Where Learning Meets Creativity

I believe the best learning experiences start with empathy and curiosity. This space is a reflection of both — a blend of instructional design, creative media, and lessons learned along the way. My goal is to design experiences that don’t just teach, but resonate.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

About Me

Hi, I’m Nicole Sullivan — part underwriter, part creative, and an instructional designer in the making.

Right now, I work in underwriting operations, where I help manage reports, close underwriting requests, and assist on a variety of projects that keep our processes moving smoothly. It’s fast-paced and detail-driven, but what I really enjoy is the teamwork — communicating clearly, solving problems, and making sure the people around me have what they need to succeed. Those same skills are what I’m carrying with me as I move toward instructional design.

I’m currently earning my Master’s in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University, where I’m diving into how people learn and how thoughtful design can make that learning more engaging and effective. Before that, I worked in film, video, and media production, which taught me how powerful a good story can be — something I try to bring into every project I touch.

At my core, I love taking complex ideas and turning them into something clear, useful, and maybe even a little inspiring. That’s the bridge between where I am now and where I’m headed — designing learning that connects.

My Portfolio

My portfolio brings together creative media projects and instructional design plans that reflect how I approach learning as both an art and a process. Each piece highlights a different skill — from analysis and design to storytelling and production — all with the same goal: to make learning experiences that inform, engage, and inspire.

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The Sullivan Table

Dr. Seuss Room

Instructional Design Plan

My Demo Reel

Nicole Sullivan
The Resumé

My career path has been anything but one-dimensional — from underwriting and report management to video production and learning design. This résumé shows how each experience has shaped the way I think, communicate, and create meaningful learning experiences.

Learning & Development

Innovative professional with rich experience leading dynamic projects and executing creative approaches to drive long-term learning and development success. Proven track record of administrating learning management systems (LMS), designing online eLearning courses, and generating top-notch content. Demonstrated expertise in developing successful training programs to achieve continuous improvement and provide meaningful learning experiences. Skilled in recommending effective utilization of instructional design techniques, technologies, and applications. Prudent at directing high-performance teams to ensure on-time project delivery within budgetary constraints. Adept at coordinating with developers in the creation of courses during programs.

Areas of Expertise

Learning & Development Processes
Project Planning & Delivery
Content Creation & Development

Training Needs Analysis
Continuous Improvement
Educational Strategies & Execution

Team Leadership
Relationship Building
Schedule Management

Professional Experience

UWM, Pontiac, MI, 2024-Present

Underwriter II

Evaluate personal loan applications' financial and situational circumstances to determine if they are candidates for loans from Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Work as a closing underwriter, finishing CLUWs in 15 minutes or less for brokers potentially sitting at the closing table. Collaborate on reports that are vital to the success of the sale of loans to Fannie and Freddie

Analyze borrowers’ assets and liabilities for inconsistencies, red flags, and conditions affecting the loan’s debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.
Communicate with brokers; answer any questions they may have during the process, express the need and purpose for missing documentation, empathize with them when a loan may become invalid or ineligible, and explain their options, or congratulate them when their loan is clear to close.
Work as a Closing Underwriter to assist brokers with small last-minute changes to loans closing immediately or within a few days.
Conduct huddles to inform the pod of important topics that need to be addressed and to have some fun, with a fun and friendship question.
Accept a lateral move to reporting, requiring me to work on the following types of reports
- Work Numbers – a report that aligns employment across BOLT and the VVOE’s for the sale of the loan to Fannie and/or Freddie
- Lost Loans – Loans that have somehow been taken out of the queue and either need to find their way back due to an error on our part, or they could be waiting on a broker-facing condition.
- Processor Assist – Determine if documentation has been provided by the Processor Assist team, if it’s not something they do, or if it’s something we’re waiting for the broker on.

SafetyServe LLC, Farmington Hills, MI, 2019 – 2023

Program Development Manager

Act as instructional designer of multiple e-Learning courses. Implement various online training programs for external users by serving as program manager. Engage with cross-functional international and national learning development teams. Collaborate with engineers and use diverse learning management systems (LMSs), while enhancing experience of SCORM, AICC, and xAPI. Direct skillful instructional design teams to achieve defined objectives.

Completed creation of Defensive Driving course in Articulate Rise.
Ensured 100% development lead on Mature Driving project.
Successfully created ELDT Program in PowerPoint, while utilizing Thinkific as LMS.
Developed Defensive Driving course for Mature Drivers in Storyline.
Collaborated with development teams to implement Distracted Driving program.
Led transition of all SafetyServe products from Adobe Flash to HTML.

Specs Howard School of Media Arts, Southfield, MI, 2018 –2019

Instructor

Instructed students to utilize production equipment, such as DSLR cameras, tripods, monitors, audio, and lighting equipment. Educated students about visual storytelling, motion graphics, and digital video production. Provided constructive criticism to students regarding project delivery. Taught students to use Adobe Premiere for editing projects. Trained students to leverage Adobe Photoshop and After Effects for manipulation of photos, creation of designs, and delivery of motion graphic projects.

Used PowerPoint to teach in-person courses to groups of ~24 students.
Coached students on multiple digital media arts topics with 90% passing grades.

GTB, Formerly TEAM Detroit & Blue Hive, Dearborn Heights, MI, 2015 – 2017

Freelance

Served as video editor and motion graphics animator to manipulate/animate Illustrator files for distribution on internet. Developed content for pitch meetings and distribution on internet by using Adobe Premiere. Engaged in audio recording sessions with voiceover talent. Utilized Adobe After Effects to animate Illustrator and Photoshop files into animations.

Created ~50 versions of comparison 2D animated videos, while comparing Ford and automakers' vehicles to competitor’s vehicles.
Completed more than 75 10-second commercials for Ford vehicles.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Communications – Radio, Television, Film Studies

Graduated Cum Laude

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

General Coursework in Computer Graphics Technology

Schoolcraft College, Livonia, MI

General Coursework in Marketing

Southern New Hampshire University, Hooksett, NH

Coursework toward a Master’s in Education with a concentration in Learning Design and Technology

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI & Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Technical Proficiencies