Learning Tree instructors are absolutely peerless. They are working professionals who average over 20 years of experience in the fields in which they teach. They are outstanding experts in their subject matter, but what truly sets them apart is that they are also expert instructors. Every Learning Tree instructor undergoes intensive training to learn the best ways to present information, mentor, and create dynamic presentations that bring the classroom to life. Our talented instructors engage participants and pass their expertise on to them with practical, hands-on skills they can use right away to solve the challenges they’ll face in the real world. Because our instructors undergo a rigorous selection and training process before they can teach a single course, attendees rate the average Learning Tree instructor with a grade of 3.87 on a 4.00 scale.
Featured Learning Tree Instructors
Rick Rummel
Rick has implemented effective IT solutions for major corporations for more than 35 years. As a pioneer in using the UNIX® operating system, Rick was one of the first to provide a UNIX® solution for the telephone industry. By providing open platform solutions, his customers realized significant savings in hardware and software procurement.
In Rick’s 10 years as Vice-President of Technology and Operations for Bank of America, he directed many process improvement projects, most notably the establishment of ITIL® best practices in the areas of incident control and change management. He introduced incident review procedures and developed reusable change models that allowed software personnel to expedite rapid changes while maintaining system stability.
Rick is certified in ITIL®, versions 2 and 3, and is one of the first to have been certified as an ITIL® v3 Expert. In addition, Rick is a contributing author to UNIX® Unleashed.
“One of the great joys for me as a Learning Tree instructor is the opportunity to help others benefit from my experience,” explains Rick. “Professionals who maintain an emphasis on learning and training are the ones who will advance in their careers and help the IT profession meet the new challenges it faces every day.”
Learning Tree Instructor John Hogan has spearheaded some truly fascinating projects during his 30-year career. As VP of Engineering at Martin Marietta’s Information Systems Company, John led its 1,000 member design team in developing products such as “IAFIS,” the Integrated Automated Fingerprint ID System now used by the FBI and the US military. IAFIS is the largest biometric database in the world, housing the fingerprints, criminal histories, aliases, mug shots, and physical characteristics of more than 66 million subjects. IAFIS provides this vital information to FBI investigators to help them solve crimes and combat terrorism.
The virtual reality systems John’s team designed allow US armed forces to experience realistic battlefield conditions in coordinated simulations before actual combat deployments via in-flight and ground simulators. While at Lockheed Martin, John established the detailed engineering processes used to develop diagnostic software and hardware so that the US Navy could test avionics on all planes deployed from aircraft carriers.
John is the author of several project management and leadership courses for Learning Tree and has published articles in many leading journals and magazines, such as the ASME Journal of Reliability and IEEE IT Professional magazine. He has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree from the Illinois Institute of
Technology and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Michelle brings 25 years of experience as a software engineer, manager, and consultant and 15 years as a Learning Tree instructor to every course she teaches. With a BS in Computer Science, she has worked and consulted for science and technology companies, including Litton Guidance and Control Systems, Sandia Laboratory and TRW, and now runs…
…her own company producing video games.
Michelle’s breadth of experience with UNIX, Windows and Mac operating systems, running on platforms ranging from Sun systems to the iPhone, provides her with a tremendous range of real-world examples that she uses to bring her courses alive.
“Learning Tree stands out as a training provider especially because of its instructors,” says Michelle. “We’re committed to the transfer of knowledge and to preparing our students to achieve more on the job. What I enjoy most about teaching for Learning Tree are those ‘light bulb’ moments that happen throughout every class when students not only grasp new concepts but also suddenly see how they can put them to good use. Some might call those ‘Aha’ moments. I call them success!”
Drawing on his 30+ years of management, leadership, and project management experience, James has helped companies including Chevron, Virgin Media, Disney Studios and Netivation implement and improve their programs for developing their managers and staff. At Chevron, James established a system to link individual development plans to advancement…
… opportunities, resulting in fast-track development and promotions that got the most-qualified applicants into open positions sooner. As a senior project manager for Netivation, James used his extensive systems skills to build a high-performance programming team assigned to tackle the most highly challenging programming tasks. His new “Agile” team concept was adopted company-wide as a set of best practices for the rapid delivery of high-quality software. And at a major U.S. bank, James spearheaded a program that redefined their business processes by leveraging improved people-oriented processes with new technology. These changes cut the time to complete the related daily banking processes by 25%.
“I love providing our participants the very best practices, plus tips and tricks that have repeatedly worked for me in solving real management challenges,” says James. “It’s great to see that after practicing these new skills in class, they are eager to return to work and apply them the very next week.”
Diane has 22 years of diverse experience in improving the performance and business results of organizations and individuals. In one of her largest assignments, she helped increase job productivity 28% inside a major financial services company through a comprehensive realignment of the organization. This required her to define and guide…
…the implementation of workflow modification and job redesign, and to ensure the success of the realignment by developing and delivering appropriate training. As founder of DB Consulting Partners LLC, she helps others create effective networks and business strategies that focus their competitive advantage and align with the needs of their stakeholders. In this capacity, she has worked with leaders of Fortune 100 companies, including American Express, Chubb Insurance, GE and AIG. She has a BS degree in Business Psychology, an MBA, and has completed her EdD in Adult Learning and Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University.
“I get tremendous satisfaction from facilitating interaction by actively engaging course participants in learning,” Diane explains. “It’s fun to see their enthusiasm grow as they acquire new leadership and interpersonal skills and gain the confi dence to apply them immediately when they return to their jobs.”
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