Talent Development
PRnewswire | July 27, 2023
StraighterLine, a creator of affordable, flexible and career-aligned postsecondary courses and credentials that serves over 150,000 learners per year, announced today the appointment of Allison Lesser as vice president of digital marketing. With a track record of successfully leading branding and digital and omni-channel marketing for education, consumer and media brands for more than 20 years, Lesser joins the company after spending more than a decade in branding, digital marketing and user experience leadership roles at education technology companies.
"Allison's extensive experience in education technology and her passion for making education and training more accessible align perfectly with StraighterLine's vision," said Heather Combs, CEO of StraighterLine. "We are thrilled to have her join our team and lead our digital marketing efforts. Her expertise and leadership will drive our mission forward and help us reach even more learners around the world."
In her new role, Lesser will oversee digital marketing strategies and initiatives to support the company's growing platform of courses and new product innovations. She will be responsible for shaping the technical vision and strategy for the StraighterLine platform, driving product innovation and enhancing the overall learning experience for students.
Lesser most recently worked for The Teaching Company, known for its content brands The Great Courses and Wondrium. There, led the acquisition marketing team for Wondrium's video streaming product of nonfiction content and successfully hired, trained and mentored a team of marketers. During the pandemic, her team increased spend by more than 70% in a short time frame while keeping the cost per acquisition within business goals. Her dedication and commitment to delivering strong results in a fast-paced and evolving environment exemplify her leadership skills.
Earlier in her career, Lesser held various leadership roles in the education and digital marketing sectors. She began her journey in education technology in 2011 as the director of product marketing for online education developer K12, where she worked closely with market research and developed positioning for educational products. She also served as the director of digital marketing for Envision, the pioneering developer of career exploration and leadership development experiences for K-12 students. She began her career working in the global headquarters of AOL, where she spent ten years focused on consumer experience and driving product, marketing and content teams to make decisions based on consumer data.
Aside from her professional achievements, Lesser is actively involved in volunteer work and regularly participates in races that support various causes and sponsors two children from Tanzania through Compassion International, providing them with letters of encouragement. She also volunteers at Potowmack Elementary in Sterling, Virginia, where she works closely with the school liaison and social worker to identify ways to help families in need. A resident of Northern Virginia, Lesser has been happily married to her husband, Chris Lesser, for 20 years and is a proud mother of two teenage children.
About StraighterLine:
StraighterLine is the leading provider of high-quality, affordable, online courses that help learners earn college credit and meet their professional goals. Each year, 150,000 learners take one of StraighterLine's 250+ courses to upskill into new careers or earn credit from over 2,000 colleges and universities worldwide. StraighterLine works with institutions and corporate partners to provide their students and employees with flexible education options that allow them to work and learn at their own pace.
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Online Education
PRnewswire | August 18, 2023
Learning technology company HMH today announced the establishment of the Center for Model Schools. Building on the legacy and work of the International Center for Leadership in Education, the Center for Model Schools provides K-12 school systems with ongoing leadership support through its namesake Model Schools Conference, leadership cohorts and shoulder-to-shoulder consulting.
"Now more than ever, every student must be part of a school community that enables them to thrive in an increasingly complex world," said Dr. Joshua P. Starr, Managing Partner, Center for Model Schools. "I am thrilled to introduce the Center for Model Schools as a place where districts can deepen the skills needed to transform insight into action and create environments where all learners succeed. Every child deserves a Model School, and leaders make that happen."
Leaders can engage with the Center for Model Schools in three key ways:
• Transformational Leadership Network: The Transformational Leadership Network, steered by experts and practitioners, connects leaders who share similar challenges. Year-round cohorts give network members opportunities to learn from and with each other via inter-district cohort sessions facilitated by specialists in improvement science, personalized 1:1 collaboration focused on meeting specific goals and flexible engagement options, including a range of in person, synchronous and asynchronous opportunities.
• Leadership Consulting: Leadership consultants from the Center for Model Schools partner with school and district leaders to bring their visions to life. Partnerships are customized based on the school or district needs and helps leaders enact practical strategies that drive system-wide transformation. Strategies may include development and support for principals, leadership coaching, strategic planning, curriculum alignment, PLC-powered data teams, effective teaching and learning and keynote speakers. The Center for Model Schools' leadership consulting also supports school improvement initiatives via an exclusive partnership between UChicago Impact® and NWEA, a division of HMH. Structured around the 5Essentials® Framework and Survey, which are based on over 30 years of research by the UChicago Consortium on School Research, this approach provides a holistic, evidence-based system that defines, measures and utilizes the most important organizational conditions to improve student outcomes.
• Model Schools Conference: The Model Schools Conference is the nation's largest gathering for rapidly improving K-12 schools and districts. The conference brings over 5,000 educators together for a powerful slate of workshops and sessions focused on making a difference within learning communities. From networking to sharing best practices to inspiring keynotes and panel discussions, the conference experience gives attendees a toolkit to implement meaningful change when they return home.
About HMH
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions, and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students' potential and extend teachers' capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries.
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Continuing Education
Businesswire | August 11, 2023
Research shows that safety in school science labs and classrooms is a national concern. More than half of schools have had an injury or litigation, and more than three-quarters of accidents involve students. Accelerate Learning and Science Safety Inc. have exclusively partnered to increase safety in STEM education programming nationwide.
Accelerate Learning now offers Science Safety products and services to enable districts to improve safety policies and practices, reduce risk, and support ongoing compliance requirements.
“Safety is essential for hands-on learning, and it’s an integral part of Accelerate Learning’s STEM curriculum and professional development programs,” said Kent Donges, chief revenue officer for Accelerate Learning. “Through this partnership, our team now provides districts with comprehensive, preventative safety programs to meet the most current professional standards and regulatory requirements while making their STEM programs safer and more successful for all.”
Science Safety’s scalable, cloud-based mobile apps provide exceptional compliance capabilities for Facilities-based Safety Inspections, Student Safety Acknowledgment Forms, and STEM inventory management. Online Science Safety Training gives administrators, educators, and students access to STEM safety learning Pathways and Modules that are role, grade level, and subject matter specific, and can be customized to meet the local jurisdiction’s compliance requirements. Upon completion, learners receive verifiable micro-credentials and certificates. Professional expert safety services include in-person training and inspections, workshops, safety document services, and safety inspection report validations.
“Appropriately documented safety training is an annual requirement for educators in every district. Yet, many schools lack the proper tools, training, and expertise to mitigate the risks and legal liability of delivering highly engaging science and STEM programs,” said James Palcik, CEO of Science Safety. “Science Safety is excited to join forces with Accelerate Learning to elevate safety awareness and help schools build a culture of continuous safety.”
About Accelerate Learning Inc.
Accelerate Learning provides STEM curriculum and professional development solutions that empower teachers, increase scores, and inspire students to become tomorrow’s STEM leaders. Its STEMscopes, Collaborate Science, and Math Nation curricula and resources are highly adaptable, accessible, and support instruction in any learning environment.
About Science Safety Inc.
Science Safety’s mission is to elevate STEM safety awareness in schools and create a fundamental culture of safety that can mitigate unforeseen risks and liabilities.
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