Looking for a speaker?

I am currently available for online speaking engagements and select in-person events. My presentations are designed to engage faculty, faculty developers, instructional designers, and institutional leadership in critical reflection about improving online teaching and learning to better support the needs of diverse learners. My presentations blend research and practice, showcase teaching examples, and provide practical strategies that can be directly implemented in online courses.

Please contact me directly with inquiries. I do my very best to respond within a few days (and if I don’t, I always appreciate a friendly nudge!).

Testimonials

Michelle was the keynote speaker at our statewide conference and her talk was the perfect way to kick off the event. She brought a combination of experience, credibility, and humanity that truly focused the discussions that followed. As educational technology continues to advance—and will become ubiquitous during the post-pandemic era—it is only by understanding how…

Thomas Cavanaugh, Vice Provost, University of Central Florida

Michelle kept a 300+ member audience informed, engaged, and inspired with her talk on humanizing online education. I found her talk to be well-grounded in research and experience. I was impressed with how she was able to move from the big picture to small details and suggestions without getting too bogged down in either place…

Shannon Riggs, Executive Director, Oregon State University Ecampus

Presentations

2024

  • Saddleback College, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy & Practices project, Keynote speaker, March 1, 2024
  • Rutgers University, Online Learning Conference, March 11, 2024

2023

2022

  • Keynote, SIDLIT Conference, July 28, 2022
  • Online Teaching Conference, Panel, “Moving Toward True Inclusion: Opportunities and Challenges in Online Education,” July 1, 2022
  • Online Teaching Conference, Fostering Inclusion and Equity in STEM through Humanized Online Teaching, June 30, 2022
  • Keynote, Massachusetts Colleges Online Virtual Conference, June 2, 2022
  • Keynote, Salem State, May 24, 2022
  • Keynote Quality Matters – Ohio Consortium, May 13, 2022
  • Peralta Equity Conference, general session, Can PD Humanize Online STEM Courses?, April 27, 2022
  • Keynote, University of Florida, April 14, 2022
  • Keynote, Montana Technological University, April 7, 2022
  • WCET: Enhancing Quality in Digital Learning, a panel about professional development, April 6, 2022
  • OLC Innovate, general session, Humanizing Online STEM: A Pathway to Equity, March 31, 2022
  • Keynote, Madison College, January 11, 2022

2021

  • California Mathematics Council of Community Colleges (CMC^3), general session, December 10, 2021
  • Keynote, University of Central Washington, December 3, 2022
  • Keynote, Quality Matters: Connect Annual Conference, Nov 3, 2021
  • Santa Ana College, Humanizing Pre-course Contact with a Liquid Syllabus, August 16, 2021
  • Keynote, Wisconsin Technical College, Normalizing Care through Humanized Online Professional Development, June 16, 2021
  • Keynote, MiraCosta College,The Anatomy of Learning: Cultivating Care from the First Click, April 30, 2021
  • Invited speaker, Ventura College, Humanizing Pre-Course Contact With a Liquid Syllabus, April 27, 2021
  • Keynote, University of Texas, El Paso, Humanizing Online Teaching: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, April 21, 2021
  • Peralta Equity Conference, general session, Humanizing Pre-Course Contact With a Liquid Syllabus, April 21, 2021
  • Keynote, Seneca College, Humanizing Online Teaching: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, March 1, 2021
  • Keynote, University of Nebraska, Humanizing Online Learning: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, February 9, 2021
  • Invited speaker, University of Michigan, Dearborn, Humanizing Online Learning: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, February 9, 2021
  • Invite Speaker, Grossmont College, collaboration with Fabiola Torres, January 27, 2021
  • Invited speaker, Miramar College, January 25, 2021
  • Keynote, University of Oklahoma, Humanizing Online Learning: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, January 15, 2021
  • Keynote, Blinn College, January 12, 2021
  • Keynote, Henry Ford College, January. 7, 2021

2020

  • OLC Collaborate, Pre-Conference Workshop (co-presenter), Humanizing Online Learning, November
  • Ontario eCampus Technology Education Seminar and Showcase (TESS), Fireside Chat, October
  • Keynote, Colorado Community Colleges Online, Connect Conference, Humanizing Online Learning: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, October
  • Keynote, Waukesha County Technical College, Humanizing Online Learning: Leveraging Relationships to Fuel Engagement & Rigor, October
  • Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, Fall Academic Academy, Achieving Equity through Humanized Online Teaching, October
  • St. Petersburg College, Humanizing Online Learning, invited speaker, September
  • Illinois Distance Education Consortium, Humanizing the Online Environment, September
  • Foothill College, The Anatomy of Learning and the Importance of Cultivating Care from the First Click, August
  • Keynote, Coastline College, Humanizing Online Learning, August
  • Bakersfield College, Humanizing Online Learning, August
  • California Governor’s Office of Planning & Research, California Education Learning Lab, Don’t Be a Robot, August
  • Keynote, Ventura Community College District, Humanizing Online Learning, August
  • ThinkUDL Podcast episode, Whole-Student Learning Online, Summer
  • Keynote, Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning Conference, July
  • TOPCast Podcast, Principles for Humanizing Online Education … and Remote Teaching/Learning, University of Central Florida, April
  • Keynote, 4th Annual TOPkit Workshop, University of Central Florida, Humanizing Online Learning, Orlando, FL. March

2019

  • Defining Leadership in EdTech, DET/CHE (Directors of Educational Technology, California Higher Education). San Diego, CA, December 
  • Equitizing Higher Education through Humanized Online Teaching, OLC Accelerate, invited workshop. Orlando, Florida, November
  • Academic Support Panel, STEM Equity Conference, UC Berkeley. Berkeley, CA, October 
  • Humanizing Learning with Digital Tools, Utah State University, Center for Innovative Design & Instruction. Logan, Utah, October 
  • Untethered Professional Development: A More Equitable Model, Online Teaching Conference. Anaheim, CA, June 
  • Reimagining Success Panel, Community College Summit, OLC Innovate Conference. Denver, CO, April .
  • Humanizing Online Learning: The Secret Sauce for Improving Equity Gaps in Higher Education, with Mike Smedshammer and Tracy Schaelen, OLC Innovate Conference. Denver, CO, April 
  • Humanizing Online Learning, keynote, Oregon State Ecampus Faculty Forum. Corvallis, Oregon May 
  • Humanizing Learning with Digital Tools, keynote, St. Cloud State Provost Summit. St. Cloud, Minnesota, March 
  • Teaching in Higher Ed Podcast, Becoming an Authentic Online Teacher, January

2018

2017

2016