Greetings Colleagues –

My name is Kelly Mix and I am happy to be engaging in this 10-week undertaking with you. I am hoping to learn a lot from each of you, and I hope that perhaps I can pass a long a little something too as we travel along.

A little about me... I’ve been a manager with the state of Oregon in various agencies and positions for the past 18-years. I am currently a fiscal manager with the department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). In case you never heard of DCBS, we house a conglomerate of functions including Oregon OSHA, Insurance Division, Bank Examiners, Building Codes Divisions, and on and on. I hold a B.S. in Social Science and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, both from PSU.

So, why am I in this class and what do I hope to gain? I am in this class for two reasons: First, due to the fiscal constraints state agencies are under, I need to learn a new way to deliver much of the training I used to go around the state and deliver in person. We are looking at e-solutions to commence in 2011, and though I won’t be the developer, I want to be an educated user and facilitator of online training / learning. Secondly, I am in the midst of something of a mid-career course correction. I am looking to begin a slow transition from being a public manager to being an instructor of adult learners in areas of political science and management. To do that I need to understand how to present information, etc. in ways that inspires students. And, in the modern age we live in, that certainly involves e-learning.

So, that’s why I’m here and what I hope to gain along the way – thanks in advance for all the insights I know you all will share.

Regards!