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Thomas B. Cavanagh, Ph.D. is the Vice Provost for Digital Learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF). In this role, he oversees the distance learning strategy, policies, and practices of one of the largest universities in the nation, including program and course design, development, and assessment. In his career, Tom has administered e-learning development for both academic (public and private) and industrial (Fortune 500, government/military) audiences. A regular presenter at academic and industry conferences, he is an award-winning instructional designer, program manager, faculty member, and administrator. Blended learning is a frequent presentation topic and he has spoken both domestically and internationally on its design and implementation.

In 2014, he was named an Online Learning Consortium Fellow. Some of his service highlights include: the 2015 EDUCAUSE Annual Meeting program committee, 2012 EDUCAUSE Southeast Regional Conference program committee, chair of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative Advisory Board, Instructure Canvas Advisory Board, WCET Steering Committee, Florida Distance Learning Association Advisory Board, Chair of the Distance Learning and Student Services Members’ Council of the Florida Virtual Campus, and as a track chair for the Sloan-C Conference on Blended Learning. Tom’s research interests include e-learning, technical communication, and the societal influence of technology on education, training, culture, and commerce. He is also an award-winning author of several mystery novels.

Originally from New York, Alli has been with the University of Central Florida since 2008. She provides professional and administrative support to the Vice Provost for the Division of Digital Learning, acts as a liaison with other departments and universities, and coordinates various meetings with deans, directors, faculty, staff, and external partners from other educational institutions and corporations. In addition, Alli coordinates and processes travel for professional development, training workshops, seminars, summits, and conferences. She occasionally provides voiceovers for CDL and UCF-related videos.

Alli has over twenty years of administrative experience and has worked with various corporations in New York City, such as American Broadcasting Company and New York University before moving to the Sunshine State. Alli attended Queens College in New York and majored in Communications.

Chuck Dziuban is Director of the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness (RITE) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) where has been a faculty member since 1970. Since 1996, he has directed the impact evaluation of UCF’s distributed learning initiative gauging the impact of online, blended and lecture capture courses on the university.

In 2000, Chuck was named UCF’s first ever Pegasus Professor for extraordinary research, teaching, and service and in 2005 received the honor of Professor Emeritus. He received the Sloan Consortium award for Most Outstanding Achievement in Online Learning by an Individual in 2005. In 2010, Chuck was named an inaugural Sloan-C Fellow. In 2012 the University of Central Florida initiated the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching for UCF faculty members in honor of Chuck’s impact on the field of online teaching. Chuck is a prolific presenter and publisher of online and blended learning research.

Patsy Moskal is the Associate Director for RITE the University of Central Florida (UCF) where she has been a faculty member since 1989, serving as a graduate faculty scholar within UCF’s College of Education & Human Performance. Since 1996, she has served as the liaison for faculty research of distributed learning and teaching effectiveness at UCF. Patsy specializes in statistics, graphics, program evaluation, and applied data analysis. She has extensive experience in research methods including survey development, interviewing, and conducting focus groups and frequently serves as an evaluation consultant to school districts, and industry and government organizations. She has received funding from several government and industrial agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and others, and has served as a proposal reviewer for the Department of Education and National Science Foundation.

In 2011, she was named an Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Fellow in recognition of her groundbreaking work in the assessment of the impact and efficacy of online and blended learning. Patsy has co-authored numerous articles and chapters on blended and online learning and frequently presents on these topics.

Robert Reed has a BA from Indiana University and an MS in Information Studies from Florida State. He has worked for the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL) since its founding in 1997. As Director of Institutional Coordination, his current responsibilities include oversight of UCF Online’s integration and interface with the University, college support for online program development and related faculty development, and state authorization compliance for the University.

Anita Gabbard is the Program Director for Division Strategy and Engagement. Her current responsibilities includes implementation, growth, and expansion of division-wide policy development/compliance, business processes/procedures, and leadership of strategic initiatives. She is also the team lead for CDL Administrative Support. She earned her bachelors of science from Indiana State University in Human Resources Development and her MA from St-Mary-of-the-Wood College in Leadership Development. She is currently working on her MBA from the University of Central Florida. She has served in higher education for over 30 years, previously at Indiana State University in Student Affairs.

Tasha Williams, originally from Florida with Caribbean roots, currently serves as the Interim Director of Student Coaching for UCF Online in the Division of Digital Learning. Tasha’s responsibilities include overseeing a team of success coaches and leading strategic planning and operational efforts for the department. Tasha has an educational background, holding a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and human services. Currently, Tasha is furthering her education by pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy at Florida State University. Additionally, Tasha actively serves with UCF’s Higher Education Coaching Academy as a facilitator and adjunct faculty member at Valencia College. Tasha’s commitment to mentoring and educating others is underpinned by her faith and love for her children. During her leisure time, she enjoys bowling and eating at seafood restaurants.

Julie Shankle serves as the Executive Director of Continuing Education. The CE team provides a wide variety of in-person and online classes to support professional and personal development. Julie has over 15 years of experience serving remote and adult learners. Prior to joining UCF in 2022, she was the Vice President of Online and Off-Campus Education at Florida Institute of Technology. She served as the annual conference co-chair for the Association of Continuing Higher Education in 2020 and 2021. Julie earned a Bachelor of Arts from Centre College in Kentucky, where she majored in English and Dramatic Arts, and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Management from Florida State University.

Kevin Corcoran is the Assistant Vice Provost of the Center for Distributed Learning. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in the development and support of strategies for the effective use of digital learning tools and content that focuses on quality standards and practices, student engagement, accessibility and affordability. Kevin has supported system, state, and national open education efforts over the past decade, including chairing the statewide Connecticut OER Coordinating Council and the DOERS3 collaborative.

Barbara comes to UCF as an experienced business professional with over seven years of working at an institution of higher education. She is an Alumni at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where she earned her BA and MBA. Barbara’s working experience in various industries, the private sector, and institutions of higher education makes her a good fit for the Division of Digital Learning. She enjoys supporting others to achieve their passion and goals.

She enjoys traveling and lazy days with her grandchildren.

Starting her career straight out of business school, Aida Santana joined a very small printing company located just doors away from the Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field ball park, where she worked for over 5 years, and learned to love stadium hot dogs and office management. Aida then moved out to a larger company where she worked her way up from receptionist to Office Manager. She remained with Gallagher Bassett Insurance for over 25 years and enjoyed each moment.

Aida desired to be in a warmer climate and to be closer to family, so she moved to Orlando. After working from home doing customer service, she decided she needed a little more liveliness than the lake view of her window and fellow peers besides her dogs, and came to work here at CDL as the Instructional Designer Administrative Assistant. The UCF environment was the perfect spot for lively Aida, where she enjoys interacting with students, staff and faculty, learning from all of them each day, and spoiling them with a dish of candy to thank them for their help.

With her professionalism and enthusiastic personality, Aida is now the welcoming face of the Center for Distributed Learning. She is the front desk admin, as well as taking on administrative assistant tasks with IDL6543 and ADL5000, and can’t wait to meet a new guest or staff as she says, “I learn from everyone I meet. I didn’t have the pleasure of going to college, but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn!”