Somerville, MA | Boston, MA | Springfield, MA
Also known as: JimmyKnits
I am currently Assistant Vice President for Innovation and Technology Policy at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), where I work closely with member institutions to develop tools and resources to enhance their regional engagement and economic development efforts. I serve as the lead staff member for APLUs Commission on Innovation, Competitiveness and Economic Prosperity (CICEP), and work to maintain APLUs strong presence in the development and implementation of the national innovation and economic recovery agenda. I am also a candidate for a Ph.D. in Higher Education at Penn State University, a top-ranked Higher Education program in U.S. New and World Report's Best Graduate Schools. My scholarly focus is on how public research universities organize for their fourth mission of economic engagement. Recently, I served as assistant director for Transformative Regional Engagement (TRE) Networks, focused on bringing together participants in the quadruple helix of business, government, universities, and non-profits for innovation-driven regional development. Previously, I worked in distance education, instructional media, and e-learning for nearly years. My experience ranges from the design and production of video for training, to coordinating the distribution of satellite-based videoconferences, to the development of online courses for teachers. I was a college teacher and administrator for ten years, including managing a large-scale distance learning program for Southern New Hampshire University, recently highlighted in Clayton Christensons book The Innovative University. I also served as Dean of Academic Technology and Distance Learning at North Shore Community College in Massachusetts. I hold a Master of Education degree from Harvard University, and a BS in Public Communications (TV, Radio, and Film) from Syracuse University. Specialties Public policy organizational development technology-based economic development (TBED) technology transfer public outreach and engagement assessment and accountability administration of large-scale online education program best practices in online teaching and learning instructional design student services development integration of academic and administrative technology design, planning, and implementation of new student and faculty services marketing, recruitment and retention.
