Passion to Teach

As an extrovert in education, I thrive on the energy and connection that comes from working with the students. Their growth has always been my greatest inspiration and has driven me to continually evolve as an educator.

As I transition from the classroom into curriculum development, I’m excited to bring my passion for people and learning into the creation of courses that make a real impact—for both employees and clients. With a proven ability to meet provincial outcomes and a track record of graduating over 500 students during my time at Algonquin College, I’m eager to contribute to a team where I can continue learning while helping the organization meet its goals with creativity and care.

Professional Experience

• 2019-2025
  Algonquin College
  Full-time Professor and Academic Advisor

• 2018-2019
  Algonquin College
  Part-time Professor - Photography Program

• 2017- 2018
  Algonquin College
  Part-time Professor - Interactive Media Design

• 2015 - Present
  Just Joy Imaging
  Photographer & Founder - Photography Business

• 2015-2017
  Algonquin College
  Production Assistant - Photography Program

• 2014-2015
  Algonquin College
  Equipment Monitor - Photography Program

• 2010-2014
  McDonald’s
  Swing Manager

Educational Experience

• 2022-2024
  University of Ottawa
  Masters of Education, Concentration in Learning & Teaching

• 2015-2017
  University of Hertfordshire
  Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Photography

• 2013-2015
  Algonquin College
  Diploma (Hons) - Photography

Proficiencies

With a growth mindset, I’ve developed a strong foundation in a wide range of technologies and software tools.
I am continually learning and expanding my skill set to stay current with industry trends. Below is a list of areas where I hold expert and intermediate-level experience:

• Adobe Creative Suites (Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, etc)

• Microsoft Office

• Google Workspace

• LMS (advanced Bright space & learning Articulate 360)

• Social Media (including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube)

Skills beyond the Classroom

Team Player

• Teaching has been one of the greatest environments for strengthening my skills as a team player. It requires constant collaboration—not just with students as I support and advocate for their success, but also with colleagues to ensure consistency and alignment across the program. It goes far beyond delivering lectures; it’s about walking alongside learners to help them meet outcomes, while working with my faculty team to design courses that complement each other and create a well-rounded, engaging educational experience.

Curriculum Development

• With the rapid evolution of photography technology and industry standards, I’ve prioritized ongoing curriculum development to keep course content relevant and forward-facing. Over the past two years, I independently designed and implemented a new course aligned with provincial outcomes, incorporating updated tools, techniques, and industry practices. This curriculum redesign resulted in strong student engagement and timely completion of deliverables, reflecting the effectiveness of a well-structured and current learning experience.

Event planning

• 52nd Photography Exhibition - Oversaw the different stages of the event planning to execution. Including booking the venue, arranging catering, coordinating faculty and student teams, and helping curating the presentation of each student's work. Actively engaged students in the planning process, fostering collaboration and ownership. The event welcomed over 200 attendees, including industry professionals, family members, and friends, and featured an award ceremony to recognize student achievements.

• Big Give 2024-2025 - Co-coordinated our church’s involvement in city-wide community event called Big Give focused on giving back, held annually. Responsibilities included organizing volunteers into effective teams, managing supplies and logistics, and ensuring inclusive participation from all involved. Helped create a fun, welcoming environment that resulted in over 200 people being positively impacted each year.

Additional Training

• Assessment, Evaluation & Indigenous Ways of Knowing
  Algonquin College Professional Development - Issued 2025

• Curriculum Development and Renewal Series
  Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology - Issued Jun 2022

• Information Security Awareness and Training
  Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology - Issued 2021

• E-learning Essentials: Instructional Design
  LinkedIn - Issued May 2020

• Mental Health On Campus: Recognize, Respond, Refer
  Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology - Issued 2019

• OSHSA Online Course
  Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology - Issued 2019

• SafeTalk
  Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology - Issued 2019

• Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence Policy
  Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology - Issued 2019

Student Experience with Joy in the classroom

• Joy explains the "why" of what we are learning about.

• Joy was very effective on teaching the lesson plan to everyone of all difficulty levels.

• Joy's enthusiasm every class is truly inspiring. She walks in the room and the energy level goes up. When the class is stressful, it's because of the rush for resources in a crowded classroom/print lab, but Joy is very grounded and grounding.

•  Joy is really engaging in her work making it really interactive and also provides live feedback in what we can improve

• The professors enthusiasm for this course and teaching it very engaging. Joy makes it fun to learn.

• JOY! JOY is always joyful and cheerful. She is positive, energetic, and most importantly, she really cares about her students.

• Professor Joy’s enthusiasm is the best engaging part of this course.

• The teacher was always in a good mood and always kept a positive attitude through students who were stressed about their work. This was the only class I made friends in. The environment is very welcoming.

• The teachers willingness to help. I think that all the feedback from Joy really helped me get through this course.