Matthew Ames
About Candidate
Strategic higher education leader and faculty member with international experience building digital learning ecosystems, academic support operations, faculty development programs, and institutional learning systems across the United States, East Africa, the Gulf, and the Caucasus. Ph.D. in Instructional Design & Technology with a record of establishing departments and services from the ground up, managing multidisciplinary teams of 30+ staff, and supporting more than 1,000 learners and 100 faculty. Experienced in online learning strategy, AI integration, curriculum and assessment, quality assurance, student success, and cross-functional implementation in complex international higher education environments.
Location
Education
PhD in Instructional Technology and Design
Work & Experience
• Appointed to teach a graduate course in educational technology and artificial intelligence in education within the Education Management program. • Designed course learning outcomes, assessments, and applied activities focused on responsible AI use, instructional design, technology evaluation, and educational leadership. • Course scheduled for remote delivery through Blackboard to master’s-level students.
• Led a 30-member instructional team (tutors, TAs, and support staff), establishing standardized training frameworks, performance expectations, and operational workflows to improve service quality and consistency. • Directed centralized academic support and digital learning operations serving 800+ undergraduate students, integrating tutoring services, learning centers, and LMS support into a coordinated institutional system. • Redesigned academic support delivery using data-informed approaches, increasing student engagement and utilization of tutoring and learning services. • Managed operational budgeting, staffing, and resource allocation, aligning service delivery with institutional priorities for retention, student success, and academic performance. • Contributed to accreditation readiness and academic program review processes, ensuring alignment between learning support services, digital learning infrastructure, and quality assurance standards.
• Founded and institutionalized the university's e-Learning Department — supporting 1,000+ learners and 100+ faculty through centralized LMS governance, faculty development systems, LMS integration, and scalable digital infrastructure. • Directed development and execution of the institution's five-year e-learning strategy, aligned with medical education priorities and Rwanda's national Digital Health agenda. • Designed and facilitated faculty development initiatives supporting teaching innovation, digital pedagogy adoption, and capacity-building across interdisciplinary teams. • Led LMS course architecture for the Digital Health Applied Leadership Program (DHALP), translating applied curriculum into scalable online delivery. • Contributed to grant development and AI-supported training architecture for NTD workforce initiatives. • Represented UGHE in the Erasmus+-funded RADIC consortium, collaborating with partners across Finland, Rwanda, and Zanzibar to advance digital rehabilitation education in East Africa. • Served as faculty mentor for the eGlobal international virtual exchange program, supporting collaborative research partnerships between University of Global Health Equity and University of Virginia students on global health research projects.
