Derek Story

Derek Story has a diverse work experience spanning various roles and industries. Derek started their career as a Promotions Coordinator & Announcer at WWCT Radio, where they served as an on-air announcer, news director, morning show producer, and promotions coordinator. After that, they worked as a Professional Recruiter at TEKsystems, where they recruited technical and project management professionals and built training programs for recruiters. Derek then transitioned to Illinois Central College as a Course Instructor, teaching an introduction to communication course.

Derek's longest tenure was at Illinois State University, where they held multiple positions. Derek started as the Assistant Director of Academic Administrative Services, leading class/comp review, employee relations, and recruitment functions. Derek later became the Associate Director of Human Resources, supervising and coordinating activities for the PeopleSoft and PeopleAdmin teams. Derek then took on the role of Director of HR Systems, leading a functional HRIS team and coordinating onboarding for new employees. In their most recent position at ISU, Derek served as the Director of HR Systems, Training, and Communication. Derek led a functional HRIS team and collaborated with campus leaders to review and update university policies and practices.

Throughout their career, Derek has also been involved in teaching and training. Derek taught concepts in message design, persuasion, cultural communication, perception, and public speaking as a Lecturer at Illinois State University. Derek also designed and developed training programs for online human resources functions.

Additionally, Derek has a strong background in technology, data analysis, and software implementation, as evidenced by their roles in HR systems and their involvement in various technology efforts at ISU.

In 2021, Derek returned to Illinois Central College as a Course Instructor, furthering their passion for teaching.

Derek Story obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services from Illinois State University in 1999. Derek then pursued a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Communication from the same institution, completing it in 2009. Additionally, in 1991-1992, they attended Northeast Missouri and focused on Communication and Media Studies, although they did not complete a degree during that time.