Hi! My name is April McKinley. I am a creative collaborator who loves learning and supporting equity in eduction. I enjoy singing, writing poetry and thinking in creative ways to find solutions.
I am an Instructional Designer, Trainer and Professional Development Instructor. I am a collaborator and lifelong learner at heart. My background includes Adult and Collaborative Learning Theories, Curriculum Development, ADDIE Model, Storyboarding, Backwards Design, Quality Matters standards and Instructional Principles/Methodologies.
I am currently looking for a great fit in the Corporate Training and Instructional Design space where I can collaborate, innovate and create engaging learning experiences for adult learners.
In May I graduated with my Master’s Degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Instructional Technology and Innovation (MEITE program) in the Learning Engineer track. I currently work at the UNC Center for Civil Rights as the Program Administrator where I wear many hats including creating courses, symposia and programming to support and advocate for communities in North Carolina. I also mentor and supervise undergraduate and law school students, and write grants to support the overall mission of the Center.
In the spring and fall semester I interned at an awesome organization called NovoEd. NovoEd is an online learning platform for corporate creative learning which allows individuals from around the globe to work together online, exchange ideas, and receive feedback. During my time with NovoEd, designed and built custom learning experiences for prospects and clients based on discovery and needs analysis. I also created my own course called Collaborative Alliance on the platform. Check out my resume page to see video lessons and content from my course.
Before working at UNC, I was an educator for 16 years in Florida where I had the pleasure of creating curriculum, working as a professional development instructor and leading the the Principles Multicultural Committee. I also worked on the school improvement team and supported interns and mentored new teachers as a certified mentor and Clinical Education teacher.
