Instructional Designer Outreach Specialist

Samantha A. Groff

Senior Instructional Designer with Public Trust Clearance

***@***************.*** • 540-***-****

LinkedIn • Havre de Grace, MD 21078

Accomplished, highly diligent Senior Instructional Designer with a solid foundation in digital learning solutions and a history of enhancing performance through tailored training programs and SOPs.

Industries & Audiences

Utilities Mental Health Cybersecurity Trades Online Sales Retail Technical Writing Real Estate Publishing

Professional Online Coaches Nursing Philanthropic Regulated Industries Holistic Coaches Agriculture Accounting

Qualifications Summary

Excels at interfacing with management and subject matter experts to distill complex project scopes into accessible learning experiences by leveraging instructional models like ADDIE and SAM.

Known for creating impactful online training initiatives, evidenced by successful transition of diverse materials to significantly improve sales and revenue.

Brings a wealth of experience from an entrepreneurial background, Agile Scrum project management, and applying human-centered design principles to ensure client and learner satisfaction.

Committed to continuous professional development with a keen ability to navigate the intricacies of instructional design, accredited by reputation for quality, adaptability, and innovation.

Out-of-box thinker with ability to restructure and deliver robust content along with establishing and maintaining strong professional relationships with senior management.

Core Competencies

Training Needs Analysis Learning Management Systems (LMS) Team Leadership Quality Control Strategic Content Creation Planning & Implementation Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) Curriculum & eLearning Development

Technical Proficiencies

Software:

SMART Board Prezi Microsoft 365 (PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Publisher) Trello Asana WordPress (Divi, GoDaddy, GreenGeeks, and Pretty Funnels) Hootsuite

Buffer Survey Monkey QuickBooks Zoom Loom SAP Enable Now Producer

Systems:

Google Classroom Blackboard Moodle Edmodo Adobe Captivate Schoology Adobe Articulate Adobe Rise Lifter LearnDash Thinkific Kajabi Teachable Podia Tovuti Mentimeter

Tools:

Snagit Gimp Canva CoSchedule Calendly Google Workspace 11 ElevenLabs Doodly Camtasia Adobe Creative Suite (Acrobat, Premiere Pro, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) PowToon Microsoft Suite (SharePoint, Teams, OneNote, Whiteboard, Visio, and Stream) Vyond

Social media:

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter (now X) Instagram YouTube TikTok

Platforms:

InfusionSoft AWeber Vcita Active Campaign ManyChat Openless App Go High Level ChatGPT

Career Experience

Blake Willson Group, LLC September 2024-present

Technical Writer and eLearning Specialist with Public Trust Clearance (remote)

Driving the creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for eLearning courses that are fully 508 Compliant within SAP Enable Now Producer software. Tracking, developing, writing, editing, and reviewing procedural simulations and resulting documentation for the US federal financial software system for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Developing interactive eLearning course text, graphics, embedded simulations and linked documentation about FMMI and related financial modules. Working within a contracted team with the federal Directives and Training Branch (DTB) to continuously improve templates, standards, and systems for optimum efficiency and usability for all federal and non-federal employees.

Actively working towards a Project Management (PMP) certification.

Coordinating the planning, development, and deployment of SOPs for the new updated software after extensive pilot testing and formative evaluations of the current training materials.

Assistance in the development of templates that will allow for efficient authoring of eLearning content by other USDA technical writing staff in conjunction with the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

OmniBiz Services – Havre de Grace, MD 2019 – 2024

Senior Instructional Designer (remote)

Consult with business clients to identify training objectives and apply instructional design expertise for transition to digital learning solutions. Design, develop, and deliver standard operating procedure (SOP) handbooks tailored to small business operations. Recommend authoring tools and learning management systems based on client needs, applying human-centered design principles and instructional models such as ADDIE, SAM, and Agile. Collaborate with managers and SMEs to outline project scope, collect resources, and implement design strategies with a diverse team using images, videos, and written content to establish accessible user experiences.

Boosted revenue streams by 75% based on associated marketing campaigns by efficiently managing projects and ensuring quality of online done-for-you-online courses for online coaches and consultants.

Generated a 50% improvement in customer and employee performance by designing and developing instructor-led training materials along with performing training needs analysis.

Assisted over twenty online entrepreneurs in developing synchronous and asynchronous learning materials to enhance educational impact and business growth increasing revenue, reducing turn-over of employees, and scaling their businesses.

Drove 200% increase in sales, from $1M to $3M within six months via overhaul of online real estate coach's asynchronous materials.

Developed training programs showcased on LinkedIn by an international architecture firm.

Sam’s Social Solutions – Havre de Grace, MD 2016 – 2018

Instructional Designer (remote)

Managed both FEMA and design-build projects while collaborating with a multimedia team to achieve course objectives within the allocated man-hours and budget under the subprime contract. Orchestrated comprehensive online marketing campaigns encompassing email, social media, blog, and search engine optimization for diverse businesses, boosting brand awareness, engagement, and driving traffic to social media pages to enhance ROI. Delivered consulting services to identify suitable social media platforms for various businesses, developed key marketing objectives, and determined the rate of return to optimize ROI. Managed different responsibilities as a Social Media Manager and Virtual Assistant.

Engineered and developed a three-day, in-person training program for a FEMA regulated industry, including all training materials for use by 10+ instructors across the United States and US Territories.

Established seven instructor-led training (ILT) courses for local, national, and international architectural and design firms, aligning content with Blooms Taxonomy and the ADDIE model.

Enhanced brand visibility, drove traffic to websites, and bolstered platform engagement by 50% by creating and implementing social media campaigns for local small businesses.

Coordinated schedules, digital platforms, and customer interactions for a team of over five online coaches.

Mosaic Learning – Columbia, MD 2015 – 2016

Instructional Designer (on-site)

Performed comprehensive goal analyses to establish SMART objectives for the creation of interactive ILT and e-learning courses, catering to the needs of local, national, and international trade unions. Collaborated closely with management and subject matter experts to delineate project parameters, identify user requirements, and implement instructional strategies. Fostered strong relationships with national education and curriculum directors in OSHA-regulated industries. Edited and reviewed content for printed textbooks and electronic presentations. Produced course storyboards containing numerous modules and lessons for electronic presentation as well as consulted with the multimedia team to create electronic presentations. Oversaw project milestones, ensuring adherence to deadlines and financial parameters.

Created an extensive suite of course materials for national unions, including textbooks, instructor materials, student workbooks, and assessments, enhancing learning experience for trades such as painters, crane operators, and masons.

Developed storyboards for an innovative VR training program to augment crane operator skills and provide OSHA-compliant training for confined spaces, leveraging innovative technology for immersive learning.

Crafted SCORM-compliant eLearning modules for various LMS platforms such as Moodle and Blackboard.

Designed and created student manuals, instructor guides, and assessments for ILT courses.

Career Notes

Chief Operating Officer (COO), Messenger Funnels – Eldorado Hills, CA (2020-2021) Marketing Manager, OmniBiz Services – Havre de Grace, MD (2018-2020) History Teacher and Mentor, Avon Grove Charter School – West Grove, PA (2013 – 2015) Curriculum Writer, Harford County Public Schools – Bel Air, MD (2007-2009) Lead Government Teacher, Aberdeen High School – Aberdeen, MD (2006 – 2013) Social Studies Teacher and Grant Writer, North Stafford High School – Stafford, VA (2004 – 2006)

Additional Experience/Volunteerism

Over 10,000 hours donate to the community through coaching youth athletes, various scout organizations, providing free professional services (public relations management, social media management, virtual assistant, operation management, secretary), and supporting environmental causes.

Education

Master of Arts in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction (GPA 3.7/4.0)

University of Phoenix – Phoenix, AZ

Bachelor of Science in Education and Social Studies Education (GPA 3.2/4.0)

Millersville University – Millersville, PA

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