As a passionate, strategic senior leader of product, service, and technology in the global education and virtual learning industries, Dr. Shelly Shires transforms learning and education experiences by leading end-to-end lifecycle development and execution. She has distinguished herself as a positive, empathetic leader who can deliver industry-leading educational experiences to students around the globe. Currently, she serves as the Chief Product & Service Officer with Springboard Collaborative. Prior to this, she was the SVP of Product and Technology with Pearson’s K-12 Virtual Schools business. She served in senior-level product development roles at companies including Shutterstock, Pearson, and Wall Street English.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with K12 Digest, Shelly shared insights on what drives her passion for education and virtual learning, significant career milestones, the secret mantra behind her success, her favorite non-academic book, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Shelly. What drives your passion for education and virtual learning?
My passion for education has come from witnessing throughout my life what learning experiences can do for people whether young or young at heart. Learning can build a persons confidence. Learning can bring new opportunities. Learning can open a line of dialogue. Learning can bridge gaps that are physical, emotional, and economic. And the part about education and learning that most inspires me is that all a learner needs is their own desire and access to information. In years past, access to information has varied widely. Today, however, access to information (both inside and outside of a classroom) has dramatically improved. It is for that reason, that I am equally passionate about virtual learning.
What do you love the most about your current role?
In my current role I am fortunate to develop in a hybrid environment, where we leverage technology to enable humans to deliver a Science of Reading literacy program for young learners PK to 5th grade. At Springboard Collaborative, we believe that family-educator collaboration is the most joyful, culturally affirming, and cost-effective way to give kids access to high-quality instructional time. We coach educators and parents to help kids learn to read by 4th grade. I get to develop and nurture curriculum, engineering, operations, and services team in delivering joyful academic programs that have meaningful impact. What is there not to love about that?
What are your thoughts on the future of virtual learning, and how do you see Springboard Collaborative evolving to meet the changing needs of the industry?
It is my strong belief that virtual learning will continue to grow both in its availability as well as in its efficacy and impact. Historically virtual learning has been reserved for the benefit of adult learners, but I believe that virtual learning will increasingly become accessible and advantageous for young learners. Virtual learning allows for differentiation and personalization in a space that is both physically and psychologically safe. Whether a student with special needs or a student with special dreams, virtual learning will become more standard for young learners.
As we think about young learners, we must also think of the young learners’ environment and support network. Here is where I see Springboard Collaborative and other organizations designing learning experiences that include family involvement, evolving to meet the changing needs of the industry. Springboard Collaborative’s vision for systemic impact is to make parent-teacher collaboration standard practice in American education. We envision a school system in which families and educators work together—rather than in isolation—to accelerate student learning.
Parents want to be involved, they have a right to be involved, and we need to stop implementing learning experiences that do not include them. I feel certain with every fiber of my being that the only way to turn around the trend of learning decline is to equip and involve the family in solving the problem.
What has been your most career-defining moment that you are proud of?
There have been two career defining moments.
Moment 1- Last year I achieved a big goal, walking across the stage to celebrate my doctoral journey. Graduating with my Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction was a big achievement, but the research is what I am most proud of. I conducted a phenomenological study of the lived experience of parents whose child has an IEP and attends an online school. During my research I came to understand that parents of students with special needs experience greater stress with a higher risk of physiological, emotional, and economic challenges. Yet, despite the higher demands and levels of stress some parents of students with special needs thrived. What I found was those parents whose child had an IEP and attended an online school felt they had greater autonomy at the online school. They felt they were a partner in the special education process. They felt connected to a community of support. This has been a source of great inspiration for my work.
Moment 2- About a decade ago when I worked for Pearson English supporting a private language school called Wall Street English, I managed a portfolio of EdTech product and service development projects to reimagine an end-to-end student experience that was digitally native and outcome oriented. The portfolio included 50 projects, and teams across the globe were contributing to digital instruction, assessments, storyline videos, content management, learning management, student information system, school center designs, professional development, a digital classroom, and much more. It took us about two years and in 2015 we launched it globally. It was the largest portfolio of product and technology development for an education organization that I had ever embarked on, and it has fueled hundreds of thousands of English language learners.
Recently, you were recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Chief Product Officers of 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret sauce behind your success.
I believe firmly that digital transformation must be human centered. In most places but especially in the education technology space. What differentiates me from other product, technology, and service leaders in the EdTech world is that I start and end with the humans. I seek to understand the customer deeply. I seek to understand the varying decision makers that lead to the customer experience. I seek to understand the problems to be solved, pain points, desired gains, and what is the customer experience at every step of their journey. Like good old fashioned backwards design, I start by understanding what success looks like and go from there. Once you have that vision, that blueprint, what differentiates me is skilled communication and unwavering grit to stay the course.
Who is the one person you look up to and why?
I really admire Joyce L. Epstein, Ph.D. She is the Co-Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships and a Professor of Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Her work on the Six Types of Parental Involvement is a constant inspiration to me.
What is your favorite non-academic book and why?
This is a tricky question; I am a ferocious reader and love so many books. The one book I go back to repeatedly is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I first read this book when I was a teenager, and it left me with an ambition to become my own person. That I did not need to be limited to where I had come from or what others wanted for me.
What is your biggest stress reliever?
Walking outside in the sun surrounded by nature. I try to do it every day and it is a huge source of relief and energy for me.
What are your long-term goals, and how do you see yourself making a lasting impact on the industry?
My next dream is to start my own coaching practice and create educational tools and courses to equip and empower parents to be partners in their child’s education (ParentED.coach). I envision a combination of parent education resources to equip parents, offer special education advocacy, and practice mindful parenting.
I envision a future where K12 education is designed and executed for both the student and their family. A world where learning does not just happen in a classroom, but it happens anywhere and everywhere.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the education industry?
I have two pieces of advice.
First, start with and always center on your students. Understand them deeply and focus on where they are and where they need to be. Do not get distracted by all the hype, the tools, the competing priorities, and all the noise. Stay present and focused on your students and day by day you will all progress.
Second, you are not alone. Whether you are a teacher, a paraprofessional, a school leader, or working the front office. You are not alone. Engage your students’ families, engage your community, engage your professional learning community. Your families and your community are assets, not a burden or liability. Work together as equals, each with an important part to play, in educating and empowering future generations. Regardless of personal or political interests, we all agree on this one thing. Our young students deserve an education that gives them every opportunity to succeed in life.