Brenda C. Ledford currently resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with her family and is a Mentor/Teaching Assistant for Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg's (Germany) Master of Technology Enhanced Learning (MTEL) Program. Brenda graduated from the University of Maryland University College in 2013 with a Master of Science in Management and in 2009 with a Master of Distance Education (MDE) specializing in Teaching and Training. Brenda’s personal commitment to lifelong learning can be seen in her ongoing acquisition of certificates in the distance education and management fields. Graduate certificates reflecting Brenda’s growing interests include: Foundations of Distance Education (2009), Library and Intellectual Property in Distance Education (2009), Policy and Management in Distance Education (2011), Distance Education Leadership and E-Learning (2011), [Business] Leadership and Management (2011), Technology in Distance Education and E-Learning (2013) and Teaching and Training at a Distance (2013). Brenda completed undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland University College in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and a minor in History. Additional higher education includes undergraduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa in Elementary Education and Special Education. Upon graduating from the Master of Distance Education program in 2009, Brenda accepted a graduate teaching assistant appointment within the Master of Distance Education program. This work eventually led to the opportunity to play a lead role in the development and implementation the Master of Distance Education Writing Coach Program (2010-2015). Brenda's work on the MDE Writing Coach Program was recognized in 2012, when she received an individual award in graduate student research and innovation from the ACPA -College Student Educators International- Commission XII. During 2013- 2014 Brenda served as writing coach for the University of Maryland University College’s Doctor of Management DMGT 890 Dissertation Part 1 course. In addition, Brenda was a teaching assistant in the Master of Information Technology program's ITEC 610 Information Technology Foundations course from 2014-2015. She has extensive experience (2010-2017) setting up and managing e-learning classrooms as a graduate teaching assistant and writing coach for over 70 graduate level courses across three University of Maryland University College programs: Master of Distance Education and E-Learning , Master of Science in Information Technology and Doctor of Management. Brenda is passionate about empowering people with success for lifelong learning. Distance education has assisted this endeavor by providing a global reach to assist others in countries such as Canada, Germany, Australia, and Africa to name a few. Brenda’s growing areas of research and interests include distance training, leadership, mentoring, learner support, faculty training at a distance in higher education, distance learning in the community college context, K-12 school choice options that utilize distance education, educational technology tools and their use in distance education, and lifelong learning.

• Ledford, B.C. (2009, April). CTE distance e-learning application: A learner-centered approach (Chapter 32). In V.C.X. Wang (Ed.). Handbook of Research on E-Learning Applications for Career and Technical Education: Technologies for Vocational Training, 408-420, Information Science Reference: Hershe.
• Ledford, B. & Berge, Z.L. (2008, June). A framework for tacit knowledge transfer in a virtual team environment. Journal of Knowledge Management Practice, 9(2). Available for viewing online at: www.tlainc.com/articl158.htm