Bio

Allison with Grady Wagberry

Dr. Allison Rossett, recently retired after many years as Professor of Educational Technology at San Diego State University, continues to be a consultant in learning and technology. A member of Training magazine’s HRD Hall of Fame, Allison now serves on the Boards of the Elearning Guild and Chief Learning Officer. A few years back she served on ASTD’s international board. Allison was honored when ISPI selected her as a Member-for-Life and when they bestowed the wonderful Thomas Gilbert Award on her. Allison was also honored by ASTD for lifelong contributions to workplace learning and performance. Stunned when ASTD recognized her as a LEGEND, she wondered how that happened. A legend? Legends are old, aren’t they? ASTD recently interviewed Allison about her career.

Allison is the author or co-author of six books, several of them award-winners, and all described here on the site. Allison Rossett works on needs analysis, technology-based learning, and engagement in a world with increasing contributions from technology-based learning and performance support.

A native New Yorker, ping-pong champion in her youth and yo-yo’er in training, Allison keynotes and teaches at conferences and events all over the world. She conducts studies and consults on learning strategy, instructional design and technology, and performance support.

Allison is fortunate because she gets to do things she never expected to do. For example, she, Nancy Lewis and Jay Cross debated in the wonderful, funky, ancient Oxford Union, the place where Mohammad Ali, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Winston Churchill did the very same.

Gwynn

Shayna

Allison is proud that she has a happy relationship that provides a good home to two cats, Shayna and Gwynn. Allison’s mother named Shayna, which in Yiddish means beautiful. Gwynn was named after Tony Gwynn, the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame baseball player.

Allison likes to dress up, her version of dressing up, which is probably not what her mother had in mind when she managed those matters. Allison is living her work, now using the Nike FuelBand for performance support for her fitness program, and is committed to the treadmill, cross trainer, and mountain trails. Allison still works a lot, and is slowly, slowly moving towards something that resembles work-life balance.