Robert W. Vaughn: A Biography
A native of Columbus, Ga., Mr. Vaughn joined Georgia DOT's training office in 1985 after having worked as a newspaper editor and reporter for several daily and weekly news-papers in Georgia and Alabama. He earned his Masters in Technical Communication from Southern Polytechnic State University and attended both Columbus State and Auburn universities.
Mr. Vaughn began his career in the department’s three-man training outfit developing and editing programmed instructional texts, grading tests, and coordinating logistics for training classes. Early on, Vaughn began taking more training responsibilities, managing the yearly the Maintenance Foreman’s academy, establishing the departments first Assistant Area Engineer’s academy, and creating job descriptions for the department’s first GDOT District Training Officers (at the time, district training was a responsibility of EEO officers.)
About the time Vaughn joined the department, the (then) Office of Traffic and Safety had acquired a small VHS video editor and video camera through a Traffic and Safety grant. Vaughn saw early the benefit of video application to training. His first “training” script was bridge-deck pour inspection for construction inspectors. Up to that time, Vaughn’s only exposure with video was a 1981 scholarship he won with a television commercial he wrote “on a whim” as an undergraduate for the American Lung Association. Aired on ABC, the commercial was the first to expose the dangers of second-hand cigarette smoke.
Vaughn began building the department’s Video Production unit on a shoestring, acquiring additional equipment through surplus and procuring resources and production support from other state agencies. Since that time Vaughn has produced hundreds of training and informational videos supporting every office and division in the department.
In addition to numerous state and national awards for his work, Vaughn has twice been recognized by the department’s Transportation Board. One video he produced on Georgia’s wildflowers was shown to three First Ladies, Rosalyn Carter, “Lady Bird” Johnson and Betty Ford, at a South Georgia Garden Club event.
Vaughn’s other early accomplishments included establishing the departments first department-wide computer training program, which was an intense one-on-one employee development effort.
Currently Vaughn is the department’s Instructional Media Program Development Manager. His primary responsibility is developing online learning and self paced instruction. Vaughn believes his experience in media production and training uniquely qualifies him to develop online learning as a viable training and development solution.
Mr. Vaughn has award-winning experience in scriptwriting, print journalism, public relations and technical communication. He has twice served as a judge in the Society of Technical Communication national on-line learning competition. Vaughn has also served two terms on the advisory board of Southern Polytechnic State University Technical Communication programs.
Vaughn’s working mission is “to create dynamic informational media solutions that support Human Resource development, deliver high-quality instructional media products that enhance Training and Development and produce effective instructional and technical communications that improve job performance with exceptional customer-oriented service.”
Vaughn lives in Marietta, Ga. with his wife Janet Sue.