Experience

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  The Vistria Group

  • Chicago, Illinois, United States

  • Operating Partner

    • 2023 - Present
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States

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  ESS

  • Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

  • Board Member

    • Oct 2023 - Present
    • Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

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  Really Great Reading

  • Board Member

    • Aug 2023 - Present

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  Cognita Schools

  • London, England, United Kingdom

  • Non Executive Board Member

    • Apr 2021 - Present
    • London, England, United Kingdom

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  STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning, Inc.

  • United States
  • E-Learning Providers
  • 300 - 400 Employee

  • Board Member

    • Mar 2021 - Apr 2023

  • President and CEO

    • Nov 2013 - Mar 2021

    At Accelerate Learning we understand that student success does not happenwithout great teachers. And teachers need support. Everything we do we starts bylooking through the teachers’ lens and asking, “what makes sense for the scienceclassroom of today, and tomorrow?”Accelerate Learning, in conjunction with Rice University, has created the mostwidely used PreK-12 science curriculum in Texas, STEMscopesTM — and it’snow available nationally. It’s the teachers favorite science program and nowserves more than 4.5M students.Affordable for schools, engaging for students, and easy to use for teachers,STEMscopes drives student achievement by supplying teachers withsoup to nuts (or atoms to mass) core content and supplemental activitiesdelivered in customizable ways that can be adapted to unique teachingand learning styles.

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  Swing Education

  • San Mateo, California, United States

  • Board Member

    • Jul 2019 - Apr 2023
    • San Mateo, California, United States

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  New England College of Business

  • Boston, Massachusetts, United States

  • Board Member

    • Oct 2012 - Jan 2020
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States

    Board Member of New England College of Business and Finance (NECB) which is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and is also licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. NECB offers relevant, affordable and high-quality online degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. NECB was founded in 1909.

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  Voyager Learning

  • Dallas, Texas

  • President

    • Dec 2011 - Mar 2013
    • Dallas, Texas

    Led turnaround effort to restore revenue growth, profitability, and market share. Reduced spending by over $20M in twelve months and made major improvements in sales, marketing, customer service and new product development resulting in business stabilization and new growth in sales which exceeded budget expectations two quarters in a row for the first time since 2010. Responsible for launching two new businesses including School Turnaround/Improvement Services, and Class.com/Lincoln National Academy a fully online high school.

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  Cambium Learning Group

  • Board Member

    • Dec 2011 - Mar 2013

    Cambium Learning® Group is the leading educational company focused primarily on serving the needs of at-risk and special student populations. The publicly traded company is comprised of three business units: Voyager Learning provides intervention solutions, professional development as well as school turnaround offerings and includes Lincoln National Academy, Class.com, and Voyager Education Services; Sopris Learning is known for supplemental solutions including assessment, supplemental intervention, positive behavior supports and professional development; and Cambium Learning Technologies develops instructional and assistive technology and represents IntelliTools®, Kurzweil Educational Systems®, Learning A–Z, and ExploreLearning. Believing that all students can achieve, Cambium Learning Group is committed to providing evidence-based support and expert professional services to empower educators and increase student achievement.

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  The American College of Education

  • EVP Sales/Strategy

    • Jun 2009 - Nov 2011

    Senior leadership that grew the college from 27 students to over 4,000 students in 49 states and 13 foreign countries. Achieved enrollment and revenue targets while maintaining excellent program quality, outcomes and customer satisfaction.

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  Best Associates

  • Partner

    • Jan 2006 - Nov 2011

    Partner and member of senior leadership team responsible for developing and launching one domestic higher ed services company, one international network of higher education institutions, and two domestic colleges of education and business/finance.

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  Virtual School Network

  • Dallas, Texas

  • CEO

    • Apr 2007 - May 2009
    • Dallas, Texas

    Led the development and go to market strategy for the 9-12 Virtual School Network which provides a real world relevant, job related, digital high school curriculum and assessment system for public and private secondary schools.

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  Voyager Expanded Learning

  • Dallas/Fort Worth Area

  • CEO (and other roles including SVP Sales)

    • Apr 1996 - Jan 2006
    • Dallas/Fort Worth Area

    One of founding team members and first CEO of a fast growth Literacy and Math intervention company. The company grew to over $100M in sales, serving more than 4M children nationwide. The company sold in 2006 and I moved with founder as Partner in Best Associates Merchant Banking firm responsible for a number of successful higher education companies.

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  Richardson Independent School District

  • Richardson, Texas

  • Superintendent

    • Apr 1994 - Apr 1996
    • Richardson, Texas

    Led one of the nations leading Urban-Suburban school districts of 45,000+ very diverse PreK-12 students in the Dallas metro region. Created schools of choice to improve parent options, made programmatic improvements in services provided to special needs students, and put into place a system to measure academic performance of all schools for greater transparency and accountability.

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  Rochester Public Schools ISD #535

  • Rochester, MN

  • Superintendent

    • Aug 1987 - Mar 1994
    • Rochester, MN

    Nationally recognized urban district of 15,000+ diverse students that demonstrated strong student performance in all subgroups.

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  Indianapolis Public Schools

  • Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Deputy Superintendent

    • Aug 1984 - Aug 1987
    • Indianapolis, Indiana

    As member of senior leadership team, I led the 110,000 diverse student district in areas of Special Education, Guidance, Ancillary Services, Curriculum, Testing, and other support services to the general education classroom.