Hello, I'm Nathan
Ormsby

Equity-Focused Educator Faculty Development Leader AI Innovation Advocate Student Success Champion

I solve complex challenges at the intersection of higher education and technology; my leadership spans the classroom, the department, and the district.

View My Work
Professional headshot of Nathan Ormsby

Who I Am

Educator. I lead with a teacher's eye for people and an operator's discipline for process. As an operator, I've managed budgets and coordinated programs across student services, faculty development, and union collaboration for Seattle Colleges. As a teacher, I focus on creating environments where people can thrive. I put this into practice by mentoring our Phi Theta Kappa honor society chapter, guiding them to win multiple national and regional awards.

Experience Designer. Student-centered by design, I treat learners as users and design with intention. I research, map journeys, prototype, and iterate until paths are clear. The result is accessible programs and intuitive online spaces that reduce friction and help students connect, persist, and succeed.

Lifelong Learner. Northwestern Connecticut Community College taught me the craft of learning. UConn grounded me in psychology. The University of Washington trained me to create systems around people through human-centered design. Today I continue the cycle by studying generative AI and testing what it can do for teaching, work, and design.

1,000+

Faculty Members Supported

$500K+

Administered in Annual Funds

★★★★★

PTK Chapter Recognition

How I Approach Education

I see college as an ecosystem, not a set of silos. To serve students well, you have to understand how decisions in one area ripple across the whole. My path through student services, administration, faculty, and union roles was intentional. It gave me the vantage point to build bridges, remove barriers, and design solutions that make the campus more coherent, effective, and centered on student success.

My Work

Neurodiversity Cultural Responsiveness Workshop Series

Identified a gap in professional development after working with a neurodivergent student. Partnered with nationally recognized expert Sara Sanders Gardner to build a workshop series pairing research with practical strategies. Coordinated all logistics including ASL interpreters, live captioning, and asynchronous Canvas courses to ensure faculty accessibility and engagement.

Expert Partnership Universal Design District-Wide Impact

Crafting the Learner's Journey

Designed intuitive Canvas course experiences that guide faculty through professional development workshops. Created custom-branded course shells with clear navigation, accessible design, and learner-centered content organization that respects faculty autonomy while providing clear pathways for exploration.

UX Design Canvas Development Learner-Centered

AI Innovation & Curriculum Design

My approach to AI in education is pragmatic: AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot. I guide faculty from apprehension to adoption, teaching them to adapt assignments and embrace transparency. In my "Graphics for the Web" course, students use AI with prompt transparency, focusing on the language skills that differentiate effective users.

AI Co-pilot Philosophy Faculty Development Prompt Transparency

Beyond the Classroom