Shane O'Hara

I was born and raised in a small paper town in New Hampshire and attempted college twice, but was never able to find happiness there.  I enlisted in the US Army in 2000 and shipped off for basic and advanced training.  The Army helped me find myself and taught me to become a better person.  I received extensive satellite, radar and mathematical training while maintaining a top secret clearance with the government.  This training allowed me to travel the world and live for 3 years in North Yorkshire, England (not too far south of Scotland).  It also built a solid information technology foundation.  This real-world knowledge and training prepared me for civilian life where I have continued with my self-taught learning.

I joined the University of Southern Maine in December 2010 as an Online Learning Support Specialist charged with Tier II Blackboard support (in conjunction with the Help Desk) and researching/incubating/implementing new emerging technologies appropriate for online learning.  I was the recipient of the 2012 Emerging Professional Staff Award, which recognizes outstanding promise for continued excellence and achievement with less than five years of professional experience in higher education.  I have grown immensely in my understanding of online and continuing education.  I feel very passionate about providing the best experience for online students and adult learners.

Prior to joining the University of Southern Maine, I was a Blackboard administrator and Instructional Technologist supporting the Online Public Health program at the University of New England.  My work focused on the design and building of online courses using instructor content, as well as supporting Blackboard technical needs at the University. 

I am married to my wonderful wife, Jennifer and together we have 5 children - a his, hers and ours family.  I cannot forget to mention our miniature dachshunds, Otto and Oliver.  In my spare time (ha - do I really have some?), I am a die-hard New England sports fanatic especially for the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox.

I am not sure where I see myself growing from here, but each day continues to bring new experiences and challenges.  There's nothing like a great mystery!