Larry Westenberg

777 Royal Saint George Dr
Suite 210
Naperville IL 60653
(630) 663-8914
larry@expandingenterprises.com

Education: 

M.S.Ed. 8/98 Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL
Education, with a concentration in Instructional Design/Training Design. 

M.S.W. 6/96 Aurora University Aurora, IL
Social Work, with a concentration in Mental Health 
Illinois Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Registered Social Worker Continuing Education (CEU) Sponsor (159-001305 2019)

B.A. 5/83 Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA
Majored in both Psychology and Music, concentrations in Experimental Psychology, 
as well as Music Performance, Theory and Composition.
Attained highest grade in Psychology Department on Senior Comprehensive Exam, 1983.
(Missed one question)

Profile:

• Experienced instructional design professional focused on maximizing the efficiency of training by incorporating accelerated learning and cognitive therapy techniques. My degree (MSEd.) is specifically in Adult Learning, and I am familiar with all phases of instructional design, including:
  1. Assessing business/organizational needs.
  2. Defining instructional goals and extremely specific objectives based on educational principles and theories.
  3. Interviewing subject matter experts utilizing skills from over 40 years of doing psychiatric assessments and analyzing thinking patterns.
  4. Selecting the most effective media for different types of information and communication styles.
  5. Creating training materials in a wide variety of different software programs and tools including Lectora, Captivate and Articulate Storyline 360 with Vyond and Rise.
  6. Incorporating cognitive learning and psychology knowledge to enhance retention of information.
  7. Developing assessment methods and tools that are valid and reliable measurements of objectives.
  8. Evaluating training effectiveness.
     
     
• I most enjoy working on larger projects on complicated topics. Three month-long training courses I developed on computer programming languages (Java, C++ and ADO.NET) were bought by M.I.T. for use in their graduate school. I most enjoy developing training in Lectora or Articulate Storyline 360, and also work in Captivate, Flash, and multiple other software programs as well. I enjoy creating a large number of interactions and "mock tests" to help students interact with information (gamification).

Skills:

• Familiar with all phases of instructional design and development from large-scale needs assessments, to scoping and defining development timelines, to storyboarding and final project creation.  Create Web-based and leader-led training by combining programming and design work in: Articulate Storyline (including Storyline 360 with Rise), Captivate v3.0 - current, Illustrator and PhotoShop. Developed in Lectora, with Camtasia and SnagIt. Highly familiar with complicated formatting and advanced features in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Access. Also work with Perception, Brainshark and HTML. Extensive work with Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and utilizing Sharepoint for document management.
  
  
• Enjoy working with extremely challenging technical material. Enjoy developing ways to explain complex material including analogy and metaphor, mnemonics, building cognitive schemas and relating new information to background knowledge.  Extensive (35-year) background in accelerated learning and cognitive psychology allows development of  highly-structured training programs that accommodate different learning styles.
  
  
• Frequently called in to enhance or repair ineffective training programs produced by other designers.  Also repair incorrect programming and logic sequences found in final program testing and online assessments.  Utilized as resource for final proofreading due to excellent grammar and spelling skills. Familiar with UML (Unified Modeling Language) including use case diagrams, class definitions and sequence diagrams for software design, software testing or business analysis.

Career History:

Employment in Education:

4/2019 to 11/2019 Senior Instructional Designer III for Abbvie, Inc. in North Chicago, Illinois

10/2018 to 01/2019 Instructional Designer and Proofreader for Conduent, Inc. (Formerly Xerox University) (Remote position)

• Proofreading, alpha-testing and beta-testing functionality of online training courses developed offshore.

09/2018 to 10/2018 Training Consultant and Designer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois

• Hired to create training for sales representatives on new Group policies available for 2019. Met with SMEs to scope project. Recommended project be cancelled and a smaller, easier solution utilized to save the organization money.

12/2017 to 09/2018 Published book, “Beliefs and How to Change Them – A manual of methods for changing beliefs in ourselves and others.”

• Book is a product of over 40 years of experience in counseling and professional coaching.

06/2017 to 12/2017 Instructional Designer for IBM, at NASCO, for Horizon at Blue Cross in New Jersey
(Remote position with IBM at Blue Cross NJ) (Short-term contract)

• Edited and updated a sixteen-week onboarding curriculum for new hires at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey. Created descriptive inventory for database of over 2000 learning resources.

03/2016 to 09/2016 Training Consultant and Designer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ilinois, Chicago Illinois (Short-term contract)

• Developed modular e-learning courses in Captivate 8.0 and 9.0. Created interactive, multimedia overview of Government Support Programs based on experience working with Medicare and Medicaid as a provider and State employee in the past. Created testing templates for Captivate and for Articulate Storyline assessments, and created an instructional design template to streamline and structure content development and presentation.

12/2015 to 03/2016 Instructional Developer at Abbott Labs in Lake Forest, Illinois (Short-term contract) 2nd Abbott

• Developed modular e-learning simulations in Articulate Storyline 2. Created simulations/demos for new document management software with company-wide distribution. Rapid development from direct SME input.

02/2015 to 05/2015 Instructional Designer at BMO Harris Bank in Naperville, Illinois (Short-term project)

• Developed e-learning storyboards for designers using Articulate Storyline 2. Created testing and interactions; made recommendations for delivery and testing for content utilization versus comprehension.

11/2014 to 12/2014 Instructional Designer at Abbot Labs in North Chicago, Illinois (Short-term project)

• Developed e-learning courses in Lectora Inspire from provided storyboards. Created testing and interactions. Utilized Lectora online review tool for team development coordination. Created small project in Brainshark.

05/2013 to 03/2014 Instructional Designer at Blue Cross Blue Shield in Chicago, Illinois (Contract)

• Developed online training in Adobe Captivate (5.5 and 6.0) on a variety of topics from new health care laws to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Developed leader-led training for onboarding new employees offering new policies as a result of the Affordable Care Act.
• Wrote training on Personal Safety utilizing experience of working with physically aggressive psychiatric patients for twenty years. Wrote sections of manuals related to mental health, community services, etc.
• Launched training on the Learning Management System (SumTotal LMS) for utilization within the company.
• Developed materials in cooperation with various subject-matter experts.
• Delivered leader-led training on numerous topics related to interactions and communication skills.
  

04/2013 to 05/2013 Instructional Designer at Crisis Prevention Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Short-term project interrupted by family emergency)

• Developed online training in Adobe Articulate Storyline. Assignment was to take a previously developed online training built from video clips, audio segments, PowerPoint presentations and Flash content into a consistent Storyline publication.
• Built tests and evaluations directly in Storyline for online scoring.
• Adjusted and expanded on Flash interactions embedded into presentation.
• Adjusted and repaired significant variation in audio volume across sources.
• Became certified trainer in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training.
  

7/2012 to 12/2012 Instructional Designer for International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) in Brookfield, Wisconsin  (6-month contract)

• Updated and revised online training on medical benefits and retirement fund management using Lectora Inspire software.  Created standard e-learning templates in cooperation with graphics/branding department.  Fixed incorrect programming (as well as grammatical errors) in older training programs for accurate completion tracking in LMS.
• Created interactions in Flypaper, Lectora and Flash for use as “practice tests” for complicated legal topics.  Imported these into Lectora for use on the Learning Management System.
• Assisted with design and implementation of new Learning Management System (Cornerstone).
• Utilized advanced learning technologies from background in cognitive psychology and into presentations of information and course re-organization.

10/2010 to 5/2011: Instructional Designer for AT&T in Chicago, Illinois       (Contract position)

• Designed and developed half-hour to eight-week long training courses.  Extensive work in information mapping and development of materials incorporating a wide variety of software packages. 
• Revised ineffective training programs (evidenced by majority of students not passing final assessment) and proofread final materials created by other designers.
• Wrote and edited Student Guides and Facilitator Guides for leader-led training.  Developed PowerPoint (or Presenter) presentations. Edited and proofread all training materials for compliance with branding and formatting guidelines. 
• Authored multiple Web-based training modules using Flash, Dreamweaver, Captivate, Lectora and other proprietary software systems.

04/2009 to 07/2009: Instructional Designer for Bank of America (Telecommute) 3-month contract position 

• Created Web-based training programs from detailed design documents and storyboards. Reviewed and restructred content for final presentation and realization. Developed Web-based training programs in Captivate, Flash and Lectora.
• Adapted pre-existing training programs with new brand-approved graphics.
• Developed Captivate simulations with subject matter experts via online meetings in real-time allowing extremely rapid-development prototyping. 
• Assured SCORM compliance and coordinated launching of training on LMS.
• Created simulations and demonstrations of various software program procedures.
• Created and managed online repository site for project document version control and file management (Sharepoint).

12/2006 to 12/2008: Instructional Designer for AT&T in Chicago, Illinois   
Called back for second contract there - listed above

• Designed and developed half-hour to eight-week long training courses.  Extensive work in information mapping and development of materials incorporating a wide variety of software packages. 
• Revamped ineffective training programs (evidenced by majority of students not passing final assessment) and proofread final materials created by other designers.
• Wrote and edited Student Guides and Facilitator Guides.  Developed PowerPoint (or Presenter) presentations. Edited and proofread all training materials for compliance with branding and formatting guidelines. 
• Authored multiple Web-based training modules using Flash, Dreamweaver, Captivate, Lectora and other proprietary software systems.

05/2005 to 12/2006:  Instructional Design Analyst for Accenture, LLC in Chicago, Illinois (Contract to FT)

• Designed and developed 4-week training sessions teaching the Java, C++, C# and ASP/ADO.NET computer languages. Classes included object-oriented programming concepts, computer program architecture and debugging/testing during the development of scalable IT applications.
• Wrote manuals for various server configurations on Linux systems, including Oracle setup, Windows Server 2003 and`various other delivery architectures.
• Developed design and delivery standards for training programs.
• Wrote manuals for students and faculty to facilitate training delivery.
• Edited and proofread all presentation and training materials.

My specialty/challenge is to take horrifically complicated systems and write setup instructions that are thorough and clear enough to be completed by an untrained child, yet specific enough to go quickly for an expert.

02/2001 to Present: President of Expanding Enterprises, Inc. in Westmont, Illinois.

• Designed, developed and now deliver (part-time) 20 different training programs offering Continuing Education targeting clinical professionals in Illinois.
• Owner and Webmaster of www.expandingenterprises.com, the commercial website offering these training programs and NLP-related practice tools.

4/1999 to 6/1999: Staff Development Specialist I at Elgin Mental Health Center in Elgin, Illinois

• Trainer and training designer, providing in-house mandatory and promotional training classes in accordance with both state guidelines and home agency requirement.
• Designed computer-based (Intranet) training system for additional training programs, including testing and tracking programs for training results analysis.
• Coordinated a wide variety of multimedia presentation equipment for Web-based presentations.

Employment in Social Work:

12/1996 to 4/1999: Social Worker II in Central Admissions at Elgin Mental Health Center

• Specialized in interview-based assessment of criminally insane patients found Unfit to Stand Trial or Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity.
• Maintained extensive knowledge of a variety of legal, medical, ethical and social procedural guidelines to assist with involuntary commitment of mentally ill individuals by the courts and other crisis situations.
• Received all operator-screened telephone calls into the facility, ranging from suicidal crisis calls, to angry relatives, to attorneys and government agencies.

1/1984 - 12/1996: Mental Health Specialist I and II at Elgin Mental Health Center

• Extensive experience in individual, group and family counseling.
• Taught anger management to patients and aggression management methods to staff.
• Taught group, individual and family therapy techniques.

Over thirty years of experience with targeting problems, designing outcome-based and competency-based interventions, and evaluating the effectiveness of programs designed.   Frequently invited into negotiations with families, violent individuals, and management staff to utilize negotiation skills.  Continue to provide individual and family counseling on an independent basis as an LCSW.

Other Interests:

• Enjoy the study of cognitive learning theories and motivational psychology.  Also study Eastern philosophy, linguistics, and music theory.  Studied hypnosis and influential communication methods since early teens.
• Enjoy creating multimedia presentations, Web pages, logos, advertising graphics, movie sound tracks, and effective information layouts.
• Own a private recording studio.  Play viola, piano, guitar, program synthesizers and compose. 
• Developed a system for mapping information structures into manual layout and design, and currently involved in research on the effectiveness of this programmed learning system via product/training results.
• Enjoy information system analysis – creating computer programs that model the thinking and decisions of experts in various fields and topics.
• Multiple certifications and extensive training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). (See list below)
• Excellent verbal, written, organizational and human relations skills.
• Authorized Instructor of The Radiance Technique® since 1994.
• Licensed Massage Therapist (Swedish Massage and Medical Gymnastics Certification) since 1983.

History of Training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Related Topics

• June 8 - July 5, 1991 NLP Comprehensive Practitioner Certification. 28-Day Residential Training in Winter Park, Colorado. Received Certification as NLP Practitioner.
• October 25, 1991 - April 27, 1992 Trance-formations I, II and III. 48 hours of intensive training in Ericksonian Hypnotherapy and NLP taught by certified NLP Comprehensive trainer Michael J. Banks, Ph.D. in Chicago, Illinois.
• January 17 - May 31, 1992 Training Intern/Assistant for NLP Comprehensive Practitioner Certification Training in Chicago, Illinois. Participated in an intern training program that included monthly training in presenting NLP classes in John Grinder's Standard Presentation Format. Also received extensive training in strategies for intervening with groups.
• June 5 - July 1, 1992 NLP Comprehensive Master Practitioner Certification, 24-Day Residential Training in Winter Park, Colorado. Received certification as NLP Master Practitioner.
• August 8 - 9 and 22 - 23, 1992 Sponsored and attended PhotoReading™ Training in Chicago.
• September 11 - December 7, 1992 Training Intern/Assistant for NLP Comprehensive Master Practitioner Certification Training in Chicago, Illinois. Received additional training is teaching NLP, group intervention strategies, and "tasking" participants.
• October 31, 1992 - May 2, 1993 Training Intern/Assistant for NLP Comprehensive Practitioner Certification Training in Columbus, Ohio. 
• March 5 - 11, 1993 Attended NLP Comprehensive Trainer Training in Boulder, Colorado.
• June 20 - 26, 1993 Attended IDHEA Seminars Design Human Engineering™ (DHE™) Certification Training in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Received certification as Design Specialist in Design Human Engineering™.
• September 23 - 29, 1993 Hosted and sponsored Design Human Engineering™ Certification Training, done by IDHEA Seminars in Chicago, Illinois.
• October 15, 1993 - February 21, 1994 Training Coordinator for NLP Comprehensive Master Practitioner Certification Training in Columbus, Ohio.
• February 11 - 14, 1994 Attended Perceptual CyberneticsT training with NLP Innovations in Atlanta, Georgia. Received advanced training developed by Charles Faulkner in cognitive modeling and NLP.
• October 6 - 9, 1994 Hosted and sponsored Perceptual CyberneticsT training in Chicago, IL.
• 1993 - 1998 Graduate school - two different Masters degrees
• July – August, 2009 Taught 2-day Hypnotic Language Patterns segment in Practitioner Training for NLP Comprehensive in Colorado. Also was Training Coach/Assistant for Master Practitioner Training.
• May 16 – 18, 2014 Attended Level I Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution Certification and Training in Chicago, IL.
• August 8 – 10, 2014 Attended Level II Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution Certification and Training in Chicago, IL. Received certification as a Practitioner in Rapid Resolution Therapy®
• October 24 – 26, 2014 Attended Level III Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution Certification and Training in Chicago, IL. Received certification as a Master Practitioner in Rapid Resolution Therapy®
  • Note - Larry has not retained any of his Rapid Resolution Therapy certifications.

Publications: 

• Published an NLP textbook entitled, "Beliefs and How to Change Them - a manual of methods for changing beliefs in ourselves and others." Available on the Expanding Enterprises, Inc. Web site, or also via Amazon.com. It is a cognitive-based model of how we build beliefs, and a variety of strategies for changing beliefs both overtly and covertly. The book then goes on to teach several sets of language patterns that influence belief structures conversationally. These language patterns are organized and clarified in this book in a way not taught anywhere else in the world. Developed these distinctions through several years of immersion in language patterns. 
• Published an article outlining a cognitive strategy for generalizing positive feeling states entitled, "A Strategy for Creating a More Loving World." Published in Anchor Point, January 1995 (Vol. 9, No. 1), pgs. 9-11.
• Did all maps and computer-based graphics for the book "The History of Elgin Mental Health Center - Evolution of a State Hospital" published by Crossroads Communications, 1997. Book is about the history and evolution of the 100-year old Elgin Mental Health Center.
  
  

Unique Capabilities:

Training:

• My experience as a clinical social worker and group therapist makes me uniquely qualified to teach "soft skills" such as empowerment, team building, mindfulness, mediation and conflict resolution. I am also uniquely qualified to teach skills such as problem solving and stress management techniques.
• My training in cognitive therapy allows me to quickly assess and diagram the thinking patterns of subject matter experts (SMEs), as well as the learning style of students in a training.  I can readily adapt my training and presentations to fit the learners.
• My experience as a musical performer means I design (as well as present) training packages that are highly entertaining, yet also carefully structured to maximize learning and retention.

Problem Identification and Problem Solving:

• My 30+ years of experience in developing individual treatment plans and training in systems theory enables me to develop precise and effective intervention plans for complicated problem arrays.
• My experience with outcome-based interventions combined with training in research methodology allows me to design competency-based training packages and offer excellent program analysis, documentation and results-oriented training.
• My training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and assessment interviewing allows me to quickly model the thinking patterns of subject matter experts (SME's).
• My background in music composition and recording enables me to compose original music in styles ranging from rock and jazz, to classical, to New Age for use in computer-based training and multimedia presentations.
• My training in layout design and computer graphics combined with my knowledge of cognitive learning theory means I create original graphics to contribute to highly interactive and effective computer interface designs (GUI's).
• My training in graphics and layout combined with my knowledge of cognitive learning theory allows me to design presentations that are entertaining, enjoyable and provide efficient "packaging" of information to facilitate learning and recall.

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