Mary Lorenz

[email protected]                                                                                                                                                      512.913.3016

Open to travel 50%                                                                                                                               Currently residing in Austin, TX

 

 

Selected Accomplishments

Instructional Designer • Cut course production time by 10 months. Designed and implemented a quality assurance model for the production of online courses. Understood, supervised, and improved upon every aspect of the production model, including project planning, writing, editing, multimedia development, QA, and delivery.

ELearning Designer • Created eLearning courses that had an 82% completion rate. Built technical training from scratch, eLearning design using multiple authoring tools like Articulate, Storyline, and other eLearning tools. I utilized methodologies to address adult learning styles in a classroom as well as online environment, creation and implementation of training workshops and eLearning modules, using my strong understanding adult learning, testing and surveying methodologies.

Project Manager • Streamlined enrollment time by 80%. Redesigned and implemented a paper based enrollment process to be totally digital. I utilized free tools to embed the forms into a web portal, further automating the in-house processing of the enrollments.

Trainer • Facilitated an 80% increase in candidate completions. Developed mentoring and coaching programs. By conducting effective needs analysis, recommending the right method for training, developing the programs, and then measuring the effectiveness post-training.

 

Technical Skills

• Expert knowledge of Windows and Mac operating systems, PowerPoint, MS Office Suite, MovieMaker, Articulate. Presenter suite and Storyline, Adobe Captivate and Presenter, and various eLearning development and Internet applications.
• Experienced with a variety of Learning Management Systems, and AICC and SCORM compliance.

 

Work Experience

Texas State University; The Education Institute, San Marcos, TX                                                                               2016 – present

Grant Coordinator

The Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks project. Provided oversight and implementation of the Texas Adult Education and Literacy Standards Revision Project

• Education analyst and standards and curriculum specialist with established credentials in building consensus among diverse constituents.
• Served as lead researcher in the development of the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks (TAECSB) and aligning them with the Texas College & Career Readiness Standards (TCCRS), the Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency, and the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA).

 

Texas State University, Office of Distance and Extended Learning, San Marcos, TX                                              2015 – 2016

Instructional Designer

The Office of Distance and Extended Learning is Texas State’s home for courses and programs offered through self-pace correspondence, extension, and continuing education. This office also provides information on Texas State’s distance learning programs, courses, initiatives, and resources to our community of distance learners and educators.

• Managed team-based projects which supported faculty in the design, implementation, support, and assessment of course and program re-designs that improved student learning and success.
• Consulted with faculty to provide specific solutions for improved student engagement and learning through the effective integration of technology and instructional design principles in all learning environments (including online, hybrid, and face-to-face).
• Collaborated with colleagues in the Department and the faculty led Professional Development Faculty Subcommittee to develop and deliver faculty development processes and programs, including cohort instruction, which equip faculty to effectively integrate technology, learning theory, and instructional design principles in their teaching (including both online and face-to-face courses).
• Collaborated with the instructional design team to facilitate processes for certifying faculty to design online courses, for improving student retention and success in online courses, and for assessing the effectiveness of online courses.
• Developed documentation and just-in-time training materials to equip faculty with innovative instructional ideas and tools.
• Coordinated design and production assistance to faculty related to the development and use of instructional media.
• Collaborated with faculty and academic administrators in re-designing specific courses identified in the Title III grant.
• Contributed to the work of the Title III project implementation team and complete Title III-related reporting in a timely and thorough manner.
• Developed and maintained positive working relationships with diverse faculty and administrators across all academic departments, seeking out opportunities for consultation, partnerships, and faculty development.

 

Roscoe Properties Inc., Austin, TX                                                                                                                                    2014 – 2015

Director of Training

Roscoe Properties is a property management company comprised of a team of experienced and dedicated professionals who provide services to owners of multi-family, retail and office properties in Central Texas. As the Director of Training directed a statewide Training Department and directly managed trainers and support staff.

• Reduced employee attrition by 30%. Worked with Director of Human Resources to insure appropriate employee onboarding as assimilation into company culture.

• Increased employee in class engagement by 50%. Using my extensive knowledge and experience in instructional design models and adult learning principles to ensure that ILT was job task focused and relevant.

• Consultative and collaborative style; developed and maintained effective working relationships across the organization. Demonstrated ability to effectively engage and influence all levels of staff and management.
• Increased the effectiveness of the corporate mentoring program by 30%. Redesigned the mentoring and coaching program for property management professionals.  By conducting effective needs analysis, asking the right questions, recommending the right method for training, developing the programs, and then measuring the effectiveness.
• Had corporate responsibility for leading the company’s work in relation to education, training and professional growth applying a forward-looking approach to the development of the residential multifamily workforce.

 

Texas State University; The Education Institute, San Marcos, TX                                                                               2009 – 2013

Grant Coordinator

The Texas Adult Education Teacher Credential is an optional credential that is available to those who teach adult learners in Texas adult education programs. Coordinated functions related to the implementation of the Texas Adult Education Credential Project.

• Responsible for the entire scope of creation for 4 multimedia web based courses – gathering requirements, writing content, and working through approval, designing and building the courses. This resulted in an increase of 157% in candidate completions.

• Led a large-scale revision of the credential to translate the tools, processes and techniques into useful and effective solutions for candidates.  This involved a total redesign, both in philosophy and delivery, of all training and support materials. This resulted in a 257% increase in candidate enrollments and a 187% increase in candidate completions.
• Designed and implemented a results orientated, quantitative, outcomes-orientated set of performance measures for the project that were subsequently used as a model for all future adult education grants.
  • This included a comprehensive Access database to track not only user data, but enabled the analysis of trends to shape the future of the project.
• Developed mentoring and coaching programs for this underserved teacher population.  By conducting effective needs analysis, asking the right questions, recommending the right method for training, developing the programs, and then measuring the effectiveness. This resulted in an 80% increase in candidate completions.
• Co-authored a major study, both quantitative and qualitative, related to the teacher credential.  Utilizing my sharp attention to detail and experience with organizing, analyzing and presenting large amounts of data in a manner easily digestible by humans.

 

The University of Texas at Austin; K16 Education Center, Austin, TX                                                                                        2006 – 2009

Learning Specialist

The K16 Center offers a state-approved educational alternative to students who want to earn a high school diploma and need, or prefer the flexibility of distance education or CBE/EA exams to complete their course work. Served as the Project Manager for the revision and development of online high school courses and credit by examination tests. Planned, scheduled, and coordinated all activities related to the development, maintenance, and review of online courses and end of course assessments.

• Designed and implemented a quality assurance model for the production of online courses. Understood, supervised, and improved upon every aspect of the production model, including project planning, writing, editing, multimedia development, QA, and delivery. This resulted in a cut in production time by 10 months, and an 82% candidate completion rate.
• Effectively controlled every detail of the total revision of over 400 K-12 credit by exam tests.  This included a large-scale systematic change in the way the exams were developed and administered. Effectively and concisely communicated the need for systematic change issues, program strategies, results, and other key elements to a wide range of audiences.
• Task Master extraordinaire, a title earned for riding herd on the SME’s, programmers, student interns and center executives. Managed my ISD projects like a project manager. I was responsible for getting information needed to complete projects on schedule and under a very tight budget.
• Collaborated with Curriculum Director to brainstorm, define, articulate and implement curriculum and assessment-related strategies, policies, procedures, development processes, and course production processes. Accomplished this by asking the right questions of not only of direct reports, but of senior management.

 

Pearson Educational Measurement, Austin TX                                                                                                                              2005 – 2006

Project Manager

Working with national organizations, states, and school districts, PEM helps entities gather and analyze the data needed to set students on personalized education paths from early childhood to college and career readiness. Served as primary project manager for the Texas Assessment of Essential Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) administrative materials.  As a project manager was assertive in guaranteeing the on time completion of projects and instrumental in refining the development processes for test administration materials.

• Planned and coordinated projects with scrupulous attention to detail, while maintaining excellent communication and information flow with internal/external customers, and carefully coordinating with the other functional departments.

 

Texas State Board for Educator Certification, Austin, TX                                                                                                             2003 – 2005

Program Administrator – Office of Educator Development and Accountability

SBEC oversees all aspects of the preparation, certification and standards of conduct of public school educators. Had primary responsibility, with guidance from senior staff, for directing large-scale high stakes testing programs.

• Designed and implemented the approval and evaluation processes and materials for Texas educator preparation programs and for Continuing Education Providers (CPE) for Texas teachers. Streamlining the system from 10% efficiency to 90%.
  • This included a creating database system for tracking CPE providers and educator preparation programs from which data is extracted and utilized in forming state agency and legislative policy.
• Responsible for the coordination of the Agency Strategic Plan and Legislative Appropriations Request for 2005.
• Served as the SBEC Fiscal Analyst for the 79^th Texas legislative session.
• Served as SBEC representative (in the sted of the Executive Director) to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) and the Center for Teacher Quality (CTQ).
• Responsible for 64 agency performance measures. I successfully gathered, organized and analyzed ten years of performance reporting data and subsequently trained senior level managers to utilize this information for program improvement.

 

Texas Education Agency, Austin, TX                                                                                                                                  1998 – 2003

Program Specialist for Technology Education

TEA provides state level support, information and non-regulatory guidance to school administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, and students regarding general curriculum laws and rules, graduation requirements, options for offering courses, and award of credit. Consulted with, provided technical assistance to and made presentations to community, professional groups, and school districts to stimulate interest in Technology Education, and secured state, local, and business/industry support for programs, identified training needs, and evaluated program effectiveness.

• Developed and implemented Access databases that consolidated PEIMS data into a format that was easily digestible by humans.  This enhanced credibility and communication with the field, enabling targeted communication with specific audiences.
• Worked on the bleeding edge of STEM education, and oversaw the development of over 17 curriculum guides for Technology Education and introduced Project Lead the Way to the state of Texas.
• Prepared administrative reports, studies, and specialized research projects that were used to determine trends and resolve operational problems, assist in planning and developing Technology Education programs, analyze Technology Education unit operations to make improvements.
• Developed the Technology Education program evaluation instrument.  This was subsequently used as a model for all other Career and Technology Education (CTE) program area program evaluation instruments.

• Coordinated administrative activities associated with 7 statewide teacher professional development conferences with an attendance rate of over 500 people each.

 

Education

• M. Ed. in Educational Administration, Texas State University–San Marcos. May 2006
• Post Baccalaureate Studies
• University of Houston – 1987, 1988. and University of Texas at Tyler – 1992, 1993.
• B. S. in Technology Education, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX  – 1986

 

Awards

• Most Committed Learner award, Austin Association for Talent Development, 2014
• “Fulbright Memorial Fund Program” award winner – Japan, October 2000
• Teacher of the year 1995 – 1996 for the Brazos Valley Technology Educators Association – First female ever to receive this award.
• Houston Business Roundtable Internship – 1991 – Dupont Industries, La Porte, TX
• As Yearbook staff advisor, 1995 “Colt Country” yearbook ranked in the top 5% nationally.
• Nominated “Teacher of the Year” 6 consecutive years.

 

Professional Affiliations

• Association for Supervision and Training Development (ASTD)
• eLearning Guild
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
• Epsilon Pi Tau, Technology Education Honor Society

Excellent references on request.