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Driving Growth Through L&D

Empowering Growth Through Learning Strategy & Innovation

I’m Dr. Yaritza Cruz-Rivera—a Learning & Development strategist passionate about building transformative learning experiences that drive performance and engagement.

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About Me

With over a decade of experience at the intersection of online education and talent development, I help organizations align learning strategies with business goals. My work focuses on strategic L&D planning, skill analysis, instructional design, and the development of impactful onboarding experiences. I ground every initiative in adult learning principles and digital enablement to drive measurable results.

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I’ve designed and led high-impact learning initiatives for diverse organizations—from Fortune 500 companies to regional businesses—in highly regulated industries such as banking and Medicare health insurance. My approach integrates human-centered design, behavioral science, and business metrics to enhance both learner engagement and organizational performance.

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Bilingual in English and Spanish and based in Portland, I hold a doctorate in Distance Education and Instructional Design. My dissertation, “Basic Competencies of Faculty for Publishing Courses in Moodle at a Private University,” explored faculty readiness and perceptions of innovation in digital course delivery—insights that continue to inform my work in online adult education.

Projects Portfolio

A brief showcase of my work across learning strategy and instructional design.

Compliance

Click to access

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Course: Data Management​

Course: Medicare Sales in Compliance

Onboarding 

Click to access

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Welcome: Employee Onboarding Intro

Manual

Click to access

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E-learning Manual 

Colorful Notebooks

Software & Systems

A selection of platforms and tools I work with as part of my instructional design practice.

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Speaking Engagements

I’ve had the opportunity to share insights and foster dialogue around the future of online learning , workforce development, and instructional design. I have spoken at industry events on topics such as:

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Training a Multigenerational Workforce – Puerto Rico Bankers Association

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Panel Judge for Innovation in Education- Microsoft Innovation Forum

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Mobile applications and their role in adult education- Interamerican University

Community Involvement

Throughout my career, I’ve led and contributed to initiatives that expand access to education, technology, and workforce development in underserved communities.

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In partnership with ORPIB, I designed and led the Career Readiness e-Learning Program, a free digital resource that helps individuals reskill and prepare for workforce re-entry. The program features practical, high-impact content tailored to the needs of displaced workers and underrepresented groups.

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I also collaborated with Microsoft Education on projects across the Caribbean and Latin America, supporting efforts to enhance access to technology and drive educational innovation in resource-limited environments.

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These initiatives are small contributions toward creating more equitable access to learning and opportunity through education and technology.

Let's connect to create meaningful learning experience-together
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