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About Bryn

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Hello!

My name is Bryn Hotes, and I am an instructional designer using my expertise in user experience design, learning psychology, and project management to develop organization-changing and learner-empowering educational experiences.

 

You can usually find me managing an Articulate 360 microcurriculum for Orlando Utilities Commission's company-wide emergency response processes, attending graduate courses at the University of Tampa, or jumping into a new art project! 

I currently reside in Tampa, Florida; however, I am open to relocating following my intended graduation date, December 2026. 

My Go-Tos

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My Education

Currently, I am earning my Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Tampa. I intend to graduate in December 2026.

 

Previously, I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Tampa. 

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Awards and Honors

Cum Laude Honors

Cum Laude Honors

Spring 2025

National Honor Society Honors

National Honor Society

Fall 2021 - Spring 2025

Dean's List Honors

The University of Tampa

Fall 2023 - Spring 2025

Congressional Outstanding
Achievement Award

United States Congress

Spring 2021

Goal Statement

After completing the University of Tampa Instructional Design and Technology program, I aim to remain a curriculum developer, employing constructivist and adaptive strategies to create engaging, effective, intuitive, and transferable learning experiences in K-12 or corporate environments. I ultimately hope to contribute to the design and development of learning experiences that improve learners' content comprehension and soft skills, helping them excel in both learning environments and professionally. One of my driving factors as a designer is an aspiration to help learners recognize their academic potential by providing learning experiences tailored to their needs and preferences. Alongside student success, I aim to support instructors by supplying designs that account for constraints and offer pragmatically creative solutions. This value is demonstrated in my project, “The Psychology Behind Colors: A 5th Grade Art Lesson”, as it employs a multi-modal approach, considers accessibility, and provides numerous teacher-targeted support documents. Through the University of Tampa’s Instructional Design and Technology program, I am afforded opportunities to solidify my understanding of pedagogy and andragogy through student-driven experiential and project-based learning. I demonstrate my studies and focus through “Chapter Discussion Leader” presentations, which give me opportunities to creatively present textbook content to my peers. In line with my current instructional design internship with Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), I am fortunate to explore industry challenges, including stakeholder communication, SME collaboration, user testing, and resource constraints, which prepare me to work across a multitude of environments. Through courses such as Theories of Learning and Cognition for Instruction, Trends and Issues in Instructional Design, and Systematic Instructional Design, I have been given a safe environment to learn, practice, explore emerging technology, and experiment. This privilege enables me to gain a truly comprehensive understanding of instructional design and prepare for future roles. While the graduate program has guided my formal study of instructional design, my previous experiences as a designer, such as my brand strategy projects for The Composed Canine and Hang Ten Creative Agency, have helped me develop industry skills, including conducting in-depth audience research, establishing data-centered project consultations, navigating diverse stakeholder needs, and applying visual design best practices. These skills help me navigate instructional design processes and produce aesthetic final products through open communication, process fluency, and a growth mindset. Additionally, through my instructional design internship with OUC, I have gained hands-on experience designing, developing, and deploying impactful e-learning projects for diverse audiences. I hope to position my portfolio, projects, and previous experiences as evidence of my ability to flexibly lead instructional projects that meet stakeholder needs, audience preferences, and business goals by emphasizing their alignment with pedagogy/ andragogy reasoning, industry accessibility standards, and technology integration.

Looking Forward

Closing Statement

Looking forward, I aim to finalize and publish my primary internship project with Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), the Articulate micro-curriculum, SMART eLearning: A Smarter Way to Weather the Storm, following final user testing and approval in Spring 2026.

 

This project is composed of 16 individual Articulate courses, each tailored for specific storm-roles: roles every OUC employee must instantly take on when an emergency is activated in the utility's service area. The annual training reviews emergency processes, cross-organization responsibilities, software tutorials, and individual tasks, ensuring everyone involved in OUC's emergency management is prepared, confident, and ready for sudden activation. 

 

The primary aim of the training is to increase learners' competency in using OUC's SMART (Staff and Mutual Aid Resource Tracking) E1 software, resulting in improved data entry accuracy. This behavioral improvement is key to ensuring FEMA properly reimburses OUC following events, accounting for millions of dollars in compensation each time an emergency is activated. 

Currently, I am working with a subject matter expert and end-users to perform final content and design assessments, ensuring the course truly sets all future users up for success. 

 

I will continue exploring freelance opportunities in brand strategy and product design, helping me continue to practice skills including balancing stakeholder preferences, creating intentional and audience-driven designs, and managing projects.  

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