Dwayne Custer, PhD

Dwayne Custer, PhDDwayne Custer, PhDDwayne Custer, PhD

Dwayne Custer, PhD

Dwayne Custer, PhDDwayne Custer, PhDDwayne Custer, PhD
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Senior Learning Experience Designer

Professional Background

I am a seasoned learning and development leader with over two decades of experience designing impactful, scalable, and human-centered learning experiences. My professional journey spans Fortune 100 companies like Amazon, Walmart, Nike, Verizon, and Intel, where I’ve developed leadership programs, transformed onboarding, and elevated employee engagement and performance through strategic, AI-informed instructional design.

Strategic Learning & Experience Design

Design enterprise-level learning ecosystems aligned to business strategy, leadership capability models, and performance outcomes. Apply instructional design and LxD principles (ADDIE, SAM) to create scalable, learner-centered solutions.


Enterprise Transformation & Change Enablement

Lead learning strategy for large-scale transformations, including ERP implementations, digital modernization, and operational change. Translate complex business initiatives into structured, scalable learning programs that drive adoption and readiness.


Leadership Development & Talent Growth

Design and implement leadership development programs that strengthen coaching capability, emotional intelligence, and organizational effectiveness. Proven impact on internal mobility, leadership readiness, and team performance.


Data-Driven Performance Optimization

Utilize analytics, KPIs, and evaluation frameworks (Kirkpatrick, Phillips) to measure learning impact and continuously improve outcomes. Align learning metrics with business performance indicators.


Program & Project Leadership

Manage complex learning initiatives across distributed teams, ensuring alignment, quality, and timely delivery in fast-paced environments.

AI-Enabled Learning Innovation

Leverage AI tools to accelerate content development, enhance personalization, and improve workflow efficiency. Develop training that supports AI adoption while integrating AI into instructional design practices.


Curriculum Architecture & Capability Mapping

Build competency-based learning journeys aligned to leadership frameworks and business capabilities. Map curricula to measurable outcomes using Bloom’s Taxonomy and performance-based design.


Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Influence

Partner with senior leaders, SMEs, and cross-functional teams to assess needs, define strategy, and deliver high-impact solutions across global organizations.


Scalable Learning Solutions & Program Ownership

Lead end-to-end design and delivery of onboarding, functional training, and leadership programs supporting thousands of learners through blended learning strategies.


Digital Learning Ecosystems & Technology Integration

Develop and manage learning ecosystems leveraging LMS platforms, ERP systems, and digital tools. Create multimedia learning assets, job aids, and technical documentation to support performance.

Transformative Educator & Author

Academic Background

At the heart of my work is a belief in the transformative power of learning and storytelling, including the insights gained from autoethnography research that resonate deeply within the LGBTQ+ community. Whether I'm designing a leadership toolkit, developing a digital onboarding experience, or writing a reflective guidebook, I bring together research-based practice, psychology, spirituality, and design thinking to foster authentic connections.

Reflective Writing Research

My doctoral dissertation demonstrates the power of reflective writing for individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, showcasing how autoethnography research can illuminate personal experiences. This work celebrates the transformation and liberation that comes from sharing stories, enabling every queer person to construct their own personal mythology. It was written for every hero and heroine who has faced their metaphorical monsters—traumatic experiences and ordeals—and lived to talk about it. The manuscript invites readers to reflect on their lives, find meaning among disparate events, and discover connection through the art of storytelling and reflective writing. This journey intertwines psychology and spirituality, emphasizing that each step along the path can be a gift of insight, courage, and wisdom.

Odyssey of Heroes: The Transformative Power of Storytelling and Reflective Writing for LGBTQ+ Indivi (pdf)Download

Published Articles

Autoethnography as a Transformative Research Method (pdf)

Download

A Father's Death: The Therapeutic Power of Autoethnography (pdf)

Download

Becoming - Transformative Storytelling for Education’s Future (pdf)

Download

Books

Odyssey of Heroes: How to Rewrite Your Life

Odyssey of Heroes: How to Rewrite Your Life

Odyssey of Heroes: How to Rewrite Your Life

We are all born into stories—some inherited, some imposed, some born of survival. But what if the narrative you've lived isn’t the one you were meant to carry? This book invites you on a journey of self-discovery and healing. 

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The Adventures of Tucker Towel Cat

Odyssey of Heroes: How to Rewrite Your Life

Odyssey of Heroes: How to Rewrite Your Life

Tucker isn’t just any cat—he wears socks, sports a towel like a cape, and loves a good snack. One day, with his tummy rumbling, he sets off for town and meets new friends along the way: Ripley and Pixie!

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