Dr. Connie M. Forde is a full professor and head of the Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development at Mississippi State University, where she leads undergraduate programs in information technology services, business technology teacher education, and industrial technology, as well as graduate programs in instructional technology. Dr. Forde also continues to advise doctoral students on their dissertation research. Prior to her tenure at Mississippi State University, she was a business teacher at both the community college and secondary levels. She earned her B.S.

and M.Ed. degrees in business education from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Mississippi. Dr. Forde serves as coauthor of the COLLEGE KEYBOARDING series and a variety of word processing and integrated applications textbooks and simulations. She is a recognized contributor to the professional literature and a speaker at state, regional, and national conferences.

Additionally, she has served as president of the National Business Education Association, Southern Business Education Association, and National Council of Pi Omega Pi, and chair of the Foundation for the Future of Business Education.