Meet Mikey

Corporate Learning & Development Professional
Designing performance-driven training solutions for Fortune 200 organizations and beyond.

Hi there! I'm Mikey.

I’m an Instructional Designer at Sherwin-Williams, where I support all six divisions of our Performance Coatings Group as well as cross-functional teams in EHS, R&D, and HR. My work ranges from sales enablement programs and technical training to compliance and leadership development, designing learning solutions that improve performance, drive adoption, and deliver measurable business results.

My path to corporate L&D brings a unique advantage: two decades of expertise in learning design, starting in K-12 education where I developed deep knowledge of instructional strategies, learner engagement, and curriculum development. That foundation now informs how I approach adult learning – creating training programs for upskilling, compliance, microlearning, and sales enablement that respect busy professionals’ time and deliver immediate value.

What I’ve discovered is that whether you’re teaching fifth graders fractions or training sales teams on communication strategies, the core principles remain the same: engagement is non-negotiable, multiple access points are essential, and every learning moment should feel valuable to the learner.

In my current role, I’ve built a comprehensive learning portfolio managing 37+ concurrent initiatives across 6 business divisions and 6 functional groups – from R&D onboarding programs to enterprise-wide sales curriculum to multilingual safety training. I’ve delivered 125+ learning modules spanning 8 different modalities, proving that effective learning design isn’t about forcing everyone into the same format. For me, it’s about meeting learners where they are.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just the scale (supporting 6,000+ global learners) but the impact: 100% on-schedule delivery with 41% of projects completed 2+ weeks ahead of deadline, and a 4.7/5 learner satisfaction rating that shows the work actually resonates with people. When you design with intention, whether it’s transforming 50 legacy PowerPoint modules into interactive experiences or creating scenario-based selling skills training, learners feel the difference.

I believe effective learning design stands on three pillars:

This approach shows up in my work every day. Whether I’m building a brand new Foundations of Selling curriculum for newly hired sales reps, creating interactive self-assessments that provide individualized and personalized feedback, or designing scenario-based sales training that transforms how 6,000+ professionals engage with customers, the foundation stays the same: meet learners where they are, give them what they actually need, and make every minute count.

Education & Professional Development

My formal education, including a Learning Experience Design certificate from The University of Michigan, a UX Design Certificate from Cornell University, and two Master’s degrees from Ohio Dominican University in Educational Leadership and Curriculum & Instruction, laid the groundwork for my understanding of learning theory, instructional design, and user-centered design principles. Education never truly stops – especially in a field that continually evolves with technology and new research.

Beyond formal credentials, I’m committed to staying current with emerging technologies and methodologies that drive effective corporate learning, from AI-enhanced content creation to data-driven learning analytics.

Technical Expertise

My toolkit spans enterprise learning technologies and modern content creation platforms:

Authoring & eLearning: Articulate 360, Adobe Captivate, Vyond
Multimedia Production: TechSmith Suite (Camtasia, Snagit, Audiate), Adobe Creative Suite, Canva
Project Management & Collaboration: Microsoft 365 Suite (SharePoint, Power Automate, Planner, Lists, Teams), Airtable, Notion, Slack
Learning Management Systems: Oracle, Canvas, Mindtickle
Design & Prototyping: Figma, Canva, Microsoft Sway, PowerPoint

This technical expertise allows me to design and deliver learning solutions that scale across global organizations while maintaining high engagement and measurable business impact.

Interests in Instructional Design

My passion for instructional design is rooted in the intersection of creativity and impact. I’m particularly drawn to:

Scenario-Based Learning: I’m fascinated by creating learning experiences that put people in realistic situations where they practice decision-making, not just memorize processes. Whether it’s designing sales simulations or building compliance training that mirrors actual workplace challenges, I believe the best learning happens when people can apply concepts immediately in context.
Scaling Learning Across Diverse Audiences: Managing 37+ concurrent initiatives across different divisions and functional groups has shown me the challenge and the reward of creating learning that works for technical specialists, sales professionals, and leaders alike. I love finding the common threads that make training both specialized and scalable.
Multimodal Design: The diversity of learners demands diversity in delivery. I’m passionate about leveraging the right modality for the right outcome, whether that’s interactive eLearning for foundational knowledge, ILT and VILT for collaborative learning and practice, video for demonstrations, or scenario-based activities for skill application. My work across 8 different modalities has proven that flexibility drives engagement.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): I’m deeply committed to creating inclusive learning experiences that work for everyone. My approach to design always considers multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression, ensuring training is accessible and effective regardless of learning style, language, or ability.

Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, I see learning experience design becoming increasingly vital in our rapidly evolving world. My vision centers on:

Personalized Learning at Scale: I believe we’re moving toward a future where personalized learning becomes both more sophisticated and more accessible. I’m excited about creating adaptive learning experiences that can serve diverse audiences while maintaining high engagement and effectiveness.
Bridging Theory and Practice: As our understanding of adult learning continues to evolve, I aim to stay at the forefront of translating learning science into practical, engaging experiences. My goal is to continue creating learning solutions that not only teach but transform.
Innovation with Purpose: While I’m passionate about leveraging new technologies and methodologies, I believe the future of learning design must always prioritize meaningful outcomes over flashy features. I envision creating learning experiences that seamlessly blend innovative approaches with practical application.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: I see the future of L&D as deeply integrated across business functions. My experience partnering with stakeholders across R&D, EHS, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and HR has shown me that the most impactful learning happens when instructional designers work as strategic partners, not just order-takers, to solve real business problems.

Just for Fun: Beyond the Design Desk

When I’m not crafting learning experiences, you might find me:

Hiking my way through Cleveland’s Metroparks (I’m a bit of a trail enthusiast!)
Reading through my rainbow-color-organized bookshelf
Exploring new instructional design technology just for the fun of it (yes, I’m that kind of nerd!)
Hanging out with my best pal, Cal, my Chihuahua-Terrier mix
Creating unnecessarily detailed spreadsheets for my personal projects
Testing out new productivity apps and trying to automate everything possible

Quick Facts

Favorite Productivity Tool: Notion – where my love for organization meets my passion for design

Current Learning Project: Developing AI agents to sit in employees’ natural workflow, both during learning and then after, in their daily work
Coffee or Tea: Coffee, strategically timed throughout the day like any good instructional designer
Most Used App: Canva – because even my grocery lists need good design principles
Proudest ID Moment: Hearing stakeholders say I “absolutely nailed” our Automotive Collision Industry 101 and 201 series, backed up by great feedback from learners