experiencED

Bucky Dodd, Ph.D. is the Chief Learning Innovation Officer and Director of the Institute for Learning Environment Design at the University of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Dodd is an innovator, master teacher, and visionary of the future of education. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from Oklahoma State University and graduate and undergraduate degrees in Adult Education and Corporate Communications and maintains an active research and development agenda in these areas. As a prolific writer, teacher, and speaker on the future of education, his research focuses on visualization, innovation, and the design of learning environments. Dr. Dodd is the creator of Learning Environment Modeling™, an award-winning visualization system for the design and evaluation of learning experiences, and has been recognized internationally for his research and design expertise. He has a proven record of leading innovation initiatives in corporate, government, and education organizations and is consistently sought out as a thought leader on the future of learning. 

Dr. Dodd serves as chair of the State of Oklahoma’s Council for Online Learning Excellence. He is an alumni of the Online Learning Consortium Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning and EDUCAUSE Breakthrough Model Academy. Among the numerous recognitions he has been honored to receive are an Online Learning Consortium Effective Practice Award, a program for which he currently serves as a reviewer, and the 2017 Bruce N. Chaloux Scholarship for Early Career Excellence. Dr. Dodd has also been acknowledged by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Cooperative for Education Technologies as the 2017 Sally M. Johnstone awardee, given to professionals who have made an outsized contribution to the technology-enhanced teaching and learning community. Recognition for accomplishments in business leadership include selection as a recipient of the Edmond Sun Business Times 2017 20 under 40 award. Dr. Dodd has also been instrumental in leading teams to achieve numerous organizational recognitions, including a 2015 Brightspace Excellence Award, the 2016 Journal Record Innovator of the Year Award, a 2017 United States Distance Learning Association 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning, and a 2017 United States Distance Learning Association award for Innovation. 

Dr. Dodd is a leader, trailblazer, and innovator who is committed to sharing his expertise and passion for learning with others.

As a former educator from an urban school district, Lydia has seen firsthand the transformative power of experiential learning. She now dedicates her day-to-day work to curating the training and curriculum resources for Youth Entrepreneurs, a non-profit organization whose experiential education model instills entrepreneurial and economic principles built for prosperity. Lydia is always up for classic dad jokes and passionate about equipping educators with the tools, resources and experiences to be catalysts for change in their communities.

Megan Griffith is a School Support Specialist with the Oklahoma State Department of Education in the Office of School Support and Improvement. Megan has M.Ed. degrees in Educational Leadership and Elementary Education from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. Prior to working as a School Support Specialist she was an Academic Instructional Specialist with the State Personnel Development Grant in the Office of Special Education. She was also an instructional coach and teacher in the Oklahoma City Public School District. Her teaching career started in the Millwood Public School District where she taught elementary and middle school. She has 14 years of educational experience and she is most passionate about professional development. She also served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 6 years and her military training has helped her develop leadership, management, and communication skills that all crossover to the world of  education.

Nick Hathaway is a dynamic and visionary leader. In 2018, he launched ELocker. ELocker is an innovative online tool that will have a dynamic and positive impact on education and workforce development. Nick previously served at The University of Oklahoma for over 24 years, ultimately concurrently holding the titles Executive Vice President, Vice President of Administration & Finance and Vice President for Strategic Planning. Nick excelled in leading institution-wide projects in such focus areas as graduation and retention, data science and analytics, community initiatives, international partnerships, research support and strategic planning. Nick developed strong relationships with many State leaders.