Rate My Professor Jeff Ormandy

Jeff Ormandy has served as eConferencing Team Leader - Operations at the University of Otago's IT Support Services in Dunedin. In this role, he leads the eConferencing team, overseeing videoconferencing technologies, infrastructure, and technical support for staff and students across the university campuses. His work has been pivotal in expanding the institution's digital communication capabilities, including the adoption and management of Zoom and other platforms.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Zoom usage at Otago surged dramatically under Ormandy's leadership, with active users increasing from 7,000 to over 15,000 and monthly usage hours rising from more than 11,600 in March 2019 to nearly 65,000. He swiftly established remote operations from a home setup equipped with multiple PCs, monitors, microphones, and speakers, maintaining service continuity with minimal disruption. Ormandy commended Zoom's reliability amid global demand and expressed gratitude for users' patience and rapid adaptation. In 2019, he and Senior eConferencing Technician Gemma Geddes received the Zoomtopia Innovation Award in San Jose for pioneering Zoom classes delivered aboard the JOIDES Resolution research vessel, showcasing real-world applications that benefited students. Ormandy has earned several honors, including the 2020 University of Otago Appreciation Award alongside team members Jon Bracey, Gemma Geddes, and Inge Walgern for timely pandemic support, and the 2025 Disability Information and Support Appreciation Award as ex eConferencing Team Leader for outstanding technical assistance to staff and students. He also co-authored the 2020 paper 'An objective methodology capturing online commodity marketing and engagement with children and youth on Facebook' in Health Promotion International, affiliated with the Department of Public Health's Health Promotion & Policy Research Unit. His contributions have facilitated online events such as science communication seminars and external Zoom hosting.