Noel Spalding is a passionate educator and creative leader with over 25 years of experience in designing meaningful learning experiences. She’s driven by a deep belief that educational experiences can change lives—and she’s spent her career making that happen through innovative instructional design and emerging technologies.

 

She’s recently joined the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership team as the Director of Learning Design and Technology where she’s building multimedia-rich educational assets that reflect the organization’s core values and inspire personal growth. Noel is also wrapping up her doctorate in Educational Leadership, focusing on how virtual reality and exergaming can support the well-being of college students.

 

Noel began her career as a High School Special Educator for seven years in Baltimore County Public Schools. Following this, she spent almost two decades at Connections Academy Online Schools, where she led major initiatives in special education, academic training, and virtual speech services—helping thousands of students and educators across the country. Most recently, she led eLearning development at Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, managing talented eLearning designers and creating cutting-edge digital learning experiences.

 

Noel lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband Jason and their quirky polydactyl cat Atari. When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her crocheting little animals, practicing hot yoga, or out in nature with her camera taking photos of bald eagles and osprey diving for their evening fish. Her son Rowan recently graduated with a degree in graphic design, and she couldn’t be prouder.