Nikki Henson

Nikki and Danny, her husband, jumping over fire near the finish line at a Spartan Race.

Nikki and her husband, Danny, jumping over fire at a Spartan Race

Oliver, Nikki and Danny's husky, running through the backyard.

Oliver, our Siberian Husky

I am a dedicated instructional designer who creates targeted and meaningful learning experiences that positively impact learners and businesses by collaborating with stakeholders to design training materials that connect with learners and are grounded in learning science.

My Experience

Instructional Design, Manager

GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands)

At GoTo Foods, I collaborated with stakeholders to create training assets for corporate and franchise employees at 7 national restaurant brands (Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southern Grill, and Schlotzsky's), international brands (Cinnabon and Moe's Casa Mexicana), and our corporate offices. I loved finding ways to create meaningful training for people working in the restaurants and stores, always keeping in mind their limited time for training and the importance of delivering a high-quality guest experience.

Some of my job responsibilities included creating:

Instructional videos. I was responsible for multiple parts of the video creation process, including needs analysis, scripting, development, and deployment on our LMS. To create videos, I used a combination of Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Camtasia, Synthesia, and Vyond, utilizing AI-generated voiceovers.
eLearning courses. As with videos, I was responsible for the entire course creation process. I utilized a range of tools to create courses, including video production software and Articulate Storyline.
Job aids and instructional documents. I created a variety of job aids and instructional documents using Adobe InDesign.
LMS graphics. I created custom LMS graphics, including page banners, announcements, and module icons, using Adobe Illustrator and Canva.

Middle School Teacher, Grades 6-8 Social Studies and Math

Killeen ISD (Texas), Leander ISD (Texas), and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (North Carolina)

As a middle school history teacher, I collaborated with my peers to design and develop learning experiences for diverse audiences. The most rewarding aspect of my job was finding new and creative ways to engage students by making history more fun, meaningful, and relevant. For example, I was selected as a district curriculum writer for 7th-grade Texas History while working in Leander ISD. I loved finding ways to chunk complex and dense content so it was more digestible and engaging for our learners.

What I Bring to the Team

Proven track record developing creative and engaging learning experiences
Collaborative and agile approach to learning design
Focus on building and maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders
A strong foundation in learner-centered instruction

What I Value

Collaboration. I believe that your team is one of your greatest assets in any career. I value working with a collaborative team that supports one another and enables risk-taking.
Creativity. I feel most creative when I am developing a new learning experience and learning new tools to make learning more effective. I thrive in an environment that welcomes creative and innovative solutions to learning problems.
Impact. Few things in my career are more rewarding than seeing the "lightbulb" moment, when a learner takes away something of value. I value working in environments where learning experiences can get results.

Fun Facts About Me

I have a rescued Siberian Husky named Oliver. Oliver inspired my concept project, "So, You're Getting a Husky."
My husband, Danny, and I are huge movie fans. We love going to see the latest movie at the theater around the corner from our house. One of my all-time favorites is Casablanca.
I love to travel! I was fortunate enough to spend my junior year of college abroad, studying in Denmark and Scotland. I loved how easy it was to travel throughout Europe, visiting Russia, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, and exploring the UK.
My favorite sport is hockey. My husband and I never miss a Dallas Stars game. Go Stars!