Discovery Education announces key appointments to Senior Management Team

Aug. 15, 2014 - PRLog -- Espresso Education, now Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 or primary and secondary schools, today announced it has made a number of significant appointments to its senior leadership team, in conjunction with Discovery Education’s acquisition of U.K. market leader Espresso Group Limited. Last year, Discovery Education acquired the top provider of primary school digital education content as part of its ongoing effort to speed the transition from static textbooks to dynamic digital content around the world. The following management changes will take effect as the two companies move forward with integration of their high-quality digital resources and professional development services:

·      Susanne Thompson will serve as Head of School Partnerships for Discovery Education in the UK, where she will lead the educational partnerships and marketing teams as they collaborate with educators and administrators across the U.K. to develop customized solutions that support their strategic goals and empower them to make the transition from print to digital. Thompson previously held the positions of Vice President of Western Educational Partnerships and Vice President for Professional Development at Discovery Education. Before joining the company, she worked for the Northwestern Lehigh School District as Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, and Middle School Assistant Principal. Thompson has a B.A. from Muhlenberg College and a Master of Education from Kutztown University.

·      Lewis Bronze MBE will continue serving in the role as Founder and Director of Content, overseeing product development, content and curriculum, as well as software development. A former Editor of Blue Peter, Bronze co-founded the innovative Espresso Primary service in 1997, which grew to become a leader in e-learning, transforming the way students learn through a blend of visual media and interactive resources throughout the U.K. market. This year, Bronze was awarded the BETT award for outstanding achievement in ICT education, and in 2013 the MBE for services to education. He is a graduate of Jesus College, University of Cambridge.

·      Russ Clayton has joined Discovery Education in the newly-created position of Senior Director, Operations & Finance.  In this role, Clayton will oversee all operational, financial and compliance aspects of the business. Clayton was previously Finance Director at Espresso Education. He has also served in Finance Director/CFO positions at Bilbary, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC and Cengage Learning, and in a variety of other senior finance roles at Thomson Learning, Elsevier and Harcourt. Clayton earned his BSc in Mathematics from the University of Warwick.

·      Christine Major has been appointed Director of Professional Development at Discovery Education. With over 12 years experience managing professional development strategy, design and implementation, Major will lead the professional development efforts demonstrating Discovery Education’s firm commitment to supporting educators and engaging students in the digital transformation. A member of the Espresso team since 2001, Major held a variety of positions at the company, including global pedagogy and deployment manager, international professional development manager and assistant producer. Prior to joining Espresso Education in 2001, Major served as a primary teacher and digital leader in inner London. She earned her Bachelor of Education Honours at London Metropolitan University and a Master of Science at Middlesex University, specialising in film and interactive multimedia to support learning.

“This strong team will bring proven leadership skills and a strong track record of excellence to our U.K. business,” said Kelli Campbell, interim managing director at Discovery Education in the U.K. “I look forward to partnering with Susanne, Lewis, Russ and Christine to ensure Discovery Education continues to provide educators with the high quality digital resources and support necessary to create engaging classroom experiences and accelerate student achievement.

For more information about Discovery Education, visit www.discoveryeducation.com.