Office of Online Learning Staff

Lisa J. Anderson leads the Office of Online Learning (OOL) and oversees inclusive and equity-minded strategic partnerships and initiatives that promote student success, excellence, and innovation in digital education. In her role, she collaborates with stakeholders across and beyond campus to enhance accessible online and hybrid education pathways, build capacity for mission-driven digital education, incubate and strengthen digital programs and initiatives, and direct institutional policy-making with respect to digital strategy. Anderson also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Technology Entrepreneur Center, focusing on leadership, innovation, and educational transformation. Her work and writing have been featured in national publications including Inside Higher Education, Government Technology, and EdSurge, as well as podcasts such as EdTech Insiders. 

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Dawn Bohn is a teaching associate professor in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. In this role, Dawn teaches a variety of unique courses, including Edible Entrepreneurialism, Food Ingredient Technology, Beverage Science and Technology, Food Product Development, Food Product Design Theory, and Advanced Food Chemistry. She aims to provide high-level experiential learning opportunities for her students prior to entering the food industry and encourages them to solve complex food science and ingredient technology challenges while developing novel food products. Dawn also serves as director of the Master of Science in Food Science that is delivered online. In this role, Dawn delivers a high-quality, accessible program to working professionals who are balancing important professional and personal commitments. She explores opportunities for instructional innovations; supports faculty instructing in the program by sharing online education best practices; serves as the advisor to all degree-seeking students; and works with students to set their individualized curriculum for the program. For her continued efforts in these roles, Dawn has been acknowledged for providing award-winning instruction, advising, and curricular development through campus-level awards, and by the FSHN department, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, and the NACTA Professional Organization.

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Dr. Hilary Gross is the Online Learning Program Coordinator for the Office of Online Learning (OOL). Her primary responsibilities include the Dual-Credit Learning Accelerator initiative, which is supported by the American Talent Initiative. She is an award-winning instructor from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has also served as an Assistant Director for the Rhetoric Program where she supported teacher training and multimodal instruction. Dr. Gross is passionate about both higher education and K-12 education, bringing together her previous life as a high school English Language Arts teacher and her experience teaching literature and composition at the University in her role with the Office of Online Learning.

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Eden Smothers is Project Manager in the Office of Online Learning, where she supports the development of strategic initiatives that advance equitable and accessible digital education. Her work includes helping shape policies and best practices to enhance the online student experience.

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Stephanie Walton assists the Associate Provost for Educational Programs and Success Initiatives and the Director for Office of Online Learning.  She also supplies secondary support to the Project Manager for Student Success. Her responsibilities include office correspondence via email and phone, calendar coordination, travel arrangements, and project management. Stephanie provides support for Student Success @ Illinois and the Office of Online Learning.

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