HRD Staff Profiles
HRD staff members are dedicated professionals who provide essential educational experiences to thousands of University employees each year. With extensive knowledge of a wide range of University challenges—including culture, climate, and workplace issues—HRD staff members possess the up-to-date training methods and expertise to effectively partner with University departments to help faculty and staff members meet their goals. We hope that you will get to know them better in the year ahead. They are here to serve you and your department.
Kelly Brewer, B.S.
Cost & Budget Analyst
Kelly oversees the financial processes of HRD. She prepares projections of HRD’s revenue streams and handles the billing for HRD’s consulting services and custom training. She is involved in the curriculum development process by preparing per-course cost analysis and recommending pricing structure for all catalog courses and custom training. She also handles the personnel processes for the unit and oversees the timekeeping function. Kelly has over 17 years of experience in the accounting and tax field in both the public and private sector. She earned her B.S. at Northern Michigan University. Kelly joined the University of Michigan in 1995 and has been working with HRD since 1996.
Email: kabrewer@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 763-3076
Lynn Carruthers, B.A.
Marketing & Communications Lead
Lynn coordinates the marketing efforts, course pricing and promotion, oversees the graphic design for course manuals/materials, Web and online course development, and catalog content preparation for HRD. Prior to working at the University, she gained several years experience in the temporary staffing industry as a staffing manager. She has experience in both the public and private sectors in administrative, sales, management and other leadership roles. Lynn earned her B.A. in philosophy and English at Michigan State University and obtained the Certified Program Planner (CPP) designation from the Learning Resources Network. She joined the University in 1995 and has been working in HRD since 1997.
Email: lcarruth@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 764-3185
Robin Martin
Multimedia Designer
Robin provides graphic design for HRD's print, web, special events and various course training materials. Her areas of expertise include web design, web banners and print promotional materials for HRD's conferences and special events. She also initiates various marketing communications and assists with annual HRD printed catalog. She is the webmaster for HRD. Robin studied art and design at the University of South Carolina and Sessions College for Professional Design. She has a total of 20 combined years experience in graphic, web, and freelance art and design. She also has several years experience in customer service and administrative support in both the public and private sectors. Robin joined the University in 2003 and has been working in HRD since 2004.
Email: robner@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 936-8908
Deborah Orlowski, Ph.D.
Senior Learning Specialist
Deborah’s areas of expertise include: conflict resolution and improving communication and teamwork, especially when impacted by intercultural issues; leadership development of non-managerial staff and personal styles identification. Deborah is certified in the Personal Profile System® (DISC®) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator™ (MBTI®). In addition to her instructional role, she coordinates custom classes and is the lead for special events. Deborah is a graduate of Wayne State University’s Multicultural Experiences in Leadership Development (MELD) program, New Detroit’s Cultural Immersion program, and is a member of the Off-Campus faculty of Central Michigan University. Deborah holds a B.A. in sociology from the University of Michigan; an M.P.A. from Eastern Michigan University and a Ph.D from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Email: orlowski@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 763-4042
Rachael Richmond
Program Coordinator
Rachael has oversight in the execution of logistics for all HRD programs and special events, working with program speakers and instructors, conference sponsors, and facility management in managing their annual schedule, travel, and materials. She assists customers and clients in determining their needs and advises them with regards to curriculum selections. She works as primary contact for MyLINC learning system, creating and maintaining the registration tool for HRD classes and tracking enrollment, and acts as the chief liaison between the department and its internal and external clients. Rachael has been with the University since 2008, and has 20 years of customer service and management experience in the retail industry.
Email: rachrich@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 647-0533
Ron Sober
Learning Specialist
Ron is the curriculum lead for HRD and also provides HRD support to the advancement of the goals of the VOICES of the staff Career Development network team. His areas of expertise are instructional design, learning and e-learning development, facilitation, strategic planning and change management. Ron has expert knowledge of instructional technologies and how to apply those technologies in support of the learning function. His 17 years as a learning professional in the private and public sectors have provided a wealth of experience to draw from allowing him to easily partner with those who are interested in the development of learning strategies.
Email: rasober@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 936-0368
Kristen Storey, M.A.
Director
Kristen provides the overall vision, direction and leadership to align HRD’s services to the U-M community’s professional and career development needs. She has held many roles within HRD over the years, the majority as a training and organizational development consultant prior to taking over leadership of HRD. Kristen’s current area of focus is the integration and delivery of HRD services through formal, traditional learning and informal, collaborative approaches—leveraging technology and social media. Her areas of expertise and consultation are in the areas of instructional design, team development, leadership development and customer service development. Over the years she has worked as a lead instructional design consultant on numerous well-respected U-M learning programs such as the Research Administrators Instructional Network (RAIN), Foundations of Supervision, HR Academy and the Budget and Resource Management Academy. Kristen holds an M.A. in adult instruction and performance technology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and B.S. in education from Western Michigan University.
Email: kstorey@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 763-4764
1009 Greene Street, Ann Arbor MI 48109-1432
Phone: (734) 764-7410 | Fax: (734) 936-2525 | University HR | U-M Gateway
