Summary
Learning and development professional with more than 30 years of experience across the full program life cycle, including needs analysis, program design and development, facilitation, implementation, and evaluation, within corporate, postsecondary, and entrepreneurial environments. Proven track record in talent development program coordination, instructional facilitation, communications campaign design, learning management systems, and data-informed reporting.
Skilled in stakeholder engagement, cross-functional project team coordination, and the development of creative communication campaigns that engage learners and demonstrate measurable program impact. Brings a global perspective from leading marketing strategy across six international markets and managing programs supporting diverse, multicultural participant populations.
Skills Highlights
- Program design, development, implementation, and evaluation
- Needs analysis and curriculum development
- Learning management systems: Blackboard Ultra, D2L, Brightspace, Banner, Captivate
- Communication campaigns and learner engagement
- Microsoft Teams, Zoom, SharePoint, and virtual meeting platforms
- Survey design, data analysis, and executive reporting
- Virtual and in-person facilitation
- Tracking, documentation, and reporting of program participation and completion
- Stakeholder, vendor, and cross-functional project team management
- Global and multicultural program delivery
Professional Experience
Multi-Disciplinary Professor and Program Coordinator, Georgian College — May 2018 to September 2026
- Lead the full program life cycle for the Digital Content Creation and Strategy program, including needs analysis, curriculum design, development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation.
- Facilitate in-person, blended, and virtual instructional sessions, applying adult learning principles across diverse and multigenerational learner groups.
- Develop and deliver communication campaigns to promote program offerings, achieving application growth exceeding 50 percent year over year.
- Coordinate program and project team meetings, providing updates to academic leadership and external stakeholders.
- Manage tracking, documentation, and reporting of student participation, progression, and completion within institutional learning management systems.
- Collect and analyse participant feedback through surveys and engagement data to inform curriculum enhancements.
Founder and Digital Strategy Lead, The College Prof — May 2025 to present
- Designed and launched a continuing education and digital engagement platform supporting learner retention, content accessibility, and strategic communication.
- Established key performance indicators and analytics frameworks to track learner engagement and progression.
- Built CRM-informed communication workflows and audience segmentation systems to sustain learner engagement across a diverse participant base.
Education
- Ph.D. Candidate, University of Windsor — Educational Leadership and Policy (2022–2026)
- Master of Business Administration, University of Fredericton — Leadership and Innovation (2018–2021)
- Teaching and Training Adults Certificate, Georgian College (2018–2019)
- Advertising and Marketing Communications, Computer Programming, Georgian College (2015–2018)
- Bachelor of Arts, English, York University (1991–1994)
Selected Facilitation and Presentation Topics
- Training the Multi-Generational and Culturally Diverse Classroom
- Effective Team Building in a Multi-Generational Workforce
- Student Engagement and Persistence in Postsecondary Education
- Bridging the Student/Instructor Gap Through Conversational Introductions
- Digital Learning, Inclusion, and Engagement Strategies
Published Articles
Connell, K., & Connell, S. (2026). Canada's International Student Surge and Decline.
Connell, K. (2024). Understanding why students quit and why they don't: A look at Tinto's Student Integration Model and Bean's Student Attrition Model. Graduate Education Research Conference, University of Windsor.
Connell, K., & Smith, C. (2023). The intersection of SEM and equity: A systematized literature review. Strategic Enrollment Management Quarterly, Special Edition, 3–23.
Connell, K. (2023). The impact of the international student experience on persistence in higher education. RISE Symposium.
Additional Strengths to the Role
Program Design and Delivery: More than thirty years designing and delivering training across corporate and postsecondary environments, supporting the full program life cycle from needs analysis through evaluation.
Communication Campaigns and Learner Engagement: Performance-driven communication and CRM-informed engagement campaigns, including initiatives contributing to over eight million dollars in direct sales growth.
Global Program Coordination and Vendor Management: Managed budgets exceeding five hundred thousand dollars across six international markets and led proposal development and multi-stakeholder agreements.
Facilitation and Stakeholder Engagement: Operational coordination and stakeholder engagement across multiple academic programs, supported by graduate training in HR strategy and coaching.
Data-Informed Program Evaluation: Doctoral research on learner persistence and engagement, applied to communication strategy and resolving learner concerns, demonstrates the analytical capacity to turn participant feedback into program improvements.
