ITRC Team

Lori is a Senior Instructional Technology Consultant at the ITRC, where she partners with faculty to transform their course materials for effective online delivery. With a keen eye for both pedagogy and technology, she champions the integration of sound instructional design principles into every course. Lori leverages the Quality Matters Rubric to ensure a high standard of quality and consistency, and she brings deep expertise as a Quality Matters–certified peer reviewer and workshop facilitator. With over 20 years of experience in instructional technology—as an instructor, course designer, and distance learning specialist—Lori is passionate about creating engaging, accessible, and learner-centered online experiences.

Mark Cooper is an instructional designer with nearly 20 years of cross-sector experience shaping engaging learning experiences for higher education and corporate environments alike. Whether partnering with faculty to build powerful online courses or designing immersive training programs for global brands, Mark blends creative vision with proven instructional design strategies to drive results.

At Idaho State University, Mark works with faculty to design and development of high-impact online courses using Canvas, applying best practices such as backward design and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). His work spans faculty training, course quality assurance through the Quality+ Program, and digital pedagogy workshops that empower educators to teach with confidence.

Mark’s education includes a B.S. in Marketing and an M.B.A. with a focus in Organizational Development from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mark is a Certified Peer Reviewer through Quality Matters.

Rick Fowler is an Instructional Designer who  assists faculty with Moodle, Canvas, Zoom, and other technology offered by the ITRC. Rick has worked for Educational Technology Services as a student employee and later as full-time staff, and has over 20 years of experience providing customer service and technological support for faculty on the ISU campus.

Rick came to the ITRC after working as an Interactive Video Conferencing Classroom Specialist for the past 15 years, where he worked with faculty and staff to provide support for distance-based education and technology. Rick received his B.A. in Mass Communication from Idaho State University with his emphasis in television and film production and attended ISU’s sister university the University of Plymouth in Plymouth, England for a year doing media studies. He is currently working on his Masters in Instructional Design and Technology at Idaho State University. Rick has worked in public health, where he was contracted through the Centers for Disease Control, and is an Extron Certified AV Associate.

Bob Houghton is a distinguished professional with a robust background in IT and academia. As an IT cybersecurity expert, Dr. Houghton has honed his skills in safeguarding digital infrastructures, ensuring data integrity, and mitigating cyber threats. His expertise in IT project management has enabled him to lead complex projects to successful completion, demonstrating his ability to coordinate teams, manage resources, and deliver projects on time and within budget. Dr. Houghton’s academic contributions are marked by the authorship of two published textbooks and the securing of four published patents, through which he has shared his extensive knowledge and innovative ideas about Information Technology and cybersecurity with the broader community. Dr. Houghton’s previous leadership roles include serving as a department chair and associate dean of the College of Business.

Lisa serves as Quality+ Program Manager for Idaho State University's Instructional Technology Resource Center, bringing over 25 years of expertise in instructional design, educational technology, and online learning quality assurance. In her role, she leads quality initiatives that enhance online course design standards and accessibility across the university while coordinating comprehensive faculty development programs.

Lisa holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Design from Idaho State University, an M.A. in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University, and a B.A. in French and Chemistry Education from Brigham Young University. Her doctoral research focused on navigation and usability in learning management systems, directly informing her current work in optimizing digital learning experiences.

With experience spanning K-12 education, teacher preparation, and higher education technology support, Lisa brings a comprehensive understanding of learning across all educational levels. She is a certified Quality Matters facilitator and course reviewer, having facilitated training workshops internationally. Her expertise includes developing accessible learning materials, creating engaging educational content, and establishing quality standards for online course design.

Lisa's collaborative approach and deep understanding of both pedagogy and technology enable her to work effectively with faculty across disciplines, helping them apply research-based teaching strategies and leverage digital tools to create meaningful learning experiences for students.

Cathy Leavitt is an experienced Instructional Designer dedicated to enhancing knowledge acquisition through innovative and interactive methods at Idaho State University. With over 20 years of expertise in education, she is committed to creating meaningful and effective learning experiences.

Cathy holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Brigham Young University and a Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology (ID&T) from Idaho State University (ISU). She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in ID&T at ISU, focusing on integrating technology, applying pedagogical best practices, fostering collaborative relationships, and empowering faculty to optimize instructional strategies.

Her passion for educational advancement drives her to explore emerging technologies and innovative methodologies that support student engagement and academic success.

Max is a Learning Management System (LMS) Administrator responsible for maintaining the Moodle ISU systems. He has a passion for programming and is enthusiastic about staying on the cutting edge. Max has a strong IT background with an emphasis on information security, having worked in IT Security for several years at ISU. As a proud graduate of ISU with a B.A. in Computer Science, he aspires to make ISU an industry leader in LMS technology.

Ryan Randall is an Instructional Designer in the ITRC, working to help faculty develop engaging and accessible courses. Before joining the ITRC, Ryan taught students and collaborated with faculty as the College of Western Idaho Library's Instruction Coordinator. He has taught First-Year Writing and Humanities courses at several colleges and universities.

Ryan's education includes a B.A. & M.A. in English from the University of California, Riverside, an M.A. in Visual and Cultural Studies from the University of Rochester, and an M.L.S. in Library Science from Indiana University. He is currently working on his dissertation project for ISU's Ph.D. in English and the Teaching of English.

Ryan is enthusiastic about helping faculty use high-quality open educational resources (OER) and open pedagogy practices, as well as create learning environments that improve outcomes for every learner.

Michael Spall, Instructional Technology Consultant, is responsible for design, development, and production of curricular materials to support ISU faculty and staff. He has helped to maintain the LMS and other ITRC servers. Through his work in support of the initial pilot of ISU eLearning, Michael has become actively involved in the Moodle community, helping resolve issues and contributing code. He also helps train faculty and staff in the use of educational technology and best practices in the delivery of online content. Supervising student staff working in the ITRC front lab is another responsibility.

Before coming to the ITRC, Michael worked for American Falls School District, teaching math and computer classes for fourth through twelfth grade and managing a computer lab. He also supported faculty in the use of course management and other software. His background is in math and microbiology and he maintains a continuing interest in science and scientific computing.