Presenters for the 2024 Global Education Conference

Julie Dirksen is the author of the books Design For How People Learn, one of the bestselling books on learning design, and her new book Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with a focus on incorporating behavioral science into learning interventions. Her MS degree is in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University and she’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is a Learning Guild Guildmaster.  She’s happiest when she gets to learning something new, and you can find her at usablelearning.com.

Anna delights in people, the world, and connection. She sees and is energized by complexity, enjoying the paradoxes of front-line relationships and big systems functioning.

Anna specializes in systems analysis and change processes. Her experience as a front-line social worker informs her work making her particularly sensitive to power dynamics and equity. Evaluation and design processes are her preferred disciplines for influencing change. Her strength lies in her strategic design capacity, pattern-finding and analysis super power, and group facilitation skills. Anna highly values utility, prioritizing practical and user-centered approaches to solicit meaningful action and change.

Anna holds a Master in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, with specializations in Community Advocacy & Organizing and International Development, and a Bachelors of Social Work from Saint Olaf College.