Denver, CO (PRWEB) February 08, 2017
Guild Education, which is pioneering a new approach to education-as-a-benefit with employers like Chipotle and Public Service Credit Union, today announced the addition of three senior hires. Rachel Hiemstra, formerly of Craftsy, joins as Vice President of Operations; Misha Charles, formerly of HotChalk, joins as Director of University Partnerships; and Anuradha Kumar, formerly with Shutterfly, joins as Product Manager.
“Collectively, these women add decades of experience in operations, organizational development, partnerships, and a passion for building products and services that meaningfully impact the lives of users,” said Rachel Carlson, co-founder and CEO of Guild. “Misha understands and shares our deep commitment to building collaborative university partnerships. Rachel’s proven track record in leading technology startups combined with a unique background in education will serve our cross-functional organization well. And Anuradha’s experience driving product innovation at companies like Shutterfly will be critical as we scale.”
Hiemstra comes to Guild with nearly 20 years in education and technology companies, including five years with Denver-based startup Craftsy, where she held leadership roles in Product and Development. She brings deep experience in technical product management, product development, and operations, as well as in education, having started her career as a teacher. Hiemstra received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University. At Guild, she will lead business and student experience operations.
Charles brings more than 15 years of experience in the education and learning space, where she forged innovative partnerships with education institutions. Prior to joining Guild, Charles managed strategic university partnerships for education technology company HotChalk. Under her leadership, Guild will extend its powerful collaboration with leading colleges and universities to improve student experiences and retention outcomes. Charles received her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree from the University of Cape Town, and a master’s degree from George Washington University.
Kumar joins Guild after leading product management as a General Manager at Shutterfly. In her new role, Kumar will lead the rollout of products and solutions to continually improve the Guild student experience. Kumar received her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Colorado Boulder and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Guild Education partners with leading employers to make it possible for working adults to take college courses or earn a degree at one of Guild’s nonprofit university partners. Every Guild student has an advisor to help navigate between the world of work and higher education. Guild recently announced $8.5 million in Series A funding led by Redpoint, and Guild co-founders Rachel Carlson and Brittany Stich were recently named to the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for education.
For more information, visit https://www.guildeducation.com/.
About Guild Education
Guild Education is bridging the gap between education and employment to help working adults navigate the two worlds of work and college. Their platform enables employers to offer education-as-a-benefit, with tuition benefit policies that align business goals, like talent development and retention, with affordable education programs that employees love. Guild’s network of nonprofit universities and learning providers offer a consortium of classes, programs, and college degrees.