Staff Directory
Directors and Managers
Cynthia GoldenDirector, University Center for Teaching and Learning
Cynthia Golden is the director of the University Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, where she is responsible for leading online learning, teaching support, instructional technology, measurement and evaluation of teaching, and other academic support services. She serves as a member of the Council of Deans, the Provost’s Advisory Council on Instructional Excellence, the Task Force on Undergraduate Education, as well as other academic committees and task forces related to education, information technology, online learning, diversity and accessibility. She recently completed service on the board of directors of the NMC.
Prior to joining Pitt, Cynthia served for eight years as Vice President of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit international association whose mission is to advance higher education through the use of information technology (IT.) She previously held CIO and senior IT leadership roles at Duquesne University, MIT and Carnegie Mellon. She directed the Senior Directors Seminar and the Senior Leadership Roundtable at EDUCAUSE, was a faculty member in the EDUCAUSE New IT Mangers program and was a faculty member in the Sloan-C Institute for Engaged Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL.)
She is a frequent presenter at conferences, author of numerous articles, and author and editor of the book Cultivating Careers: Professional Development for Campus IT. She served on the Board of Directors of the IMS Global Learning Consortium, the Seminars on Academic Computing, the Northeast Regional Computing Consortium and CAUSE; and served as a member of many professional association committees throughout her career. She is a proud alumna of the University of Pittsburgh.
824 Alumni Hall
Michael ArenthDirector, Educational Technologies
Michael Arenth is Director of Classroom and Media Services in the University Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. Michael contributes to the Center’s efforts to investigate, acquire, develop and deliver effective technologies and services to support teaching and learning at Pitt. He directs a staff of technical, creative and administrative professionals who provide an array of services including lecture capture, webcasting, classroom engineering, video conferencing, classroom media and event support.
In addition to standard instructional support technologies, he and his team are currently experimenting with innovative solutions that may enhance teaching at Pitt in the future, including collaborative learning space design, 3D printing, wearable and mobile device integration, motion controllers, cloud based applications, and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).
He serves on the Provost’s Classroom Management Team charged with the design and support of learning spaces across campus.
Michael is an advocate for students to ensure easy and equal access to new learning technologies. He strongly supports accessibility standards for media to give every student an opportunity to learn and excel.
Michael has formally presented at campus and professional events including EDUCAUSE and the Consortium for College and University Media Centers, and has co-authored articles published in professional journals. He has worked in instructional technology management in higher education for more than 25 years.
B-13 B Alumni Hall
Erik ArroyoDirector, Academic Support Services
As the Director for Academic Support Services, Erik Arroyo oversees multiple units within the Teaching Center at the University of Pittsburgh:
Communication and Outreach, which is responsible for the department's brand management, including all communication campaigns, social media, websites, graphics, newsletters, publications, etc.; Academic Digital Media, which is responsible for creating classroom media and supporting University events through digital and video services; the University of Pittsburgh Testing Center [UPTC], which oversees proctored examinations for Pitt students and external clients in a supervised testing environment; and compliance efforts, such as state authorization for distance education and copyright clearance. Erik was the Project Manager on a relocation effort for the Testing Center in spring 2014 and also serves as a Grants Committee Member for the National College Testing Association [NCTA]. He has spoken at the NCTA’s national convention three times and steered the campaign to have the UPTC become a nationally certified Testing Center through the NCTA. Erik completed his BA in Communications and Journalism at Pitt in 2003, and earned his MBA in Marketing from South University Online in 2008. He is president of the Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and innovation grants to faculty and students in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District.
A119 IS Building
Lorna KearnsDirector, Next Generation Learning Initiatives
Lorna Kearns is Director of Online Programs at the University Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. She oversees the Pitt Online portfolio of more than a dozen online graduate programs across several schools within the University. She is responsible for the design, development, and deployment of all Pitt Online courses as well as faculty development efforts for online teaching. She also acts as project manager for the University’s Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) initiative. She holds a Master’s Degree in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh and PhD in Adult Education from the Pennsylvania State University.
821 Alumni Hall
Nancy ReillyDirector, Office of Measurement & Evaluation of Teaching
Nancy earned a B.A. degree in Sociology and Psychology from Slippery Rock University. She also has a M.A. degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Educational Research Methodology with an equal emphasis in Measurement, Research Design, and Statistics. One of the cloze reading exercises that she designed for her Master’s Thesis, ”Use of the Cloze Procedure for Monitoring Elementary Students’ Reading Progress” can be found in the textbook, Educational Tests and Measurement: An Introduction by Dr. Anthony J. Nitko. She also completed the coursework and passed the Phase II exams for a Ph.D. in Educational Research Methodology with an emphasis on Program Evaluation. She started working in the Office for the Evaluation of Teaching a year after its inception and also worked in the Office of Measurement and Evaluation before the two offices merged into the Office of Measurement and Evaluation of Teaching. She is a member of the Association for Institutional Research and has programmed using SPSS, BMDP, R, and SAS.
B-23 Alumni Hall
Bobby AckermanManager, LMS Support and Consulting
Bobby leads the Teaching Center’s LMS Support and Consulting group, the team responsible for advising faculty on the use of educational software, including the University’s Learning Management System (LMS) Blackboard Learn. Prior to joining the Teaching Center in 2015, he was a Researcher and Writer in the Office of the Chancellor. Bobby earned his MS in Economics from the University of North Carolina in 2014. He served as a political appointee in the U.S. Department of Commerce for several years before leaving to pursue his graduate studies. He holds a dual undergraduate degree in English and Government & Politics from the University of Maryland.
B-23 Alumni Hall
Gabrielle DeanManager, Classroom Services
Gabrielle Dean has a Bachelor's Degree from Westminster College in Broadcast Communications. Gabrielle worked briefly for the Clairon Healthcare system at Indiana State hospitals as an Audio Visual & Special Event Technician for patients and hospital staff before she came to the University of Pittsburgh. She joined University of Pittsburgh as a Special Events Technician with the Teaching Center in 2006. Gabrielle is currently the manager of the Teaching Center’s Classroom Services unit and also serves on the Classroom Management Team.
B-19 Alumni Hall
Chris GatesManager, Communication and Outreach
Chris Gates is the Communication Manager for the University Center for Teaching and Learning. His team is responsible for all communications and outreach to showcase the wide range of services and support the Teaching Center provides. This includes development of marketing strategies and promotional materials, which are communicated through print, digital, and online mediums as well as through interpersonal communication within the campus community. Prior to arriving at Pitt, Chris worked in similar roles at Oregon State University and CBS Pittsburgh. Chris earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Kent State University.
A121 IS Building
Aaron GrahamManager, Open Lab
The Teaching Center’s Open Lab serves the growing interest in the Pitt community for academic innovation and exploration of advanced technology with full-spectrum pedagogical support. As Operations Manager, Aaron leads a small team of professionals dedicated to exploring the space where technological advancement meets instructional innovation. A 2001 Pitt graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Studies, Aaron has personally seen the university grow and change in the nearly 20 years he has been a part of the community. He looks forward to its continued growth and views Open Lab’s mission as working to help lead the way into the future.
B-15 Alumni Hall
Edward GyurisinManager, Learning Space Development
A graduate of the Allegheny Technology Institute with a focus on electronic technology, Ed has worked many years as a video production Engineer. Ed enjoys not only working with technology, but collaborating with other creative people. Working with talented and dedicated professionals, Ed’s team designs and builds classrooms and conference rooms at the University – referred to as “Learning Spaces”. Ed is a member of the Provost’s Advisory Committee for Classroom Renovation and currently serves in the successor committee - the Classroom Management Team. Ed feels fortunate to be a part of the University Center for Teaching and Learning - a diverse and innovative organization.
Some of current projects are: David Lawrence Renovation, Classroom Technology Upgrade, Video Learning Initiative and the AV Credenza Project for the Nationality Rooms.
B-33 Alumni Hall
Jonathan GunnellManager, Online Programs
Jonathan Gunnell holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Technology and Leadership and has presented his research throughout the United States. He also holds a B.M. in Music Technology and an M.M. in Digital Music Pedagogy. Jonathan joined Pitt in 2014 after working as a faculty member at Duquesne University, where he has been teaching courses in audio, video, web design, and technology since 2008. In his current role, Jonathan oversees the planning, development, delivery, and assessment of online programs and courses including all Massive Open Online Courses offered by the University. He is also an accomplished musician and performs frequently in the Pittsburgh area.
818 Alumni Hall
Bridget RidgeBusiness Manager
Bridget has 18 years of working experience with the University of Pittsburgh, serving in various leadership and financial roles. Before joining the teaching center she worked in the School of Social Work, and has previously been part of the Division of Student Affairs and the University Center for International Studies (UCIS). Prior to coming to Pitt, she worked in the accounting departments at Point Park University and Howard Hanna Real Estate Services.
Bridget holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Management from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) at the University of Pittsburgh. She currently serves on the University’s Business Intelligence Working Group with CSSD, a committee working towards providing Pitt business managers with better end user data. She is also involved in community organizations such as the South Hills Opioid Action Coalition (SPOAC) and is an active board member for Family Promise of Western PA, an organization that provides housing solutions for families facing housing insecurity.
824 Alumni Hall
Blaine WalkerManager, Academic Digital Media
Blaine Walker is the Manager of Academic Digital Media in the Teaching Center at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned an Associate’s Degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and has served the University as a graphic designer and manager over the course of five decades. He currently manages a group of professional audiovisual specialists in support of senior administrative meetings, academic conferences, symposiums and other special events throughout the university community.
613 Alumni Hall
Mike WorkManager, IT Support
As Manager of IT Support, Mike is responsible for providing IT support for all units of the University Center for Teaching and Learning. He comes to this position after holding other numerous positions within the Teaching Center including; Manager of Classroom Services, Special Events Coordinator, Office Supervisor, and Audio-Visual Operator. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Economics in 2005.
623 Alumni Hall
Staff (in alphabetical order)
Research Associates
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