Panel: Building Quality Online Bachelor’s Programs That Students Want: What the Data Say
Emily Wood, (she/her) is an experienced higher education professional who helps institutions set strategic vision for instructional design and program development as they bring key academic programs online. She leads Ruffalo Noel Levits‘ (RNL) team of instructional design experts to provide high-performing services that amplify program success and elevate the learner experience. Over the past 13 years, Emily has applied her instructional design expertise to develop industry-driven authentic learning experiences, to produce courses built on open education pedagogies, and to lead course peer reviews for quality assurance. Prior to joining RNL in 2021, Emily held a leadership role at Helix Education. She taught online and on campus as an Associate Professor and served as the founding Director of the Center for Engagement and Learning at Pierce College. Emily earned her EdD from Northeastern University. Her doctoral research centered on how faculty use learning analytics data to improve online courses. She holds an MSIS from the University of Texas at Austin with a specialization in Instruction and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. LinkedIn
Scott Jeffe is Vice President of Graduate and Online Research at Ruffalo Noel Levits (RNL). Scott has worked with more than 300 institutions in 40+ states to apply market data to strategic decision making. With a focus on profiling the demands and preferences of graduate students, undergraduate adult degree completers, and online students, Scott has developed a unique sensitivity to ensuring that programs align with student demand while upholding institutional mission and values.
He is a regular presenter at national and regional conferences typically focusing on market research pertaining to preferences and expectations of prospective graduate, online, and adult undergraduate students. He has recently been selected to speak at Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), Executive MBA Council, American Marketing Association (AMA) national and regional meetings as well as dozens of RNL national and regional convenings. He is a co-author of RNL’s Strategic Enrollment Planning: A Dynamic Collaboration (3rd Edition), as well as being the principal researcher for RNL’s forthcoming How Are We Doing: The 2023 Graduate Marketing and Recruitment Practices Report, the RNL’s 2023 Graduate Student Recruitment Report, RNL’s 2022 Online Student Recruitment Report, RNL’s 2022 Online Program Marketing and Recruitment Practices Report, the 2021 RNL Graduate Marketing and Recruitment Practices Report, the 2021 RNL Graduate Student Recruitment Report, RNL’s Serving the Underrepresented: A Review of Graduate Student Data, the 2020 Marketings and Recruitment Practices for Graduate Students Report, and dozens of RNL blogs and articles. LinkedIn
Michelle Ohnona is an Assistant Professor of the Practice and the Faculty Director for Liberal Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies. Before joining the School of Continuing Studies, she worked at Georgetown’s Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship as Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. She holds a PhD from the University of London, Goldsmiths College, in Media, Communications and Cultural Studies, and an MA in Media Studies from Concordia University (Canada). A passionate educator, Dr. Ohnona is motivated by the capacity of education to transform lives and foster a more just world. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses on gender, sexuality, postcolonialism, visual culture, and learning design. LinkedIn
