Key Highlights
• Led change as a digital nomad for seven years, pioneering innovative practices in e-learning design.
• Developed a ground-breaking role in the film industry as a location agent for academic filming.
• Drove ongoing innovation in e-learning, drawing on years of evolved methodologies.
Natural Change Agent
Being a change agent is not only about how I approach my work; it’s how I think. I instinctively identify when a situation needs improvement and find the pathway to lasting, meaningful change. Below, three experiences highlight how I function as a change agent:
Digital Nomad Lifestyle
In 2015, inspired by my late mother’s final words to me, I chose the life of a digital nomad. She made me promise her I would not have the regret of missed adventures. This shift required careful planning, including two years to gain permission from Emory to teach online and adapt my client work for a fully remote model.
For seven years, being on the road transformed me. Each day offered a new perspective, and the freedom to innovate led me to experiment with instructional design in fresh ways. I developed virtual office hours, created efficient scheduling, and improved engagement with students and clients. Traveling not only deepened my professional skills but broadened my personal understanding of what ‘home’ means. Through hundreds of moving, powerful conversations on this topic with people I met, I found insights that made me the better person my mother had wanted for me.
Film Industry Innovation
When a small Atlanta college accepted a television film shoot on campus, I was asked to manage the project. I embraced this new field, becoming a pioneering location agent for academic film locations, handling around 50 projects over eight years. Here are some key achievements:
• Set industry standards: Negotiated record-breaking per-day fees for college locations on A Season in Purgatory and Scream 2 (NYT ref.), establishing contracts that influenced shoot conditions across the U.S.
• Academic location specialist: Coined the title ‘location agent,’ specializing in academic settings and gaining widespread industry recognition.
• Groundbreaking intern recognition: Secured the first on-screen credits for student interns with Walt Disney Studios, opening career pathways for them.
• Innovative campus marketing: Coordinated Scream 2 ’s East Coast premiere, driving student recruitment with the “Scream Room” campus tour.
Studio Agent Testimonial: “I had the pleasure to work with Mary on the feature film Scream 2. She was selected as the liaison for the college during our filming there. Bringing a full feature film to a college is no small undertaking. Mary made it one of the smoothest experiences I have ever had in my 25 years as a location manager. From the onset, she had a grasp of what it was we would need. Although tongue in cheek for the most part, Scream 2 deals with some touchy subject matter that needed to be conveyed honestly to the administration yet still have them approve our activities. Her political savvy made it possible for us to accomplish all that was needed and more throughout our [six] week stay at the campus. We needed to park 23 trucks as well as having up to 200 background actors on certain days. Parking, holding, feeding all went off without a hitch. Mary stayed cool, calm and collected in the Georgia heat making even the most difficult situations a pleasure. Anyone would be fortunate to have someone with the skills of Mary Zimnik as a part of their organization.” — Timothy Hillman, Location Manager
Educational Transformation in Digital Marketing
My journey as a digital nomad fueled my vision for more innovation in e-learning. In 2015, I proposed testing online courses in digital marketing at Emory. Though hesitant, the university approved my plan, and I began developing methodologies for continuing education that later became essential during the COVID 2020 shift to remote learning. This work culminated in 2023. I renamed this fully online program Digital Marketing: Build and Launch Better Multichannel Campaigns Certificate. This reflected the workflow of how to plan and develop multichannel campaigns. But also how to then run the campaign for an actual client. My approach to designing this online program followed methods I honed over years.
Program highlights
• Student-centric approach: Designed for multi-generational learners, focusing on real-world applications and capstone projects.
• Student-centric approach: Designed for multi-generational learners, focusing on real-world applications and capstone projects.
• Blended/hybrid learning model: Blends live classroom interaction with self-paced work, supported by diverse tools for varied learning styles.
• Philosophical foundations: Teaches the essentials of digital marketing strengthened with philosophical focus of inbound marketing and multichannel strategies.
• Innovative LMS customization: Customized Canvas to enhance user experience, a design now being considered as a university template.
• Dual certification: Provides an Emory certificate along with OMCA™ industry certification, a first, offering students a competitive edge.
Graduate Testimonial: “The Digital Marketing Certification with Mary Zimnik changed my life! Highly recommended! I’m forever grateful, and I use everything you taught us every day — life changing!” — Debra Gibson-Welch, Founder and CEO, Deeg Consulting
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As a natural change agent, I bring a holistic approach to driving transformation in client and educational projects. This role allows me to assess current conditions and craft pathways for lasting and meaningful change. In educational settings, especially, being a change agent is essential; it’s about building environments that empower people to discover how they can most happily and productively contribute to their lives and work.
