Throughout my career in digital education, my leadership philosophy has centered on cultivating inclusive, agile teams that are empowered to innovate. At institutions like UMass Amherst , I’ve led instructional design teams through transformation—balancing strategic vision with operational excellence.
Establishing Team Culture
When I joined the leadership team of the Instructional Design and Faculty Support team at UMass Amherst, I inherited a talented but siloed group. I focused first on culture: creating a shared mission, fostering psychological safety, and embedding emotional intelligence into team practices.
- Vision & Alignment: Inheriting a team with varied practices and little procedural consistency, I focused on creating clarity and cohesion by introducing structured processes, shared workflows, and standardized templates, in partnership with senior team members. These tools helped align day-to-day work with broader institutional goals and provided a reliable framework for project execution, collaboration, and accountability.
- Emotional Intelligence: Implemented regular reflective practice and peer feedback loops.
- Belonging & Inclusion: Introduced inclusive meeting protocols and structured team norms to ensure diverse voices were heard and valued.
Scaling and Structuring for Growth
As digital education demand surged post-pandemic, it became clear that our team structure needed rethinking. I advocated for a more deliberate growth strategy, raising the need for role clarity, advancement opportunities, and better alignment with institutional priorities. While not all proposals were implemented, these efforts helped shape leadership discussions around team expansion and strategic hiring.
- Role Definition and Career Paths: I proactively identified gaps in career progression and championed the creation of senior roles. I also advocated for promoting from within to recognize and retain talent already contributing at a high level.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: I initiated direct collaboration between LMS specialists, IT stakeholders, and our Instructional Media Lab supervisor—breaking down silos and enabling more cohesive project execution across departments.
- Talent Development: During a critical leadership transition, I stepped in to mentor employees who lacked formal supervision. This included supporting project navigation, clarifying goals, and helping team members grow in confidence and skill. These informal mentorship efforts filled a leadership vacuum and laid the groundwork for more sustainable team dynamics once formal roles were re-established.
Results and Impact
Through these leadership efforts, the team gained greater clarity in roles and responsibilities, which helped reduce duplication and miscommunication. The introduction of consistent processes improved how projects were scoped, prioritized, and delivered—making the team more responsive to institutional needs.
Cross-functional collaboration led to more integrated support across instructional design, IT, and media services, particularly in high-stakes projects like LMS optimization. Additionally, mentorship and informal leadership helped stabilize the team during a period of transition, supporting continuity and reinforcing a culture of mutual support and professional growth.
Reflections on Leadership
Leading teams in digital education requires more than project oversight—it demands a deep investment in people. By focusing on team health, clarity, and growth, I’ve been able to foster environments where innovation thrives and change becomes sustainable.
