Challenge

Traditional laboratory training methods—webinars, manuals, and slide-based instruction—weren't consistently translating into real-world procedural performance.

At the same time, immersive technology was beginning to show promise as a new way to build practical skills, but CDC had no precedent, funding model, or internal capability to explore it.

We faced two challenges simultaneously: prove immersive technology could improve performance and build the organizational, technical, and creative foundation needed to make it sustainable.

Proving the Model

I co-led CDC’s first immersive VR training pilot, transforming biosafety cabinet instruction into a fully interactive simulation designed to improve procedural accuracy.

We secured funding, defined the learning hypothesis, and built the capability from the ground up. We recruited specialized talent, established the technical approach, and created a fully interactive lab environment with real-time feedback and retry mechanics.

Pilot results demonstrated increased learner confidence and improved procedural accuracy, validating immersive technology as a viable approach for procedural training.

The pilot secured additional funding, expanded leadership support, and led directly to the formation of a dedicated immersive team.

Building the Team

The capability didn't exist at CDC, which meant the team didn't either. I started with what we had: a talented creative team of animators and 3D modelers who already knew how to build complex environments. The leap to immersive technology was significant, but the foundation was already there. What we didn't have was a programmer.

Hiring into a federal environment for a discipline that barely existed in training contexts yet was its own challenge. Most programmers coming out of game studios were highly specialized — built for one piece of a pipeline, not the whole thing. We needed someone who could own the full process end to end. We found her at Georgia Tech. There was no infrastructure for her to plug into, no precedent, no playbook. We convinced her to come anyway.

We also knew our limits. Building rigorous evaluation wasn't our background — we could put together a basic study, but proving anything to leadership required real formality. So we brought on a dedicated evaluator. That decision turned out to be one of the most important ones we made. It gave the pilot scientific credibility and gave leadership something concrete to act on.

That was the beginning. A couple of years later, what started as a small pilot had grown into a 12-person cross-functional program with sustained funding, organizational backing, and continued expansion.

Establishing the System

As the immersive program scaled beyond pilot, I led the development of a dedicated sub-brand identity system to support its growth and positioning.

As the program gained momentum, it needed to feel like more than an experimental pilot. The identity system established credibility while maintaining alignment with CDC's institutional brand. I developed a flexible identity system spanning logo design, typography, motion language, UI, web, and Meta Quest storefront experiences.

The result was a cohesive identity system that strengthened internal credibility, improved communication consistency, and helped position immersive technology as a strategic capability rather than an isolated pilot.

Impact

Validated training outcomes and a cohesive brand system transformed an experimental pilot into a sustained, enterprise-supported capability.

This work established the foundation for larger-scale initiatives like OneLabVR, enabling continued investment, expansion, and adoption across CDC's global laboratory network.

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