Discovery Education Sales & Success Kickoff 2025: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

11:00am MST

Classroom 1: Transforming Mindsets: From Task Isolation to Holistic Partnership in Customer Engagement

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Cross-Functional Collaboration

1. Foster a Collaborative Culture: Learn strategies to encourage a shift from task-oriented thinking to a holistic approach that prioritizes teamwork and shared objectives in customer engagement.
2. Enhance Communication Skills: Develop effective communication techniques that promote collaboration and support among team members and partners, leading to stronger relationships.
3. Implement Holistic Support Frameworks: Explore frameworks for providing comprehensive support to customers and partners, ensuring all aspects of their needs are addressed throughout the engagement process.

Host

Micaela Perez-Ferrero

Manager, Teaching & Learning

A former Baltimore County middle school Spanish teacher, Micaela has focused her career on ensuring educational equity for all students. Along with teaching, she has worked in educational non-profits and start-ups; she also volunteers in Baltimore City schools. With Discovery Education... Read More →

Speakers

Katie House

Senior Manager, Education Partnerships

Discovery Education inspires educators to go beyond traditional learning with award-winning digital content and professional development. Learn more today!

Nicky Szczur

Manager, Partner Success

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Eucalyptus

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 2: The Art of Relationship Selling: Connecting Partners to Prospects

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Honeysuckle

Audience: Partnerships

Theme: Cross-Selling and Expanding Relationships

1. Master the Dance of Relationship Selling: Explore the balance of art and science in relationship selling, merging emotional intelligence with data to forge meaningful connections.
2. Craft Your Relationship Toolkit: Discover innovative strategies to build authentic bonds with partners and prospects, transforming interactions into powerful alliances.
3. Unlock the Power of Connection: Leverage the value of linking prospects and partners, navigating the steps to facilitate lasting collaboration and mutual success.

Host

Melissa Hampton

Senior Director, Teaching and Learning

Melissa Hampton is a Director of Teaching and Learning for Discovery Education. Prior to joining Discovery Education, Melissa spent 20 years in public education serving as a junior high and high school teacher, instructional coach, high school administrator, and a K-12 district Director... Read More →

Speakers

Lindsey Hackbarth

Director, Educational Partnerships

Partnering with passionate Ohio educators on equitable learning experiences to engage ALL students through the powerful solutions in the expanded Discovery Education + DreamBox Learning "bookbag" of solutions supporting all core 4 subject areas.

John David Son

Regional Vice President, Sales

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Honeysuckle

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 3: Social Media Magic: Crafting Stronger Partnerships One Post at a Time!

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Acacia

Audience: Partner Success

Theme: Scaling Excellence

1. Participants will learn how to leverage different Social Media Platforms.
2. Participants will learn how to build a network and best practices for how/when to post.
3. Participants will learn about resources to help make social media post standout (sprout social, AI, etc)

Host

Martell King

Senior Global Sales Enablement Manager

Speakers

Christa Robles

Partnerships Manager, Mid-Atlantic

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Acacia

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 4: Keeping Churn in Check: Turning Fall Symptoms into Spring Successes

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Bougainvillea

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Customer Lifecycle

1. Identify early indicators of risk, particularly in the context of the academic year and business cycle
2. Employ collaboration strategies among PM, PSM, and partner contacts to better understand risk factors and support the partner to get back on track

Host

Eileen Cannon

Director, Teaching & Learning

Speakers

Stacey Ridgeway

Director, Partner Success

Parisa Moradi

Regional Vice President, California

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Bougainvillea

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 5: Sell Like Michael Scott: The Art of Needs-Driven Messaging

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Copperwood

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Learn to how dive deep into researching the needs of a potential partner.
2. Develop actionable items to build connections within districts.
3. Bringing a customized approach to the meeting/discussion with and action plan and timeline.
4. How to maintain the relationship throughout the process.
5. Learn best practices for internal collaboration.

Host

Brad Fountain

Senior Director Teaching and Learning

Brad is a passionate educator with over 20 years of educational experience. He began his career teaching in a 3-5 multi-age classroom in rural North Carolina where he utilized some of the earliest educational internet based web resources. He launched one of the first technology based... Read More →

Speakers

Marissa Geyer

Manager, Educational Partnerships

Will be featured as a vendor in our vendor hall.Discovery Education is committed to nurturing the curiosity of every student, every educator, in every classroom. Our engaging, effective, and easy-to-use solutions help every school district accelerate student growth, scale teacher impact, and motivate learning every day. Industry-leading educational content, digital-first curriculum, personalized learning programs, and time-saving instructional tools enhance teaching and learning across core subj... Read More →

Lyndley McNabb

Partnerships Manager

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Copperwood

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 6: Questioning techniques and communication best practices

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Desert Willow

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Scaling Excellence

1. Effective Meeting Preperation: Partnerships will be able to prepare for a meeting with data, details and ojectives by using our tech stack, thier own professional relationships, and the district websites.
2. Fostering Meaningful Engagment: Partnerships will be able to use a questioning framework and best practices to provide a solution for partners based on their needs to build the foundation to become a trusted partner.
3. Creating Intentional Next Steps: Partnerships will be able to establish next steps to progress the sales cycle and drive revenue.

Host

Marisa Flores

Senior Global Sales Enablement Manager

Speakers

Vicky Robl

Vice President, Sales - West

Alissa Parks

Director, Education Partnerships

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Desert Willow

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 7: Positioning Professional Learning to Fit Partner Needs

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Sierra Ballroom 1

Audience: Partner Success

Theme: Scaling Excellence

1. Positioning Value Add or Self Service PD as the Door Opener for PD Cross-Sell
2. Designing a PD Plan to Fit Current District Needs

Host

Erica Cotto Kovacevic

Manager, Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Tracy Hartnett

Senior Manager, Partner Success

Supporting educators with all things Discovery Education and DreamBox Learning

Avital Ornovitz

Director, Partner Success NY

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Sierra Ballroom 1

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 8: From Dust to Dollars: Breaking Through Budget Constraints

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Sierra Ballroom 2

Audience: Partnerships

Theme: Scaling Excellence

1. Explore innovative strategies and practical solutions for overcoming budget constraints to win with new partners and renewals.
2. Discover key levers, many unique to DE/DBL, to showcase our value.
3. Collaborate and scale these success stories throughout teams for 2025 and beyond.

Host

Desiree Sasko Sujoy

Senior Director, Teaching & Learning Team

Speakers

Jill Crider

Senior Manager, National Partnerships Inside Sales

Nick Stutzman

Senior Educational Partnerships Manager

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Sierra Ballroom 2

Classroom

11:00am MST

Classroom 9: The Door is Never Really Closed: Leveraging Collaborative Strategies to Expand Partnerships

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST

Sierra Ballroom 3

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Customer Lifecycle

1. Discover expansion strategies that can be stacked to carve out multiple paths to win within a district.
2. Gain confidence working cross-functionally and thinking outside-the-box when faced with the word "no.”
3. Develop and hone a consultative approach to expansion conversations, centered around active listening and strengthening relationships

Host

Eric Friberg

Manager, Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Ashley Laver

Education Partnerships Manager, North and South Carolina

Kristen Richards

Sr. Manager, Partner Success

Wednesday December 11, 2024 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Sierra Ballroom 3

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 1: What is Discovery’s Promise to the Market?

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Eucalyptus

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Describe the unique position Discovery Education is proud to hold in a competitive K-12 market and how we deliver on it
2.Develop strategies to articulate DE's differentiated value proposition in a simple and easy-to-understand way
3. Share key ways to connect partner experiences, ideas, and pain points to expanded solutions from Discovery Education to ensure partners understand why DE is essential

Host

Eileen Cannon

Director, Teaching & Learning

Speakers

Shayla Rexrode

Director Partner Success Mid-Atlantic/NE

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Eucalyptus

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 2: What’s Next: Effective Cross Selling

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Honeysuckle

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Build off an understanding of the product suite to develop a plan to position them in your next cross- sell discovery conversation.
2. Develop practices to guide and uncover new customer problems that an additional product may solve.
3. Consider the steps to move the client through the sales funnel for adding the additional product, after successfully uncovering a problem – solution match.

Host

Eric Friberg

Manager, Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Jessica Lasher

Manager, Educational Partnerships

Odell Kennedy

Education Partnership Manager, MS

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Honeysuckle

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 3: Unpacking the Entire DE Backpack for Success

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Acacia

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Collect information based on discovery call and research
2. Develop effective agenda for successful meeting based on information collected
3. Determine and organize which services in the DE Backpack meet the needs of the district

Host

Brad Fountain

Senior Director Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Jeannine DePaul

Regional Vice President- Educational Partnerships: Mid Atlantic

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Acacia

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 4: Maximizing Marketing Magic: Spellbinding Strategies for Success

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Bougainvillea

Audience: Partnerships

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Knowledge Spell: Unlock a toolkit of essential marketing "potions"—from tools and templates to strategies—that empower you to craft standout communications, events, and campaigns that perfectly showcase our brand and products.
2. Innovation Spell: Follow a step-by-step guide to wielding the magic of marketing tools and personalized touches to amplify product awareness and captivate every audience.
3. Collaboration Spell: Master the craft of relationship-focused marketing to forge meaningful connections, transforming each interaction into a memorable and magical experience.

Host

Melissa Hampton

Senior Director, Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Paula Taylor

Director of Partner Success - Texas

With 17 years in education, the last five being in EdTech, Paula thrives on inspiring a love for learning in fellow educators. She demonstrates how Discovery Education's high quality, TEKS aligned, ready to use digital resources make engagement in the classroom a breeze.

Shay Dougherty

Senior Specialist, Strategic Marketing

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Bougainvillea

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 5: Impact Unleashed: Amplifying Partnerships through Events, Forums, and Roundtables

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Copperwood

Audience: Partner Success

Theme: Scaling Excellence

1. Leverage Local Opportunities: Learn effective techniques to implement local forums and roundtables that enhance partner involvement and engagement.
2. Cultivate Meaningful Partnerships: Explore methods for fostering deeper relationships with partners through collaborative discussions and shared insights at various gatherings.
3. Create Effective Events: Learn how to create a successful event from start to finish, including setting goals, collaborating with internal and external teams, and using creative outreach strategies to build engagement and relationships.

Host

Micaela Perez-Ferrero

Manager, Teaching & Learning

Speakers

Gregory Anderson

Educational Partnerships Manager - Channel / NY BOCES K12 - K12 - National Sales

Kendall Howard

Senior Manager, Event Marketing

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Copperwood

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 6: The Four A’s of DAAAAta: Access, Analyze, Act and Assess- Using Partner Health KPIs to Develop Strategy and Drive Action

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Desert Willow

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Using Data to Support Partnerships

1. Understand the difference between leading and lagging indicators.
2. Efficiently access raw or “here’s what” KPI data.
3. Effectively determine the relevance/importance or “so what” behind the KPIs.
4. Craft a “now what” strategic plan to increase usage and prove value through verified outcomes.

Host

Desiree Sasko Sujoy

Senior Director, Teaching & Learning Team

Speakers

Keith Tumulo

Associate Account Manager, K-12 Inside Sales

Brady Phillips

Senior Director, Central Region

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Desert Willow

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 7: The Art of Outshining Competitors

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Sierra Ballroom 1

Audience: Partnerships & Partner Success

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Participants will demonstrate awareness of competitors & be able to communicate how we win
2. Participants will learn about our internal resources and tools for confidently approaching competitive scenarios.

Host

Martell King

Senior Global Sales Enablement Manager

Speakers

Jenny Lee

Sr. Director, Product Marketing

Julie Rupert

Senior Manager, Product Marketing

Sean Wheeler

Sr. Product Marketing Manager

Kerry Santoro

Sr. Manager, Product Marketing - Math

Emily Murphy

Senior Product Marketing Manager, Reading

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Sierra Ballroom 1

Classroom

1:00pm MST

Classroom 8: On the Road to Close: The Journey to the Destination Starts with Clear Directions

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Sierra Ballroom 2

Audience: Partnerships

Theme: Scaling Excellence

1. Leveraging exit and entrance criteria for Sales Stages on an Opportunity to create consistency across the sales org.
2.Diving into the Science and the methodology of the Sales Cycle to strategically and move opts from qualified
3. Best practices around integrating sales stage knowledge into accurately forecasting

Host

Marisa Flores

Senior Global Sales Enablement Manager

Speakers

Brian Harris

VP, Educational Partnerships

Cori Syfers

Educational Partnerships Manager, K12 National Sales

Wednesday December 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Sierra Ballroom 2

Classroom

2:15pm MST

Classroom 1: What is Discovery’s Promise to the Market?

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST

Eucalyptus

Host

Eileen Cannon

Director, Teaching & Learning

Speakers

Shayla Rexrode

Director Partner Success Mid-Atlantic/NE

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Eucalyptus

Classroom

2:15pm MST

Classroom 2: What’s Next: Effective Cross Selling

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST

Honeysuckle

Host

Eric Friberg

Manager, Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Odell Kennedy

Education Partnership Manager, MS

Jessica Lasher

Manager, Educational Partnerships

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Honeysuckle

Classroom

2:15pm MST

Classroom 3: Unpacking the Entire DE Backpack for Success

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST

Acacia

Host

Brad Fountain

Senior Director Teaching and Learning

Speakers

Jeannine DePaul

Regional Vice President- Educational Partnerships: Mid Atlantic

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST
Acacia

Classroom

2:15pm MST

Classroom 4: Maximizing Marketing Magic: Spellbinding Strategies for Success

Wednesday December 11, 2024 2:15pm - 3:15pm MST

Bougainvillea

Audience: Partnerships

Theme: Positioning and Product Messaging

1. Knowledge Spell: Unlock a toolkit of essential marketing "potions"—from tools and templates to strategies—that empower you to craft standout communications, events, and campaigns that perfectly showcase our brand and products.
2. Innovation Spell: Follow a step-by-step guide to wielding the magic of marketing tools and personalized touches to amplify product awareness and captivate every audience.
3. Collaboration Spell: Master the craft of relationship-focused marketing to forge meaningful connections, transforming each interaction into a memorable and magical experience.

Host