Millennium Magazine_8th Ed

91 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR Little People Daycare & Kindergarten, Inc. Skokie, IL ONLINE GRADUATE DISTANCE EDUCATION PROFESSOR, COURSE DESIGNER Blodgett Learning Systems Lincoln, NE MARLENA L. BANSA D istinguished for her contributions to her community, Marlena L. Bansa is a noteworthy educational administrator who has been serving the Little People Daycare & Kindergarten, Inc., since 1993. During her tenure with the daycare center, she also served as executive director of theGenuineCareAdult ServiceCenter andas anadministrator and owner of Genuine Care Home Care between 2008 and 2012. Prior to these appointments, Ms. Bansa was involved in themotivational training and coaching industry, in which she was self-employed in training executive-level professionals through motivational speaking. A past attendee of Sinclair Community College, Truman University, Northeastern University and Kendall College, Ms. Bansa has also volunteered her time to teaching illiterate adults and has worked with the U.S. Congress to develop childcare centers within the Chicago Public School System. She has also appeared on NBC News regarding her expertise in childcare and development, as well as featured in newspaper articles and magazines. She has earned six community awards for her role with Little People Daycare & Kindergarten. She also received the 2001 Spirit of Rogers Park Award and two Women of Distinction Awards. A noted expert in adult and distance learning, Dr. Cynthia Blodgett-Griffin has accruedmore than 25 years of experience with- in the field of online education. Serving as chief executive officer of Blodgett Learning Systems, a distance-learning consultancy focusing on design solutions, teaching and training services, Dr. Blodgett-Griffin is alsoproficient in aiding online studentswho strugglewithmild traumatic brain injuries, a topic which was explored in her doctoral dissertation. Likewise, she hosts innovative workshops and lends her expertise to graduate students who are determined to excel in their careers. Dr. Blodgett-Griffin earned a BS in graphic communications and advertising from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, along with an MA in adult education and a PhD in education and human sciences from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Notably, she was named Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women in 2010 and maintains membership with the Association of Adult and Continuing Education, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Looking ahead, she intends to become a tenured professor at a research university where she can teach online and enhance student retention. CYNTHIA BLODGETT-GRIFFIN, PHD