I was born in Wichita, Kansas, but being a "military brat," have lived in many places, among them Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and most recently Orlando, Florida. I attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, after transferring from a small college in Vermont, where I had done my most of my English work, and received my B.A. I was invited to stay on at UTK and completed my M.A. and Ph. D. degrees. I have been at DSC since 1998.

I am an avid reader and sometimes have as many as three books going at one time. I love to write, craft, draw, sew, collect and make Native American decorations (being part Native American myself)--that is, of course, when I am not teaching, grading papers, writing reports, serving on committees, or holding office hours.

Dr. Nellie Deutsch is an experienced educator and researcher specializing in AI-enhanced learning, online education, and immersive technologies. She designs and facilitates free professional development courses for teachers worldwide, focusing on Moodle, AI integration, and virtual learning environments. As founder of Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (IT4ALL), she empowers educators through hands-on practice, global collaboration, and innovative pedagogy. With over 172,000 YouTube subscribers, Dr. Deutsch shares tutorials, webinars, and conferences that promote lifelong learning and teacher growth. Her work bridges education, technology, and community, inspiring educators to innovate and teach effectively online.