About | Dorothy 1

Curious by Nature. Designer by Trade.

I’m a multidisciplinary designer, learning leader, writer, and endlessly curious problem solver. For more than a decade, I’ve worked across communication, design, technology, and learning, figuring out what people need and finding the best way to reach them.

Sometimes that means designing a global learning experience. Sometimes it’s writing a script, building a video, creating an ad, developing a visual identity, or turning a messy idea into a story that makes sense. I’m equally happy thinking through the strategy and rolling up my sleeves to make the thing.

Outside of work, I’m a mom, avid reader, video gamer, occasional crocheter, collector of mismatched cups and saucers, and a person who would almost always rather be outside. I share my home with my husband, two kids, two dogs, and an ever-changing collection of creative projects.

Professionally or personally, curiosity and tinkering are the common threads. I like learning how things work, figuring out how they could work better, and making something along the way.

Education

M.S. Education - Instructional Design

Purdue University

Focus

Learning experience, creative strategy, content & copywriting

Location

Montgomery, IL

United States

Experience

10+ years turning complex challenges into creative solutions

What I Do Best

[01]

Learning Experience & Instructional Design

I design learning that starts with what people need to do, not just what they need to know. From global onboarding and curricula to scenarios, simulations, eLearning, performance support, and blended experiences, I build with application, accessibility, and the learner in mind.

[02]

Visual Design & Creative Communication

I turn ideas into visuals that get noticed and make sense. My work spans graphic design, advertising, marketing collateral, brand development and stewardship, presentation design, and visual storytelling, always balancing creativity with purpose.

[03]

Writing, Storytelling, & Multimedia

Words matter. So does how you deliver them. I write copy, scripts, learning content, and long-form pieces, then bring stories to life through video, animation, interactive media, and emerging creative technologies.

[04]

Strategy, Technology, & Leadership

I’ve built learning functions, led global teams and programs, developed enablement strategies, managed technology and vendors, and explored how AI can help us create and communicate better without replacing the human judgment that makes the work good.

What colleagues say about me

I can tell you what I bring to the table, but sometimes it's better to hear it from the people who've shared it with me.

Dorothy’s strong, insightful perspectives, combined with her ability to genuinely listen to and incorporate client feedback, have made her contributions highly visible and valued across various projects. She has played a critical role in onboarding new vendors and leveraging cutting-edge technology, further enhancing our capabilities and offerings. Her ability to cultivate new relationships and lay the foundational groundwork for the Instructional Design role at Mars University is commendable and has set a strong precedent for the future.

While Dorothy consistently delivers outstanding results, focusing on sharing her expertise boldly. Dorothy’s accomplishments and dedication have not only strengthened our team but have also elevated the quality of our work and positioned us for continued success. Her exceptional contributions and potential deserve recognition and praise.
Salvo Baglieri
Head of Learning Experience, Mars, Inc.
Dorothy is a creative genius. Her ability to take a written script with no direction and create a video that delivers a message poignantly and in an engaging way is mind blowing. She has been so patient as we worked to build Digital Commerce Academy Accelerator and when the time came that we were ready to have videos created, we asked her for 10 videos. Dorothy was up to the task, despite a shorter than ideal timeline, and quickly went to work creating masterpieces.

She accepts feedback well, helped us think through alternative options and proactively designed the videos to be easy to update in the future using AI. She's a joy to work with as she is collaborative, kind, patient and smart.
Jill Heyman
Global Digital Capabilities Lead, Mars, Inc.
I was lucky to have worked with and learned from Dorothy, a Master of training & content. Dorothy was able to quickly create ongoing value for our immediate teams by balancing long-term strategy and immediate quick wins.

Some examples of Dorothy's achievements include:
1. Launched Fabric Academy Learning Platform & choosing and implementing LMS based on organizational needs and ongoing project management to ensure successful adoption
2. Creating high quality training content on a shoestring budget (e.g., OSH - Occupational Safety and Health)
3. Creating learning & development programs (incl. onboarding, continuous improvement) for various functions, include leadership positions (e.g., Site Managers)
Amit Zaidenburg De Castro
Operational Excellence Manager, Fabric
Dorothy, you are very organizationally savvy, influencing your internal team, as the pioneer who recognized the importance and potential positive impact of the TCoE and MGSL partnership in MDR, securing approval from MGSL to make this project a dream come true. Thank you so much for your style of work with collaboration, with Mutuality principle embedded.

You are also resourceful and creative. You didn't hesitate to create a PPM Placemat on the spot when you had just a few minutes. Where it could be seen as a "lower level/administrative" work and ignored, you volunteered to support where the need is. When we asked about creating a video of case studies, you helped with ideas of internal team doing such things to save extra cost.
Jane Barrowman
Global Succession Management, Mars, Inc.
Dorothy has a keen ability in identifying gaps and creating well thought out education-based solutions. She ensures a vision becomes a reality and is flexible and can pivot when needed. She has developed trainings from the ground up. From helping to create and lead multiple day on-site events, building guidelines around/delivering virtual training, and launching an LMS, Dorothy is an incredible asset to her team!

I would be thrilled to be on the same team as her again, as she always ensured deadlines were met while delivering high quality work. Dorothy brings a sense of calm to every environment she's in.
Hardeep Rooprai
Senior Merchandising Operations Associate, Ace Hardware
As more and more businesses move to a subscription-based model, the requirements for customer goals (and success) keep on moving to newer and more challenging targets. The teams supporting these new initiatives need someone who is dynamic, quick-to-learn new topics, and understands where the team currently stands and what needs to be done to achieve these goals. Thus, a company’s success is directly tied to the training manager. A company’s success is also defined by how easy it is for its customers to succeed. The training manager is the crucial piece here.

I am so glad that, for Fabric, this person was Dorothy. She not only brought instant value to the team, but also helped me understand the needs of my team, both interpersonal and skills development. She is a multi-talented individual who can create engaging content which is effectively targeted to her audience.
Niket Ghelani
Operations Manager, Fabric
Dorothy is quietly, but firmly one of the most credibly functionally talented partners I work with. Her ability to listen and truly understand the requirement for any given project, and accurately translate this into quality outcomes shines through for me.

Dorothy is understated yet highly impactful through her brilliant work specifically in the space of video and visual content. The work that stands out for me is her brilliant contribution to the digital commerce PODs and accelerator 2.0 programs where we had extensive internal lift on videos, as well as her talent and vision in producing much of the final design of the RC consultative selling program.

Her ability to utilize emerging technology is also standout.
Ed Hall
Learning Business Partner, Mars, Inc.
Dorothy is a world class training content creator. Dorothy knew exactly how to deliver training to all levels, from team members to executives, keeping them engaged and excited to learn without missing a single detail.

While working with Dorothy at Fabric, I saw her make the best training material I have used in an operation, spanning from robotics safety to production processes. Dorothy was not only an amazing training leader and content creator but a culture leader as well. Dorothy did an amazing job building team cohesion and facilitating personal relationships throughout our team. As a training leader, Dorothy makes anywhere a better place to work just by walking in the door (or logging in), and her world class training programs will be unbeatable wherever she goes.
Alexander Dreher
Director of Operations, Fabric
Dorothy’s expertise in instructional design is a significant asset for the Learning team here at Mars. She has a deep understanding of learning theories and their practical use, which she applies to create effective and engaging training materials. Her ability to design instructional content ensures that training programs are always impactful and accessible. These strengths make Dorothy an invaluable member of the team, enhancing and elevating the quality of projects for both our clients and associates.

Dorothy is known for her exceptional reliability. She consistently meets deadlines and delivers high-quality work, which makes her a great resource for the Learning team. Every team member can always count on her when needed. Her contribution and support in the DCOM project was simply outstanding, helping us to hit the right deadline despite the limited time.
Luca Baldini
Senior Project Manager, Mars, Inc.
Dorothy, I really enjoy working with you—here are a few highlights I wanted to share:
- Ready to help: You’re consistently supportive and proactive, always willing to lend a hand. It makes such a difference knowing I can reach out and count on you.
- Courageous: I really appreciate how you speak up and address tough topics directly. You’re not afraid to tackle the “elephant in the room,” and you do it with clarity and care. I’ve also seen how skillfully you navigate vendor conversations—firm, clear, and always respectful.
- Vulnerable: Thank you for showing up with authenticity and openness. It builds trust and creates space for more meaningful connections across the team.
Eva Saturkova Novakova
Learning Experience Manager, Mars, Inc.