Smizer Consulting

Providing Education and EdTech consulting and support services across marketing, operations, branding, culture improvement, curriculum planning and development, and user experience.

Owner

ProSolve

Product & Curriculum Manager

NextWave STEM

First Executive level hire
Managed 21 individual contributors (whole company)
Created crisis management strategies, long-term fiscal health and growth plans, and product development roadmaps including staffing and content development timelines
Owned client relationships for 175 accounts, including equipment procurement, professional development, curriculum access, customer success and support, and renewals
Identified and mitigated business-critical risks including instituting mandatory background checks for individuals providing in-classroom service, payroll risk management, cost risk analysis for services and hardware solutions, and legal issues raised by staff
Managed CRM process improvements, best practices documentation, and scaling efforts reducing procurement and service errors by 85%
Aligned RFP/Q market penetration strategy, BDR outreach cadence, lead list generation, and marketing efforts resulting in 4x more marketing mailers scheduled, an open rate increase from 11% to 18%, and an estimated 150% more M/SQLs
Responsible for filling 14 open roles across Operations & Sales

Director of Operations

NeuroMaker STEM

Leadership and People Operations
- recruited, vetted, and interviewed 40+ Contractors, part-, &  full-time employees; then played a critical role in the hiring process of 15+ Contractors, part-time, & full-time employees. My full-time hire has since been promoted to an Associate Director.
- supported 1099ers and sales representatives with marketing materials, onboarding, sales, and communication support
- responsible for process improvement across several departments

Product Management
     NeuroMaker e-Learning
- supported and now own the development of NeuroMaker’s e-learning platform & e-learning courses, including the recruitment and management of SMEs
- developed and priced the multi-path option resulting in greater sales outcomes 

Project Management
     NeuroMaker Website
- maintain and update website
- reported weekly on Google Analytics key metrics, including lead generation, user acquisition, user behavior
     Data Pilot Program
- determine 20+ critical data categories and demographic identifiers surrounding the impact of NeuroMaker curriculum and hardware-specific outcomes to support districts in meeting attendance and behavior concerns 

Business Development
     Partnerships
- independently initiated and secured a partnership with a leading U.S. 3D printing company, ensuring that our districts have a trusted vendor through which to purchase makerspace equipment
- reviewed all other partnerships that impact any department under my purview, particularly curriculum, hardware, software, and content.
     Customer Success
- owned the development and start-up of the Customer Success department, including the creation of operating procedures, KPI development, Salesforce (CRM) integrations, and customer monitoring cycles
     Sales Enablement
- owned and operated solicitation process beginning in summer of 2022, resulting in 8 completed RFPs, being awarded an RFP through Dallas ISD, as well as moving into final round consideration for a large district in GA

Director of User Experience

Product Development & Management
     HAND Curriculum Rebuild and Arduino Project (Project Management)
- owned and developed a comprehensive curriculum offering (80+ hours of interdisciplinary STEM content), ensuring the project stayed within budget and on time
- reported on the project during weekly cross-functional team stand-ups to establish ongoing needs, risks, and success metrics/KPIs
- collected critical user feedback, ranging from barriers-to-access to quality-of-life features that impacted the rollout of the curriculum, ultimately leading to the development of the Customer Success department

Project Management
     NeuroMaker Website
- crafted 150+ pages using WPBakery and a variety of WP plugins, including Interactive Maps, PDF Embedder, Redirection, etc. while overseeing a web design contractor 
- reported weekly on Google Analytics key metrics, including lead generation, user acquisition, user behavior

Business Development
     Partnerships
- independently initiated and secured a partnership with a leading U.S. 3D printing company, ensuring that our districts have a trusted vendor through which to purchase makerspace equipment
     Sales Enablement
- supported in securing nearly 50% of direct revenue during fiscal year 2022

Social Media
- oversaw graphics creation and created copy for social media across 4 major platforms 3 times a week, resulting in an increase of 210.1% (431) new followers to the LinkedIn business page since assuming responsibility on September 1, 2022 (as of January 31, 2023)

Marketing
- developed 50+ pages of marketing, testimonial, and blog content driving traffic to sales contact and website

Associate Director of Curriculum

Product Development & Management
NeuroMaker HAND Curriculum Revamp
- developed layout for updated HAND curriculum
- crafted supporting documentation for new curriculum release, including standard support documentation, curriculum progressions, Career & Technical Education documentation, crosswalks for integrating NeuroMaker material into core and supplemental STEM/CTE materials, etc.
- managed 5+ Contractors who developed critical standard alignment and curriculum documentation during the initial curriculum build
- created dozens of customized progressions based on individual school/district/organization requirements ensuring that program goals and objectives were met within the program's allotted time frame
NeuroMaker e-Learning
- produced several courses for NeuroMaker's e-learning product and managed 3 SME Contractors who developed courses for the platform

Sales Enablement
- supported sales team members by providing expert advice and support during calls with prospective customers, improving close rates

Implementation Support
- assisted implementation team by providing curriculum and integration support to customers needing aid with applying curriculum or materials into their classroom or program

Curriculum Manager

PowerSchool

managed a portfolio of 30+ enterprise-level districts exceeding 6 million dollars through SalesForce, Gainsight, and Zendesk, with 97% of all accounts engaged with a formal account review 
1.5 times the number of customer references enrolled than departmental average
$140,000 in sales referrals attained in 6 months; 70% of that translating to ARR ($96,000) processed via Netsuite
90.4% of all renewals booked with a PO or signed quote for fiscal year 2021 (higher than dept. average)
Rookie Rockstar recipient (Quarter 3, 2021)

Customer Success Manager

Illuminate Education, Inc.

used data analytics insights to support educators as well as advise senior district leadership regarding best practices for professional development and implementation plans and timelines
consistently achieved over 95% satisfaction rating from training participants
delivered trainings to educators and administrators in groups of between 2 and 250 participants, ultimately training over 1,800 users and supporting 50+ districts
preferred trainer for high-risk, renewal, and migration districts
published expert in Illuminate’s “Increasing Equity & Empowering Change” 
Illuminate Instructor Spotlight recipient - August & September 2020

Interim Lead Trainer

Content Developer and Trainer

Fruitvale School District

Multiple Subject Teacher

TCSD

Burrel Union Elementary School District

Great Harvest Bread Co.

I started out as a front of house customer service representative, helping customers select our hand crafted breads, preparing savory sandwiches, and serving delicious breakfast spreads. After a few months in the front, I was given the opportunity to work behind the scenes as a baker. This transition was a real eye-opener about the real care and time required to make quality breads and pastries. I absolutely loved the people and bread and split my time between working overnights and substituting during the day.

Baker

After 6 action- and service-packed years in the classroom, I left teaching in 2020 looking for a way to more broadly impact the lives of teachers. I got my footing in EdTech first in the contractor arena as a teacher trainer and e-learning developer for two assessment companies. During that period I worked with thousands of teachers and dozens of districts to provide high-quality and customized training and created dozens of hours of original e-learning content that would go on to serve as the backbone of an asynchronous training program. 

In mid-2021, I pivoted to Customer Success for one of the largest EdTech providers and quickly become an award-winning high-performer. I managed a book of business of over $6M while maintaining 97% account engagement with over 90% of all renewals booked with a PO or signed quote for that year. I also demonstrated my ability to play well with others, partnering with my Sales Manager to capture $140K in referrals in 6 months with 70% of that translating into ARR. 

After that, I took a Curriculum Manager position with NeuroMakerSTEM, a small Brain-Computer Interface and Prosthetics-based Edtech Startup looking for someone with the ability to take their curriculum to the next level. I delivered on that promise, kicking off and then visioning and owning the development and revamping of over 80 hours of interdisciplinary STEM curriculum with the support of a team of contractors and an instructional designer that I was responsible for hiring, onboarding, and leading. 

Since serving at NeuroMaker, I have been promoted twice, ultimately to the Director of User Experience where I now own a variety of departments including Curriculum, Social Media, Marketing, E-Learning Content Creation & Curation, Sales Enablement, Training & Development, and Website Design, Development & Maintenance. In addition, I've also created several departments, including Customer Success and Solicitations (RFPs, RFQs). I am also directly responsible for project management within the User Experience division and often serve a long-term strategy and visioning role for other departments because of my deep understanding of the Education and EdTech marketplace. 

Outside of work, I spend my time supporting the Transitioning Teacher community with Portfolio Advice and Services. I've had the pleasure of creating a comprehensive guide to portfolios and have been featured on several podcasts and vlogs as a guest expert in regard to transitioning from the classroom or as a female leader in EdTech.

Claire Smizer

Had a client call this morning. And everything was normal... 

until it wasn't... 

Unbeknownst to me, my oldest
- snuck out of bed
- crept into the basement (where my office is)
- put on a full dance-parade-vibe performance behind me

The pièce de résistance? When she hid around the corner and poked a broom into my office - as if I (or the client) wouldn't make the connection between the levitating broom and the little catburglar we'd seen run across the background several times. 

 10/10 - chaos
 0/10 - stealth
1000/10 - entertainment on a Friday morning

So #WorkFromHome #Parents - how do you handle/keep a straight face when your kid becomes the uninvited star of your meeting? 

Besides installing a laser security system...

🤪 the winner of this week's "That's my kid!" award.

Co-Founder @ BrightMinds AI | EdTech Start-up Builder and Strategist 🌀| Teacher Advocate | Oxford Comma Enthusiast

Today's the day! 🎉

In just a few hours, we'll be diving into The Portfolio Advantage: How to Future-Proof Your Career in the Age of AI. 

If you've been wondering where to start, or if you've felt like your #Resume doesn't tell the full story - this session is for you. 🥰

We'll talk about
✨ how #Portfolios help you connect the dots between your experiences and skills
✨ why proof matters more than polish
✨ and how to build something that reflects who you are and where you’re ready to go next

Whether you’re mid-pivot, exploring options, or just curious - you’re in exactly the right place. 💡

See you soon!

What To Brind to the Masterclass

Would you rather
A. apply to a job via workday
B. play hangman with a kindergartener (who, by the way, hasn't learned to spell... but is also 100% confident that they are a spelling wizard)

Toward the end of round 3 and hearing "Oh wait... " for the 1,000th time... I was starting to feel a little on the fence. 

Totally stole this post idea from Adam Karpiak who brings a healthy dose of humor to my feed. 🙏

Question for the community:


Why does the dog only get zoomies when I'm in a meeting?

The derp in question:

Epsilon

In my new role at Epsilon, I'll be diving deep into understanding and addressing accessibility learning gaps within the organization. Collaborating closely with client leaders and business partners, I will develop strategic learning solutions that align with both business unit objectives and the company's overarching accessibility strategy. 

My day-to-day will involve managing content creation, writing and editing training materials, and organizing training events, ensuring they are accessible and effective. 

It's all about enhancing the learning experience across the company and making a meaningful impact on our organizational culture!

Sr. Digital Solutions Consultant

A11y With Angela

Since October 2022, I have been pivotal in harnessing my expertise in Education, Learning & Development, Sales Enablement, and Digital Accessibility to spearhead transformative changes in global corporations as a Principal Consultant. My role centers on revolutionizing accessibility and inclusion practices worldwide, with a focus on crafting innovative, engaging, and universally accessible training modules. A significant aspect of my responsibility includes re-engineering the onboarding experience, ensuring it aligns with the highest standards of inclusivity and engagement.

In addition, my position entails delivering keynote addresses at major organizational events, where I passionately advocate for the fundamental importance of accessibility and inclusion. My influence extends across an international landscape, having addressed audiences in diverse locales such as the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

Key achievements include:

• Enhanced accessibility compliance by 40% across partnered organizations.
• Successfully revamped onboarding processes, leading to a 30% improvement in new hire engagement.
• Developed and implemented training programs that saw a 25% increase in learner retention and satisfaction.
• Influential keynote speeches that have reached over 10,000 attendees globally, advocating for inclusion and accessibility.

This role encapsulates my commitment to shaping a more inclusive and accessible future, leveraging my depth of knowledge and international experience to make a lasting impact in the corporate world.

Personal Branding & International Speaker

Siteimprove

As a Senior Sales Enablement Specialist, my tenure has been defined by transformative initiatives and strategic leadership in reshaping our sales training landscape. I spearheaded the development of 12 cutting-edge onboarding courses, revolutionizing the onboarding process for sales reps and managers and resulting in a 35% increase in new hire ramp-up speed.

I also created 45 micro-learning courses tailored to each stage of the sales cycle, integrating Ian Koniak's methodologies. This significantly enhanced our sales team's capabilities, contributing to a 20% improvement in sales performance metrics.

My collaborative efforts extended to forging pivotal relationships with the Customer Success and Marketing teams, enhancing post-sale customer outcomes and informing effective marketing strategies. This was complemented by a partnership with the Social Media team, yielding a 25% boost in digital engagement and brand awareness.

In a first for the organization, I became the super user of our Intranet outside the Communications team, streamlining the distribution of sales and training materials.

Overall, my role has been instrumental in driving innovation and efficiency in sales enablement, firmly establishing new benchmarks in training and organizational collaboration.

Sr. Field Enablement Specialist

RemeDEI Consulting LLC

At RemeDEI Consulting LLC, my role was instrumental in developing and implementing scalable organizational strategies for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA), with a focused expertise in accessibility for individuals with invisible disabilities and the Neuro-diverse communities. This experience laid the foundation for my current position as a Principal Consultant.

As the host of RemeDEI: The Podcast, I facilitated weekly discussions on a wide range of DEI topics, offering insights from my experiences as a member of the invisible disability, Deaf, Neurodivergent, and LGBTQ+ communities. This platform not only amplified critical DEIA conversations but also established my reputation as a thought leader in this domain.

I strategically outsourced various media resources and channels to enhance our digital marketing reach, significantly expanding accessibility across multiple platforms through Podcast production, Course Design, and Publishing. This initiative played a crucial role in disseminating DEIA messages to a diverse audience, thereby increasing awareness and understanding of these vital issues.

In advocacy, I was responsible for developing, fundraising, and implementing comprehensive programming that resonated with today’s diversified workforce. These programs were pivotal in fostering an inclusive environment where diversity was celebrated.

Key achievements during my tenure at RemeDEI Consulting LLC include:

• The successful launch and growth of RemeDEI: The Podcast, which reached over 10,000 listeners and fostered a greater understanding of DEIA topics.
• A 30% increase in engagement across digital platforms through targeted and inclusive content design.
Fundraising efforts that generated over $100,000 for DEIA programming, significantly impacting workforce inclusivity.

Podcasting & Social Media Coordinator, DEI Programming

Prince George's County Public Schools

My ability to aggregate data and disseminate the Math & Science learning needs of diverse students, clients, and their families led to becoming an Inclusion Specialist for 38 youth, where I served as the principal project manager for all inclusion and accessibility needs. 

Throughout my tenure, I created innovative, inclusive programming relating to Mathematics, Science, and Health, instructional materials, and organizational structures that met the cultural needs of clients, the surrounding urban community of 142,849 people, and 23 community stakeholders through a dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Through analyzing data and identifying gaps in curriculum, I proactively established a budget, successfully fundraised, and piloted after-school clubs that increased after school programming offerings by 64%, including a Robotics club that motivated students to utilize coding skills and take third place in the Countywide Robotics Competition.

Through building relationships among clients, stakeholders, directors, and C-suite members, I was able to leverage organizational resources to directly impact and address client needs through true servant leadership.

Inclusion Specialist; Department Chair, Learning and Development 

Utilizing Articulate 360 to design, build, and pilot courses, I developed course content that filled programming gaps and broadened the reach of accessible lessons to students within STEM.

Independent Contractor

Boertzel Media LLC

In this brand new position, I diversified children's programming through transformative practices which led to a 32% increase in viewership and engagement.

I further revamped current programming to ensure all children could access the content regardless of ability, enhanced accessibility features in order to make programming more inclusive, and insured that we employed ADA best practices for ease of use in online media.

Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

In this, one of my favorite roles in which I have had the honor to serve, I was offered the opportunity to build and create the foundation for an entirely new STEM program as a dedicated STEM instructor serving minority and underrepresented communities. Success on this program was predicated on a successful end-to-end pipeline process, for which I utilized the ADDIE model.

My first mission in this role was to design, create, write and receive a grant for, and pilot the first inclusive and accessible STEM Makerspace within a brick-and-mortar setting. This enhanced the social experiences of unique learners as they came together for a common goal of creating and building robots, assistive technology, and innovative solutions to real-world problems through Project-Based Learning (PBL), a programming structure that allows for differently-abled and neurodiverse children to succeed as they move through the Engineering Process.

As the primary client-facing Program Representative, I wore many hats as Program Developer, B2B and B2C Sales Representative, and Curriculum Writer. I was able to cultivate relationships with community stakeholders, achieve buy-in from investors and clients alike. Throughout my tenure, I elevated our Community Partnerships from 1 partnership at the onset of Program Development to 25 almost three years later.

STEM Curriculum Specialist; Inclusion & Accessibility Program Specialist

Calvert Education Services

I was instrumental in designing and implementing an Onboarding process for new teachers and client-facing representatives. This process was meticulously crafted to encompass critical aspects such as diversity, equity, implicit bias, LGBTQ+ needs, and gender-diverse practices. To measure its effectiveness, I established success benchmarks at the 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month employment intervals, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach to onboarding.

I also spearheaded the creation of a Curriculum Creation Guidebook, a pioneering resource aimed at infusing inclusivity and accessibility into K-12 curriculum lessons. This guidebook served as a crucial tool for educators, helping them to integrate diverse perspectives and accessibility considerations into their teaching materials.

Recognizing the need for targeted educational improvements, I conducted a thorough analysis by surveying stakeholders and identifying curriculum gaps. This led to the creation of State History courses for 13 states, specifically targeting regions where scores in Social Studies and History assessments were notably low, at 73% or lower in annual yearly performance. These tailored courses played a pivotal role in enhancing student understanding and performance in these critical subjects.

Additionally, I collaborated closely with the Senior Curriculum Product Manager and external partners to ensure that resource workload was balanced across projects. My focus was on maintaining high standards of quality, adhering to project timelines, and ensuring budget compliance. This collaborative effort ensured that all projects were executed efficiently, meeting the high expectations of quality and educational value.

K-12 Curriculum Specialist

Connections Academy

I  established and executed end-to-end instructional design protocols, which were pivotal in the development, creation, and piloting of 19 virtual courses. These courses were specifically designed to cater to the diverse learning needs of adolescents in grades 9-12. This initiative was not just about content creation; it was about building an educational framework that was adaptable, inclusive, and effective in a virtual learning environment, ensuring that the courses were engaging and accessible to a wide range of learners.

Furthermore, I was responsible for the development of a comprehensive and consistent academic program for High School and Adult learners across key disciplines including English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and History. A significant aspect of this program was its focus on highlighting the contributions of ethnically and culturally diverse pioneers in these fields. This approach was instrumental in creating an inclusive curriculum that not only provided educational rigor but also promoted a deeper understanding and appreciation of diversity and its impact in various academic domains. My efforts in this area ensured that the curriculum was not only academically sound but also culturally responsive and relevant to a diverse student body.

Curriculum Development Specialist: Inclusion and Accessibility 

Every individual has their own unique voice, their own story, and a ton of untapped potential. But here’s the thing: not everyone gets the same spotlight or the right tools to truly stand out. And this is where my passion really kicks in.

From the moment I was born, the world tried to put limits on what I could achieve. But I'm here, living proof that challenges can turn into opportunities when you embrace the power of inclusion.

For almost 20 years, I've poured my heart into two main areas:

🔹 From the Top: In the boardrooms and strategy meetings, I've been that voice emphasizing the importance of Learning & Development strategies that truly get what diversity means. And hey, the results speak for themselves: a 63% increase in sales engagement and a 31% bump in brand awareness. Not too shabby, right?

🔹 From the Ground Up: On a personal level, I've been all about lifting up the queer, neurodiverse, and disabled communities. Giving them the tools and confidence to build their personal brands and make some noise. My work here? It's led to things like a 32% revenue jump in accessible content for kids and a whopping 60% average increase in educational assessment scores.

Whether I’m working with big organizations or one-on-one with individuals, my goal remains the same: create spaces where everyone's differences aren't just noticed but are genuinely celebrated.

From launching accessible STEM programs (which, by the way, expanded by 67%) to guiding individuals in sharing their unique stories, I'm all about making inclusion a real, tangible thing.

Interested? Let's chat. Whether you're a company aiming to be more inclusive or an individual wanting to amplify your personal brand, I'm here to help.

taplio

The Battle

Claire Smizer

Dr. Angela Young, CPACC

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taplio

The Battle

Claire Smizer

Dr. Angela Young, CPACC

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Claire Smizer's LinkedIn Performance

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