Ron earned a BA before completing his MA in Communications and Training from Governors State University. Upon completing his master’s degree, he began teaching Digital Imaging at Joliet Junior College before joining the University in the fall of 2004 as the Product Support Specialist in Educational Technology. Ron started teaching Professional Communications in the nutrition discipline in 2006 while continuing with support functions in Educational Technology.  Ron completed a Distance Education Certified Trainer certificate from the University of West Georgia in 2008 and has also finished the Instructional Design (2006) and Student Assessment (2010) modules from the University of Illinois in the Master Online Teacher program and in the Certified Faculty Developer certificate program offered by the Learning Resources Network (LERN).

In his initial position Ron was instrumental in all phases of the D2L learning management system; course shell creations, D2L helpdesk operations, enrollments, policies and procedures, and user account management. His experience in designing training materials and manufacturing processes were invaluable for developing the policies and procedures that guide the operation of D2L as well as the training materials used to teach faculty, students, and staff how D2L can work for them. Now as an Instructional Designer he functions as a resource for faculty as they develop courses and apply technology within them. His faculty position as Instructor provides him the opportunity to affect the learning process and help other faculty improve their course materials. Additionally, as a doctoral student in the Interprofessional Healthcare Studies program, Ron is able to add his experience in communications into the discussions about patient/provider interactions that affect health outcomes.

Prior to joining the university Ron worked for small companies and large corporations in a variety of job functions including: engineering, graphic design, instructional design, management, manufacturing, marketing, photography, quality, sales, software training and support as well as technical writing.