Nicole Bernd
Online Learning Designer, Pima Medical Institute

Nicole's journey began as a student at PMI, where she graduated in 2006, setting the stage for a fulfilling career in healthcare and education. By 2016, she returned to PMI's Denver campus, this time, sharing knowledge and experience as faculty and later as the clinical director of the Respiratory Therapy program. 
 
In 2021, her path led her to a new role as an instructional designer with the online team, allowing Nicole to blend her fascination with technology with her commitment to education. This transition felt natural, especially after specializing in information technology for her master’s degree, where she found a way to combine her two passions: technology and teaching.
 
Outside of work, Nicole's life is filled with the joyous chaos of a feathered family, which includes two budgies, alongside two playful black-headed caïques. She is married and has been with her husband for 15 years. Her spare time is often spent indulging her curiosity for new technological tools and skills, a hobby that complements her professional interests constantly keeping her learning and growing.
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Presentation: Artificial Intelligence (AI): Hero or Villain?

Ann Bull
Online Assistant Dean of Faculty, Pima Medical Institute

Ann earned her Master of Business Administration and Master of Education from Saint Leo University. She worked at Saint Leo for over 21 years. This is where she first began working with and teaching for the online world and she has made working in online education her career. Her current role at PMI allows her to both work in administrative capacity and continue to teach.​

Presentation: The Justice League of Diversity: Superheroic Tales of Inclusion and Equity

Heidi Chavez
Online General Education Program Director, Pima Medical Institute

A writing warrior and student academic support adventurer, Heidi works to battle the insecurities students have when it comes to needing support. Armed with the Online Writing Center and Tutor.com, she serves as the Online General Education Program Director, making sure that there is a place to address writing-related needs and subject-specific tutoring. Her mission is to ensure that students feel comfortable and confident with their classes and her battle will never see victory until every student loves to write!

Presentations: APA: The Heroic Standard for Scholarly Excellence in the Digital Age & Brave New Lessons: Navigating the AI Frontier

Jeanne Chilton
Health Care Administration Lead Faculty, Pima Medical Institute

Jeanne has been a Medical Assistant for the last 28 years and also obtained an AAS in Medical Assisting, a BOS in Healthcare Management, and an MBA in Healthcare Administration. She has worked in various areas of the clinical environment including the medical office, hospital, and self-employment settings. Jeanne has held management and supervisory roles and come with many years of teaching and online design experience, as well as being a Program Manager for a Medical Assistant department. Having a great desire to teach, Jeanne finds being a faculty member to be a very fulfilling career. "My students' success is my ultimate goal."

Presentation: Cruising to Excellence: Empowering First Semester Online Students to Succeed​​​​

Keri DeDeo
Online Learning Designer, Pima Medical Institute

I came to PMI in 2021 after working as a contract instructional designer in multiple institutions and as an English instructor and other positions in Wyoming for over 15 years. I have taught college English, Creative Writing, Native American Literature, Water Aerobics, and many more courses.
 
My degrees include a BA in English, an MA in Composition, Rhetoric, Teaching English as a Second Language, and an MEd in Instructional Design. Ultimately, I love to learn, and the best thing about being a Learning Designer is learning about multiple subjects while also employing my passion for education and helping students reach their goals.
 
I live in Kingman, AZ with my husband and two big dogs, Maiya and Lilla (Lee-la). We enjoy hiking, kayaking, and camping when we can get to the mountains. In my free time, I write, bake, and make videos demonstrating Pampered Chef products.
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Presentation: Artificial Intelligence (AI): Hero or Villain?

Travis Diaz
Online Academic Operations Manager, Pima Medical Institute

Travis Diaz is the Online Academic Operations Manager for Pima Medical Institute. He began his career with PMI at the Albuquerque Campus in 2007 as a Career Prep instructor, then taught Medical Assistant and several General Education courses in multiple degree programs. Travis served as Faculty Coordinator for six years before transitioning to the Online campus. There he functioned as a Custom Education Program Director participating in Business-to-Business partnerships. Travis now serves in his current role working with a talented online operations team providing oversight and professional development for the Online faculty. He earned a Bachelor of Science in EMS Education at the University of New Mexico, a Master of Science in Leadership at Grand Canyon University, and is a licensed Paramedic. Travis practices servant leadership and values engaging instruction and quality education for our students.

Presentations: Masters of AI Mystique: Demystifying Technology for the Modern Educator​​​​​​​ & The Superhero's Guide to Maximizing Online Teaching Efficiency and Course Enhancement

Colin Easom
Lead Health Care Administration Instructor, Pima Medical Institute

Colin was born in Nottingham, England – the land of Robin Hood!  He obtained a bachelors and masters degree in library science and information management from Liverpool John Moores University and has worked in education since 1991. Working at both the high school and the college level, he has taught students as young as 11 and as old as 80 in both traditional and online classroom settings. Colin obtained an online teaching certificate in 1998, and has trained and mentored faculty in the use of educational technologies in multiple environments since then, as well as working in the classroom directly with students.

Colin moved to the United States in 2004 and currently resides in sunny Tucson, AZ. His hobbies include hiking, vegan sports nutrition, and helping others achieve their wellness goals through his Personal Trainer, Meditation Teacher, and  Vegan Lifestyle Coach certifications. 

Presentation: Clicking Connect: Superhero Strategies for Engaging Online Students in Discussions and Course Announcements

Melanie Escobar
Online Instructor, Pima Medical Institute

Melanie Escobar is an adjunct faculty member in the online RN to BSN Nursing Program at Pima Medical Institute. In this role, Dr. Escobar is dedicated to providing a quality educational experience to online nursing students by facilitating asynchronous discussions, assessing student learning, and providing a learning environment that supports student success.
Dr. Escobar earned her Doctor of Education in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in adult learners at Grand Canyon University in 2023. Her dissertation examined how online adjunct nursing faculty overcome challenges in creating caring teacher-student relationships. By sharing her experience and research, Dr. Escobar desires to influence best practices in developing caring teacher-student relationships within higher education.
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Presentation: Power of Care: Creating Superhero Teacher-Student Relationships

Kelly Gramling
Online Assistant Dean of Faculty, Pima Medical Institute

Kelly earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in Marketing, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree at the University of Phoenix. Kelly believes that education has the ability to change lives and foster a legacy of learning for generations. She has over 20 years of education industry experience, and prior to working full-time for PMI Online, she held the position of Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for a non-for-profit and faith-based college; she has also worked as a Director of Online Learning, Director of Education, and Academic Dean in the for-profit sector for both academic and vocational/technical training programs. She has also taught both seated and online courses in business, marketing, and organizational leadership. Kelly grew up in Tampa Bay, Florida and has always enjoyed the great outdoors. She spends most weekends in nature and hiking with her pups.

Presentation: The Superhero's Guide to Maximizing Online Teaching Efficiency and Course Enhancement

Kelly Heisinger
Online Instructor, Pima Medical Institute

Kelly Heisinger graduated from University of California, Irvine in 1990 with a Bachelor’s in English. She went on to earn her Master’s degree from California State University, Long Beach in 1994. Kelly has been teaching at PIMA for over twelve years. Kelly teaches English courses to our new students and has had a lot of success with helping students succeed in online courses. Kelly’s teaching philosophy includes that everyone will benefit from education.  There are sacrifices to be made but the payoff is well worth the effort.  Kelly believes in giving feedback that will help her students grow. Feedback is an important step to enhance the course material and help students comprehend the lessons. Teaching is much more than providing grades: it is about meeting students where they are and helping them learn and grow.
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Presentation: The Grading Code: Deciphering the Secrets to Superhero-Style Evaluation

Hallie Jones
Online Education Support Coordinator, Pima Medical Institute

Hallie began her journey with PMI in 2008, initially serving as the receptionist at the Tucson Campus. Over five years, she transitioned into the role of Nursing Program Office Assistant, where she honed her skills. A shift to the Online Campus brought fresh challenges, where she transitioned into various roles, including Student Services Coordinator and collaborating with the Registrar and Financial Services team. Embracing the dynamic nature of her work, Hallie finds joy in tackling new tasks each day.
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Inclusivity lies at the heart of Hallie's values, recognizing that diversity enriches every facet of life. For her, accessibility serves as a cornerstone in building inclusive communities. She firmly believes that when barriers are dismantled, opportunities flourish for everyone.

Presentation: Barrier Breakers: Superhero Strategies for Creating Accessible Virtual Environments

La Trina Merritt
Online Student Success Manager, Pima Medical Institute

La Trina Merritt is the Online Student Success Manager for PMI’s Online campus and has been with PMI for 13 years. La Trina’s worked administratively in healthcare and has spent the last 19 years in higher education. 

In addition to teaching Sociology, she’s had the privilege and honor to serve diverse communities in healthcare, higher education, and through community volunteerism. The driving force of working in each sector represents her passion for people, equity, and inclusion.

Her Masters degree in Sociology is from Grand Canyon University, with an emphasis in higher education. Additionally, she's a proud PMI alum from the very first cohort of Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration graduates.
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La Trina resides in her native town of Tucson, Arizona with her daughter, family, and community of friends.

Presentation: Understanding the Power of Cultural Competence

Jamie Petersen, DVM 
Veterinary Technician Clinical Director, Pima Medical Institute

Jamie completed her training as a veterinarian at Iowa State University in 2012.  After completing a rigorous internship and several years in clinical practice she joined Pima Medical Institute in 2019 as the Director of Clinical Education for the Veterinary Technician Program in Renton.  She is passionate about providing high quality education and training, while helping students realize their full potential.  In her role with PMI she coaches students, instructors, and clinical educators on how to communicate expectations and evaluations. 
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Presentation: The Toolbox: Super Secrets to Skills Evaluation

Josie Strahle
Learning Design and Production Manager, Pima Medical Institute

Josie Strahle is the manager of the Learning Design and Production team for the Online department at PMI. She has worked in online learning for over a decade and education in general for almost two decades. She is passionate about online education because of the opportunity it provides to people who can't pursue traditional programs. She is particularly interested in how technology and evidence-based design practices can improve learning experiences and outcomes. She loves to collaborate with program directors, faculty, and other PMI staff in the shared goal of continuous improvement of online courses. Prior to coming to PMI in 2020, she led the STEM instructional design team at University of Arizona Online, and prior to that spent seven years teaching high school chemistry and biology. 

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Presentation: Barrier Breakers: Superhero Strategies for Creating Accessible Virtual Environments

John Streit
Master of Organizational Leadership Program Director, Pima Medical Institute

Dr. John Streit is the Program Director for the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program here at Pima Medical Institute Online. Prior to this position John was the Program Director for the Online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration programs at PMI, worked for the American Lung Association in Colorado as the Director of Lung Health Programs, and at the Children's Hospital Colorado as a respirator therapist. John obtained his Doctor of Education degree with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership through Grand Canyon University, and a master’s degree in public health.

Presentation: Unveiling Strategies to Forge Heroic Questions for Deep Thought

Jordan Utley
Corporate Education Director, Pima Medical Institute

Jordan Utley has over two decades of experience in higher education administration in the roles of Program Director, Department Chair, and Dean of Health Sciences. She has nearly 30 years of clinical experience as a certified athletic trainer, working with athletes from high school to professional sports, including the men’s and women’s US soccer teams.

She is an international scholar, publishing and presenting on her work on interprofessional education (IPE). Dr. Utley’s research line includes the utility of biomarkers that pass the blood-brain barrier as a diagnostic tool for sport-related concussion. In addition, her current research studies the effectiveness of IPE across systems in higher education to create behavioral change in practicing clinicians.

Dr. Utley believes in educating graduates to be change-agents of healthcare, to lead interprofessional patient-centered care teams that are population focused, cost-effective, and foster personal and professional well-being.

Presentation: Masters of AI Mystique: Demystifying Technology for the Modern Educator

Jennifer Williams
Curriculum Coordinator, Pima Medical Institute

Jennifer came to PMI in 2020 after spending years as an instructional designer in the world of health care IT. She has been designing and developing health-care-related online courses for close to 25 years now and continues to find it fascinating and rewarding, especially as the related technology evolves and changes.
 
In an earlier phase of life, Jennifer taught computer courses to employees of a health care facility and even before then, found herself developing training content and instructing fellow employees at several jobs in an unofficial capacity. It greatly pleases her to still be assisting others in their learning journeys.
 
Jennifer has a degree in English from the University of Arizona and lives in a rural area with her husband of 34 years and many, many animals of a variety of species. Her and her husband have eight sponsor children in various countries.
 

Presentation: Artificial Intelligence (AI): Hero or Villain?