I was invited by Columbia University to teach a 45-minute session on how to better manage web development projects. In this course, I show students how to apply project management best practices and principles to establish a clear vision for their final product, how to work with multiple stakeholders to manage expectations and prevent scope [...]

Using prototypes to create incremental iterations is an effective way to learn from real users without having to wait until a fully functional product is completed. Sometimes all it takes is a simple landing page with a clear call-to-action. I supervised a project for a media startup devoted to producing an online outdoor magazine for [...]

I was invited by Columbia University to design and teach a one-week workshop about creating and marketing content for an online audience. Over the last eight years, I’ve adjusted the course to better meet the needs of my students who plan on entering a variety of careers outside of professional media. Students learn and experiment [...]

As a consultant and instructor for Columbia University’s national media association, I regularly review and provide virtual and in-person critique sessions for teams working on university and high school websites and print publications. Using a written set of standards developed by the association that itemizes best practices for student media, I analyze their strengths and [...]

Strong visual communication skills are a valuable asset in any career path, discipline, and industry. In this 50-minute session, I leverage my extensive experience as a project manager and media professional to teach techniques and strategies effective across industries, that can be used to ideate, plan, and manage projects, coordinating visuals and written content for [...]

I am a national judge at Columbia University for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Crown Awards, the organization’s highest recognition for student print and digital medium for overall excellence. Working with a panel of judges, I select entries for special recognition and provide constructive feedback on their team’s performance.

I was invited by Columbia University to present about the development of Geo-social Media, a concept I helped pioneer. Geo-social Media leverages online infrastructures to merge geographical data with informative professional media content built around an online social community.

I was invited by the Utah State University communications department to make a presentation about managing media projects. The invitation came after I led a team in developing a production about a young mother waiting for a heart transplant, which was awarded public service honors for saving lives and received international attention.

My colleague is a sponge. He used to hover around my desk, watching me work, asking me why I did things the way I did them. Over dinner, he often sketched ideas on restaurant napkins, asking more questions, and brainstorming new approaches. Andrew Clark is a user-experience designer who inspired me to be a sponge. We worked in a newsroom at a media company, regularly interacting with experts in writing, editing, design, photography, advertising, marketing, web development, project management, and business. In the time we worked together, we both developed dozens of new skills just by observing each other and our colleagues, asking questions, and trying things out. And that’s why I strongly believe that for my students to compete in our information and technology-based economy they must be sponge-like, absorbing knowledge and perspectives from not only their instructor, but from colleagues, supervisors, clients, other students, and customers no matter what discipline or industry they come from.

I’m a strong proponent of serial entrepreneur Steve Blank’s “Get out of the building” mantra that encourages innovators to break away from the office and talk with real people to learn from and empathize with them about the kinds of problems and challenges they want solved. By conducting focused interviews and observing everyday customer life, [...]