be in touch within 48 hours.