My Path: Iliana Sanchez

Which Keypath core value resonates with you most? 

The Keypath value that resonates with me is the importance of being a lifelong learner. When I reflect upon my career progression, I think about my past, education, and love of learning. When I was younger, I remember the study groups, the long nights, and the joy of being a student. Those formative years have made me who I am today—a lifelong learner.

My road to success has been diverse and unique as I was raised by parents who immigrated to America. They instilled in me the value of education and provided access to proper schooling to have a better future than they had. My parents immigrated to pursue the “American Dream.” 

My mother emigrated from Guatemala and my father from Colombia. Both left everything behind for a chance at a better life. Little did they know they would meet, start a family, and call this new and foreign country home. 

How has your path helped you develop at Keypath? 

I have embraced my cultural background as it has helped me grow as a person, become a collaborative colleague, and has allowed me to see diversity as an asset. Looking back at my childhood, I am thankful for the values taught to me. My parents instilled these strong values, which stemmed from their diverse backgrounds. 

When my parents were growing up, food was scarce, education was not readily available, and adversity was all too common. Typecasting is an unpleasant experience. There were times I felt I was a foreigner, even as an American citizen. 

At school in America, I felt as if I was not “American enough.” When I traveled to Guatemala or Colombia, I was “too American.” I was looking for the Goldilocks effect—being American while embracing my ethnic culture and feeling like I could be both.

With time, I learned to appreciate and love what makes me different as a strong, independent, and well-educated woman who thrives in an educational setting. My parents were both educated at the college level, and I knew I wanted the same for myself. I attended college in Chicago in a blended model to accommodate my lifestyle of balancing work and family. 

I went to college intending to become an Occupational Therapist. My aspirations changed when I discovered the Human Resource Development program my college offered. It was in this program that I learned how to teach adult learners utilizing best practices and theories. My goal was always to help people, and I found fulfillment in this career path. 

What aspirations did you have when you joined Keypath? 

In my previous role, I was a Training and Development Coordinator. I was the sole trainer, and my primary responsibility was to ensure all employees (300) received the training required by the organization and regulatory bodies. 

Based on the diverse population, I also had to create and facilitate instruction in English and Spanish, which provided a fantastic opportunity. That opportunity allowed me to apply the skills I learned in school, teach adults using hands-on practices, and learned how to administer a learning management system. It was a rewarding experience and one that I will always be grateful for. 

When I applied to Keypath, I was in pursuit of further developing my instructional design skills. I wanted to advance these skills to help create an online learning environment for students where they are fully engaged in their courses.  

How has Keypath helped your career progression? 

Here at Keypath, I am an Associate Instructional Designer. My focus is to collaborate within the department and partner university faculty to create engaging and accessible, high-quality content. I work on cross-cultural teams that span between Chicago, Toronto, London, and Melbourne. While working on these global teams, we embrace our diverse backgrounds to develop online educational programs for leading universities worldwide.  

These universities offer a wide variety of programs and are geared towards student interest. I find that my background, education, and diversity has allowed me to progress in a global setting and help students and families expand on their journeys while embracing their passions. 

What aspect does Keypath strive for that brings you joy every day? 

Everyone always remembers their favorite teacher. At Keypath, we strive to create courses with our partners that are one of a kind and keep students eager to learn more. To be successful online students, they need to be disciplined, self-motivated, and determined. 

My role in Keypath's success is to always keep the student in mind when developing online courses. These students are what continually keeps me on my toes and fuels my passion for creating engaging content for online courses. 

During these unprecedented times, online learning is more important than ever before. In the months to come, one thing is for sure—Keypath will continue to transform the world of higher education.