For the past 17 years, Edmond Manning has produced e-learning applications for almost 60 unique clients, including Sprint, Corning, Manpower, HSBC, Abbott Laboratories, 3M, the Prevention Research Institute, the University of Minnesota, Security Mentor, and gosh, a whole bunch of others. Instructional topics ranged on anything from software simulation to medical ethics to supervisory skills, and selling/presentation skills.
Edmond has helped mentor and grow e-learning departments and created a knowledge management position within a top e-learning consulting firm for several of those years. In addition, Edmond has worked as a business consultant, independent contractor, and has taught classes for ASTD since 2003.
Most notable professional achievement: Edmond was the instructional design architect for a federally funded online experience designed to reduce the spread of HIV in a specific population. Early research shows a short-term decrease in unsafe sex by 30 percent. This shocking statistic is unheard of in the HIV prevention community, where no HIV education (paper, classroom, online) has ever proven statistically to impact behavior.
Edmond has a master's degree from Northern Illinois University in instructional technology. Professional interests include accelerated learning, interface design, affective goal integration, and budgeting. Ever the instructional design nerd, he belongs to an ID book club, which meets on Friday nights.
Ethan has been designing online instruction for almost 25 years, beginning with work at the PLATO laboratory at the University of Illinois, continuing through positions at Authorware, Macromedia, Microsoft, and as a consultant with a host of top companies in the United States and abroad. As Chief Knowledge Officer at Allen Interactions, a nationally recognized company dedicated to creating the world's best custom e-learning applications, Ethan is responsible for internal and external training and communication regarding Allen Interactions' unique perspective on designing and developing meaningful and memorable e-learning programs. While focused primarily on corporate training, Ethan has comprehensive experience with education and government institutions, having worked extensively in libraries and schools as a full-time consultant with the Lincoln Trail Libraries System in Champaign, Illinois. He is also a licensed secondary mathematics teacher. He is the primary instructor for ASTD's Instructional Design for e-Learning certificate course, and has spoken at conferences and private presentations throughout the world.
Jeff Weinberg is an instructional designer, educational psychologist and independent performance consultant with 20 years experience customizing e-learning programs for corporate, government, non-profit and academic clients around the world.
With expertise designing learner-centered training, Jeff’s research and consulting activities have involved him in numerous projects with major organizations such as Medtronic, Cigna, BestBuy, University of Minnesota, RBC Dain Rauscher, Proctor & Gamble, Capella University, Minnesota Department of Human Services and many others. While his work has focused primarily on the design of useful, meaningful and memorable e-learning solutions for change-resistant work forces, his deepest passion lies in teaching, primarily with Professional Trainers as they transition from producing instructor-led training to online learning.
With a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and master's degree in Curriculum and instructional systems from the University of Minnesota, his focus has been on e-learning technologies, building expertise and problem-solving paradigms. He has been an adjunct instructor at the Graduate School, University of Minnesota, where he taught courses in principles of adult learning, instructional design and cognitive psychology. He has presented at numerous national and international industry conferences, delivering workshops and seminars to thousands of participants.
Linda Rening, Ph.D.
Linda Rening is the Studio Executive for Studio K at Allen Interactions. She has more than 25 years of experience in learning and education, both in the public and private sectors. As part of her work she has designed e-learning courses, conducted training seminars, developed multiple curricula, facilitated meetings and conferences, and consulted to a variety of national and international clients.
Linda has been providing learning solutions to customers, across multiple industries, since 1995. Before coming to Allen Interactions, Linda was Learning Strategy Director at BI where she created high-level learning strategies and helped design learning solutions. Prior to that, Linda was the Senior Learning Designer for BI’s Learning Group and worked closely with clients to design and deliver training solutions. Her previous work was with Carlson Learning Company as the Manager of New Product Development. She also has experience in publishing and was Editorial Director of CompCare Publishers.
Linda holds a Bachelors degree in English Education, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Minnesota. She has wide experience designing both e-learning and Instructor-led training.