Heather Ackmann

Design and teach writing intensive curriculum for course ENGL 210 (Business Writing) which examines how writing in business contexts is influenced by technology and how technology impacts audience and rhetorical situations.

AHA Learning Solutions, LLC delivers impactful, learner-focused educational and professional development solutions for businesses and educational institutions. Our services cover end-to-end instructional design, including: Needs & Gap Analysis: Conduct detailed learner assessments to identify skill gaps, training requirements, and performance improvement opportunities. Curriculum & Content Design: Craft curriculum and engaging learning experiences using science-based methodologies (ADDIE, SAM, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Mayer’s Principles, Gagne’s Nine Events, Merrill’s First Principles). Storyboarding & Scripting: Develop detailed storyboards, interactive scripts, and assessment questions to ensure content flow and learner engagement. Multimedia Creation: Design, build, and enhance PowerPoint presentations, animations, and visuals tailored to audience-specific needs, optimizing learning retention. Accessibility & Compliance: Review materials for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance and Section 508 accessibility, ensuring inclusivity for all learners. Subject Matter Expertise Integration: Collaborate with SMEs to produce targeted, cost-effective training materials, including videos, live sessions, and mentorship support. We’re dedicated to delivering results-driven, learner-centered content that adapts to today’s fast-paced business and educational landscapes.

Designed a refreshed Office 2019 curriculum aligned with ClipTraining’s signature brand and instructional style, ensuring clarity and consistency across all materials. Developed, wrote, and edited comprehensive courses for Microsoft Word, OneNote, and Outlook with an emphasis on practical, user-friendly content. Collaborated remotely with cross-functional team members through Microsoft Teams to produce a cohesive, high-impact curriculum that meets learner needs and expectations. Delivered consistently top-rated courses that perform exceptionally well across 3rd-party vendor platforms.

Designed curriculum (organized, scripted, designed visuals, and edited videos) for business professionals covering a wide variety of productivity software, including but not limited to Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Windows 10. Designed Train the Trainer (TTT) materials for contract authors including PowerPoint templates, training documents, scripts, training videos, webinars, and other resources as necessary. Mentored staff and contract authors via phone, video, webinar, and in-person. Trained internal staff on Microsoft Office applications (PowerPoint, Excel, Word) and designed and held training sessions and training games as necessary.

Recruited, onboarded, and managed a team of content writers tasked with developing high-quality quiz questions. Ensured projects stayed on schedule and under budget, aligning resources effectively to maintain quality and efficiency in all deliverables. Spearheaded curriculum development for end-user training across diverse topics and applications, including Microsoft Access, PowerPoint, Windows Vista, and Google Docs, creating accessible, impactful content that enhanced learners' software proficiency. Recorded training videos and authored blog content tailored to information workers, simplifying complex technical concepts for practical, real-world application. Created custom PowerPoint slide templates for contract instructors, ensuring consistent branding and enhancing visual engagement in instructional content. Designed Word and InDesign templates for instructional documents, including supplemental resources for students, streamlining the production of printed materials for a polished, professional learner experience.

-Worked closely with editor-in-chief and genre editors to select creative works for print journal. -Organized multiple submissions within journal to ensure thematic unity and coherency. -Edited poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction submissions to prepare for layout. -Laid out manuscripts using QuarkXPress. -Designed graphics and wrote copy for marketing mailings. -Researched grant opportunities. -Solicited, managed, and edited blogs for SEO at reliefjournal.com -read open market submissions

-Taught Microsoft Office applications (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word) and Business Writing according to provided curriculum. -Developed supplemental worksheets, tip sheets, and exercises to complement provided curriculum for when more advanced learners finished lessons faster than other learners.

Taught academic writing, business writing, and literature classes.

Developed lesson's plans and taught Freshman composition, grammar, and literature at three skill levels (skills, regular, and honors).

Start: Fall 2013 (maternity leave Spring 2014-Fall 2015, medical leave 2016), degree conferred December 2021

Successfully completed all course work, degree not conferred (incomplete thesis).