Learning, by Design.
Systems-Driven. Human-Focused.

Hi! I’m Sabrina Cervantes Villa—a learning strategist and systems thinker who’s passionate about designing learning that actually works. My journey into L&D didn’t start with curriculum, it started with systems.

With a background in human systems engineering and professional experience across K–12 education, higher education, and workplace learning, I’ve come to see learning as more than content delivery. It’s an ecosystem. It’s behavior change. And at its best, it’s human-centered, data-informed, and impact-driven.

Over the years, I’ve worked at the intersection of learning experience design, research, and innovation—bridging gaps between stakeholders, aligning learning to business strategy, and championing the learner’s voice along the way. My work spans instructional design, UX research, digital learning platforms, and learning program strategy—and I love connecting all the dots.

Whether I’m optimizing a workplace learning journey, shaping a scalable K–12 initiative, or reimagining digital learning in higher ed, I bring the same focus: strategic, learner-first solutions grounded in systems thinking.

My approach

My approach is simple in theory, but powerful in practice: solve for the system, not just the symptom.

I approach learning challenges with the mindset of an engineer and the heart of a designer. I analyze the larger environment, uncover friction points, and deliver targeted, sustainable learning solutions that map to clear outcomes. My work is always:

  1. Solutions-Focused: Every program I design is aimed at solving a real-world problem—not just filling a seat.

  2. Data-Driven: I leverage my formal research training to interpret data meaningfully and design for measurable success.

  3. Human-Centered: The learner’s voice, context, and experience are at the core of everything I build.

  4. Pattern-Aware: My cross-sector experience allows me to identify repeating challenges and apply proven strategies in new, creative ways.

At the end of the day, learning should move people, and organizations, forward. My goal is to make that happen, thoughtfully and effectively.

Career Highlights

  1. Learning Thirty Under Thirty (2025) – The Learning Guild

  2. Excellence in Data-Driven Learning Programs (2025) – OpenSesame

  3. Co-led an LMS migration of more than 200,000 records, 1,000+ assets, and 1,800 courses, spearheading the custom user interface design and helping to define the organization’s internal learning brand

  4. Presentation of work at the 2021 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting & the 2024 Docebo Inspire conference

Education

Arizona State University

  • M.S., Human Systems Engineering, Accelerated (2022)

  • B.S., Human Systems Engineering (2021)

  • Summa Cum Laude graduate

  • Recipient of the Moeur Award for academic excellence

Certifications:

  • Docebo Pro Administrator – Docebo

  • HTML/CSS – Meta

Outside of work

Art and music are where I reconnect with my favorite part of work: the process.

I’m an avid painter, ceramic sculptor, and lifelong musician, playing violin, guitar, and piano. These creative practices constantly remind me that growth happens through iteration. Whether I’m smoothing a curve on a clay sculpture or mastering a new painting method, I’m engaging in a process that mirrors how I approach learning design—one thoughtful, responsive step at a time.

Both art and strategy are about listening, adapting, and letting each phase teach you something new. This mindset grounds my work and keeps me inspired.

Learn more about my expertise across various educational environments

    • Valid Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance

    • Experience with STEAM lesson plan creation and implementation for K-4th graders as an Instructor with Building Our Leaders Through Science (BOLTS)

    • Acted as virtual event producer for free K-12 lessons streamed by Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College during the COVID pandemic

    • Mentored 20 high school girls interested in STEM careers via Arizona State's CompuGirls program

    • Completed a Service-Learning internship with Phoenix's Be A Leader Foundation - helping prospective first-gen students apply to college

    • Designed and produced the current training materials for the judges and coaches of the Arizona Academic Decathlon

    • Led the IgnitED Labs staff at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers Colege, supporting teachers-in-training by upskilling them in emerging educational technology

    • Conducted research across Arizona State to better understand higher education students' learning preferences and struggles during the COVID-19 pademic.

    • Completed a learning strategy analysis for the University of Texas' Emotive Virtual Patient system platform - a training platform for medical students to upskill in empathy and bedside manner

    • Conducted UX research on the Smithsonian's WaterSim platform - a gamified approach to teaching Arizonans about their water

    • Admin experience (technical support, course creation, etc.) with various learning management systems, incuding Docebo and eloomi

    • Highly experienced in collaborating cross-functionally and cross-culturally with LXD professionals to create tailored, mulit-language learning experiences

    • Led the human-centered design strategy during an LMS migration, resulting in personalized LMS navigation for all employees

    • Introduced internal professional development certificates to an international organization of over 23,000 employees

Get in touch.

I’m always looking for opportunities to collaborate!