CELEBRATING - International Society for Performance Improvement

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Karen L. Medsker
The Distinguished Service Award is bestowed, by unanimous vote
of the ISPI Board of Directors, upon those who give long-term,
outstanding, and significant contributions toward the betterment of
ISPI. This year ISPI recognizes Karen L. Medsker, PhD.
Karen has more than 30
years of experience in the
field of education, training,
and performance improvement.
After earning her PhD
in Instructional Systems from
Florida State University, she
was an instructional technologist
and course development
manager at AT&T Bell Laboratories.
Later, she was director
of Instructional Development
at Indiana University–Purdue
University at Indianapolis.
Karen is currently professor
emerita at Marymount University,
where she taught instructional
design and performance
improvement for 17 years.
In 1997, she founded
Human Performance Systems,
Inc. (HPSI), of which she is
the president and principal
consultant. HPSI creates custom
training and other performance
improvement tools
and consults on related issues.
Clients include ExxonMobil,
federal government agencies,
and nonprofit organizations
such as Goodwill Industries
editor of the 2006 Handbook
of Human Performance Technology
edited by Jim Pershing.
Karen’s involvement in
ISPI began in 1980, when she
became a charter member
of the New Jersey Chapter.
ences, a member of several
committees, and a participant
in planning sessions for the
Society. With Michael Cassidy,
she served as co-editor of
Performance Improvement
Quarterly from 2002–2009.
“she served as co-editor of Performance
Improvement Quarterly from 2002–2009”
and United Way of America.
Karen’s publications include
two books on instructional
design: The Conditions
of Learning: Training Applications,
co-authored with Robert
M. Gagné in 1995; and Models
and Strategies for Training Design,
co-authored with Kristina
Holdsworth and published
by ISPI in 2001. She is also
a chapter author and section
Later, she was a founder and
first president of the Indianapolis
Chapter. Her move to
Washington, D.C., was driven
partly by the fame of the Potomac
Chapter, where Karen
has been active for more
than 20 years–as president
and in other leading roles.
At the international level,
Karen has been a presenter
at workshops and confer-
As co-editor of PIQ, she
has overseen the review and
publication of hundreds of
research-based manuscripts
and provided an important
foundation for the field of
human performance technology
and its future. With the
service of Karen and others
like her, the future of
our Society appears bright.
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE | 4