About Kathy Onarheim

I am currently a newbie in a next life-career stage with an early retirement from day to day operations and work. I was fortunate enough to have the choice and opportunity to shift to family care and focus without the responsibilities of a 40+hour scheduled work week. This also provides me with choices and opportunities to be involved in new ways of engagement that address my passions and support others and still give me the flexibility for developing new passions and learning.

My last full time position was Director - Transformative Implementations at the Institute @ CESA #1, serving schools and districts in SE Wisconsin. Previously, I was Director of School Technology Support and Learning Technologies with the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). Early career assignments were with MPS as a classroom teacher, program coordinator, technology coordinator and school administrator. I am also a proud graduate of Milwaukee Public Schools. My post secondary work was at Alverno College, Univerity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Walden University. I have a Masters of Science in Educational Change and Technology Innovation and a certificate in Educational Leadership.

Recent position responsibilities have included over site and direction of several CESA #1 services for K12 students, pre-service and inservice educator training and professional development, assessment, online and blended learning for K12 and adults, learning management systems, and using technology for effective systems operations.

I have served in a leadership role in learning and teaching projects:

• 2012-14 PLN - Personalized Learning Network project lead. A collaboration between Wisconsin's 3 large urban districts using a systems change strategy to transform from a legacy system of education to a transformed system through personalized learning for all learners- students and adults.
• 2012 -13 Personalized Proficiency-based Learning for Educators: technology and implementation role on development team.
• 2008- ongoing: Online blended learning for students and adults (Moodle, Mahara, AdobePro Connect, etc., Ning)
• 2010-ongoing: Technology tool implementation lead and business planning - Google, CMS, 
• 2008-ongoing: Development of agency databases for internal information processes.
• 2008-2011: Proficiency Based Licensure - Alternative Certification - Director
• 2006-2009: 21st Century Learning Program - CESA #1
• Regional Network Feasibility Study
• 2004-2014 - CESA #1 Leadership team. Working with the Executive Director and Directors of the agency in service to the region and managing the business health of the agency and its employees.

Prior projects and experience:

• 21st Century Learning Project - grant project for the development of 21st century learning model and professional development for the role of learning specialist in a learning center model.
• Proficiency-Based Licensure Program- direction of program operations and development of model to include blended learning, electronic portfolios, database development for information management of assessment and participant records.
• River City Project: A Multi-User Virtual Environment for Learning Scientific Inquiry and 21st Century Skills. Research Team
• Collaboration Across Distance - New Teacher Project. Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Joyce Foundation, Education Development Center
• Online Professional Development - Education Development Center, Harvard University Graduate School of Education
• New Teacher Portal - Design, project management, implementation
  
• Curriculum Design Assistant - CDA, Online peer reviewed lessons aligned to standards. - Development, training, and project management.
• Online Community Development for New Teachers – Induction and Retention. SRI International, NCTAF, Pepperdine University,
• Toolkit for Student Achievement Measures with Technology. CCT
• IHE and K12 Partnerships for Teachers and Technology. University Wi- Milwaukee, Marquette University, National Louis University, Cardinal Stritch University.
• Milwaukee Partnership Academy

Publications

• Online Professional Development for Teachers Emerging Models and Methods: Processes Supporting the Regional Evolution of Effective Professional Development Milwaukee's Initiation of a Professional Support Portal, Chris Dede, Ilona Holland, Kathy Onarheim,  : Harvard Press May 2006
• White Paper – Meeting the Need for High Quality Teachers: e-Learning Solutions, U.S. Department of Education Secretary’s No Child Left Behind Leadership Summit – Increasing Options Through e-Learning. July 2004.
• Carrots, Velvet Whips, and Propeller Beanies: Providing Incentives That Facilitate Institutional Change Brown, A., Davis, J., Onarheim, K. & Quitadamo, I. (2002). In C. Crawford et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference 2002 (pp. 1521-1523). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
• A Partnership for Training Teachers: Using Technology-Rich Cohorts
  Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference (SITE) 2001:1 Daniel Ryan, National-Louis Univ., USA; Kathy Onarheim, Milwaukee Public Schools, USA; Cindy L. Anderson, National-Louis Univ., USA.