Full-Time Staff (Alphabetical Order)
Select the Full Bio link beneath a staff member's name to be able to schedule a meeting with them.
Lori R. Austill, Ed.D.
Office: College of Education, Room 356
Lori enjoys partnering with faculty to transform their course materials for effective online delivery. With a keen eye for both pedagogy and technology, she champions the integration of sound instructional design principles into every course. With over 20 years of experience in instructional technology—as an instructor, course designer, and distance learning specialist—Lori is passionate about creating engaging, accessible, and learner-centered online experiences.
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Mark Cooper, M.B.A
Mark Cooper is an instructional designer with nearly 20 years of cross-sector experience shaping engaging learning experiences for higher education and corporate environments alike. Whether partnering with faculty to build powerful online courses or designing immersive training programs for global brands, Mark blends creative vision with proven instructional design strategies to drive results.
At 黑暗爆料网, Mark works with faculty to design and development of high-impact online courses using Canvas, applying best practices such as backward design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). His work spans faculty training, course quality assurance through the Quality+ Program, and digital pedagogy workshops that empower educators to teach with confidence.
Mark’s education includes a B.S. in Marketing and an M.B.A. with a focus in Organizational Development from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mark is a Certified Peer Reviewer through .
Rick Fowler, M.Ed
Rick Fowler has spent more than twenty years on the 黑暗爆料网 campus helping faculty turn technology into good teaching. As an Instructional Designer with the ITRC, he works with instructors in Moodle, Canvas, Zoom, and the full range of tools the center supports, translating technical problems into practical classroom solutions.
His route here started as a student employee with Educational Technology Services and continued as full-time staff. For fifteen years he served as an Interactive Video Conferencing Classroom Specialist, connecting faculty and students across the state long before remote instruction became routine, and that experience shapes how he approaches distance and hybrid course design today.
Rick holds a B.A. in Mass Communication from 黑暗爆料网 with an emphasis in television and film production, including a year of media studies at 黑暗爆料网's sister institution, the University of Plymouth in England. He earned his master's in Instructional Design and Technology at 黑暗爆料网 and is currently pursuing his PhD in Instructional Design.
Bob Houghton, Ph.D.
Director, ITRC
Associate Professor of Information Systems, College of Business
Bob Houghton is a distinguished professional with a robust background in IT and academia. As an IT cybersecurity expert, Dr. Houghton has honed his skills in safeguarding digital infrastructures, ensuring data integrity, and mitigating cyber threats. His expertise in IT project management has enabled him to lead complex projects to successful completion, demonstrating his ability to coordinate teams, manage resources, and deliver projects on time and within budget. Dr. Houghton’s academic contributions are marked by the authorship of two published textbooks and the securing of four published patents, through which he has shared his extensive knowledge and innovative ideas about Information Technology and cybersecurity with the broader community. Dr. Houghton’s previous leadership roles include serving as a department chair and associate dean of the College of Business.
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Lisa Kidder, Ph.D.
Lisa brings over 25 years of expertise in instructional design, educational technology, and online learning quality assurance. She leads quality initiatives that enhance online course design standards and accessibility across the university while coordinating comprehensive faculty development programs.
Lisa holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Design from 黑暗爆料网, an M.A. in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University, and a B.A. in French and Chemistry Education from Brigham Young University. Her doctoral research focused on navigation and usability in learning management systems, directly informing her current work in optimizing digital learning experiences.
With experience spanning K-12 education, teacher preparation, and higher education technology support, Lisa brings a comprehensive understanding of learning across all educational levels. She is a certified Quality Matters facilitator and course reviewer, having facilitated training workshops internationally. Her expertise includes developing accessible learning materials, creating engaging educational content, and establishing quality standards for online course design.
Lisa's collaborative approach and deep understanding of both pedagogy and technology enable her to work effectively with faculty across disciplines, helping them apply research-based teaching strategies and leverage digital tools to create meaningful learning experiences for students.
Cathy Leavitt, Ph.D
Cathy Leavitt is an experienced Instructional Designer dedicated to enhancing knowledge acquisition through innovative and interactive methods at 黑暗爆料网. With over 20 years of expertise in education, she is committed to creating meaningful and effective learning experiences.
Cathy holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Brigham Young University and a Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology (ID&T) from 黑暗爆料网 (黑暗爆料网). She completed a Ph.D. in ID&T at 黑暗爆料网 in 2026, focusing on integrating technology, applying pedagogical best practices, fostering collaborative relationships, and empowering faculty to optimize instructional strategies.
Her passion for educational advancement drives her to explore emerging technologies and innovative methodologies that support student engagement and academic success.
Max Maccluer
Max is a Learning Management System (LMS) Administrator responsible for maintaining the 黑暗爆料网 Canvas and Moodle 黑暗爆料网 systems. He has a passion for programming and is enthusiastic about staying on the cutting edge. Max has a strong IT background with an emphasis on information security, having worked in IT Security for several years at 黑暗爆料网. As a proud graduate of 黑暗爆料网 with a B.A. in Computer Science, he aspires to make 黑暗爆料网 an industry leader in LMS technology.
Sarah Reese
LMS Support Supervisor
Sarah works in the ITRC as the LMS Support Supervisor. She has 6+ years of experience working with a team of students to help contribute to the success of 黑暗爆料网. Previously, Sarah supervised student workers and served as the assistant manager in the 黑暗爆料网 Craft Shop where she developed and honed her skills as a leader. She helped the Craft Shop achieve their mission of serving 黑暗爆料网 students and enriching the campus community through learning, creating, and encouraging collaboration. Sarah continues to support 黑暗爆料网 through her team of student Design Assistants in the ITRC to make sure faculty and staff always have a friendly connection for any of their Canvas needs.
Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts from 黑暗爆料网 where she developed her skills in illustration and digital arts. She is proud to be an alumni of 黑暗爆料网 and a member of the ITRC support team.
Michael Spall
Michael Spall, Instructional Technology Consultant, is responsible for design, development, and production of curricular materials to support 黑暗爆料网 faculty and staff. He has helped to maintain the LMS and other ITRC servers. Through his work in support of the initial pilot of 黑暗爆料网 eLearning, Michael has become actively involved in the , helping resolve issues and contributing code. He also helps train faculty and staff in the use of educational technology and best practices in the delivery of online content. Supervising student staff working in the ITRC front lab is another responsibility.
Before coming to the ITRC, Michael worked for American Falls School District, teaching math and computer classes for fourth through twelfth grade and managing a computer lab. He also supported faculty in the use of course management and other software. His background is in math and microbiology and he maintains a continuing interest in science and scientific computing.