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MindLeaders CEO Brendan O’Sullivan is an energetic leader and strategic planner. Having been the head of Apple’s European Education business, he founded MindLeaders in 2001, building the company over the past 10 years through four acquisitions, organic development and business integration into an international operation with offices in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Ireland. Prior to his role as head of Apple’s European Education, he became Managing Director of Apple U.K. after working as CEO of the U.K. start-up Xemplar Education, a company focused on IT solutions for schools. Brendan has a very broad business experience having been based in London, Paris, Columbus (Ohio, U.S.), and Ireland, where he now lives.
I stumbled into the world of technology-based learning early in my career and from the very beginning I knew I loved this gig. As a result, I have had decades, not years, of experiencing first-hand how technology can deliver effective learning in ways that aren’t necessarily better (though many times they are), but that traditional mediums and methods simply cannot. As technology becomes more ubiquitous and simple, it is clear to me that talent management is the next step down the road of personalized technology-enabled learning. Talent management solutions are really there to develop the people in an organization. To achieve that goal you must embed the training within your talent management system. I believe that such a combined solution is the future for both the talent management and the elearning worlds.
I love science, technology and sports, so I spend time following the world of science (in particular, astronomy) and looking at how our world is being revolutionized by scientific developments. My daughter recently became a Doctor of Chemistry from Trinity College Dublin and she keeps me up to date with the topics that I haven’t time to follow (or are too hard!). Technology and science are comfortable bed-fellows and I was lucky to start my career working in technology as a COBOL programmer. I have never lost that love and enjoy staying up to date with that fabulously fast-changing universe. I bought a 1-terabyte drive recently for $129. When I was COBOL programmer, a 1-terabyte hard disk cost the equivalent of $5 million. How’s that for change?! The other thing I spend my free time doing is following my favorite sports of soccer and Gaelic football. Having spent many years playing both, I now watch from the sidelines.
Colm qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG, going on to work in corporate finance for Charterhouse in London and NCB Stockbrokers in Dublin. During that time, he advised public and private companies on acquisitions and fundraising. In 2001, having completed a $40M debt and equity fundraising and major acquisition for Spectel - a leading audio and web conferencing company - he joined Spectel as General Manager of U.S. Operations, based in Boston. The company grew quickly and was sold for $100M to Avaya Inc in 2004. At Avaya, Colm was Director of Operations and Strategy for the IP Telephony Division, which generated over $1BN revenue. Colm holds a first class honors BSC in Management from Trinity College Dublin and a Masters in Accountancy from University College Dublin.
Talent management combined with an integrated elearning offering allows each employee to have a self-paced training program tailored for them by their manager, allowing an organization to develop its people efficiently and consistently. Effective talent management gives any business a powerful competitive advantage, regardless of industry, simply because an organization’s employees are such an important differentiator between success and failure.
I enjoy spending time with my family, taking interesting trips (with and without them!) and sports of all kinds. I’ve played, when in Dublin, in the same weekly football game on a Monday night for 16 years - it's as fast paced as ever (or so we tell ourselves). I also really enjoy running outdoors and watching rugby, preferably live.
Paul is responsible for overall business leadership for the U.S. Before joining MindLeaders, Paul was Manager of Training and Implementation at RH Positive Software. Previously, he held technical, management and training roles with the Human Factors Laboratory at The Ohio State University, where he was also an Adjunct Professor. Prior to that, he was a pilot and Squadron Safety Officer in the United States Air Force. He has two degrees from The Ohio State University: a BA in Business Administration and a Masters of Business Administration and Organization Development. Paul has over 25 years of experience in learning and technology management.
Simply put, they go well together. One of the challenges with a stand-alone learning content solution is – there’s no context. We all realize that learning new things is how we got to where we are and how we will get to where we want to be. But if people don’t understand why they’re doing a particular learning event in a very personal way, they’re a) less likely to take the training, and b) less likely to really get something out of it. Tying learning events to business and professional development goals solves all of that.
Most people would say I’m interested in “strange things.” I like paddling my kayak in the Everglades, a place most people avoid like the plague. I ride my mountain bike on trails that most people wouldn’t even walk. I fly a powered paraglider that most people can’t even identify. Lastly, I roast imported green coffee beans. I enjoy the challenge of getting the roast just perfect. It’s not as easy as it sounds. My friends really love that hobby, probably because I don’t drink coffee.
Carla Woodhouse is Vice President of Product Development at MindLeaders. As a member of the executive team, Carla guides the direction and production of the U.S. and international product lines. She is also responsible for strategic product partnerships and worldwide infrastructure technology. With over 20 years of experience in the learning and software industry, Carla was on the core team that reengineered the early MindLeaders training products into an elearning product that pioneered Web-based education. Prior to that, she developed and launched training programs and products for companies such as Eastman Kodak, Xerox Corporation, Bausch and Lomb, and The Federal Reserve. She is accustomed to working and living abroad and has an affinity for agility and nimbleness in an increasingly complex business world. She is an alumnus of The Rochester Institute of Technology and holds a BS in Business Management and Organizational Development from Franklin University.
Organizations are not a single entity but rather a unique and wonderful compilation of people. The collective actions and behaviors of these people represent a herculean-like power to make a meaningful impact in our communities, in our countries and in the world. Providing every single person with the opportunity to develop a strong contribution is a win-win. If we are to be successful leaders, then we are obligated to encourage and model a culture of learning and growth.
Ushering my three daughters through their teenage years and into adulthood is a focal point of my life. As anyone with kids will tell you, it’s a 24/7 deal. I enjoy all of the technologies available today to be with them 24/7 even when I’m 4000 miles away. I’ve been fortunate to bike a few of the best trails in the US, navigate the rapids of world classed rivers and snorkel some astoundingly beautiful reefs. I’m still working on a personal goal to see every Cirque Du Soleil show. Just when I think I’m nearly there, they come out with a new one!
Alan See, CMO and Vice President of Marketing at MindLeaders, is a senior executive with the rare ability to speak Web 2.0 and Sales 101 in the same sentence. That skill means his grown children still wonder "what does dad really do all day at work?" He has also served as an associate faculty member at the University of Phoenix, where he loved to lecture but hated to grade papers! With over 25 years of industry experience, Alan is an active blogger and frequent presenter on topics that help organizations develop marketing strategies and sales initiatives to power profitable growth. He has performed for and interacts with some of the world’s most respected brands, including IBM, Cap Gemini, Teradata, SAS Institute, NCR Corporation and AT&T. Alan holds BBA and MBA degrees from Abilene Christian University.
A leader’s ability to get things done through utilizing the talents and abilities of others is critical to an organization’s success. That means success starts with your front-line employees. I’m personally motivated by learning and have an internal drive to make sure ongoing education and training are always available.
I'm very involved in social media, including LinkedIn, Twitter and blogging, just to name a few. In fact, name a social media platform and I'm probably in it. I really enjoy connecting and sharing knowledge. My passion for education also carries over to my work with the University of Phoenix, where I’ve facilitated courses in Marketing, eBusiness, and Management Theory.
Shawn Dean is the Vice President of Sales at MindLeaders. With over twenty years of sales and executive management experience, Shawn brings a significant record of achievement to the organization with such companies as Pathlore, GeoLearning and SumTotal Systems. While at GeoLearning, Shawn was instrumental in growing the organization from revenues of roughly $15M to almost $40M. With his strong background in enterprise software with a focus on elearning and talent management, Shawn provides MindLeaders with its overall sales methodology and contributes to the strategic vision of the company.
The challenge many companies face is the same challenge we face within the sales department: continually finding and demonstrating the value of elearning and talent solutions on a corporate and individual level. I think the best way companies can do this is by building an infrastructure around one platform with quality content that pertains to the individual and their role. That simplicity and relevance will drive engagement. It’s then that you’ll start to see the real value and ROI the solution provides.
While I enjoy just about anything that allows me to spend time with my family, the thing that I probably enjoy the most is watching my children grow and develop in athletics. Is there anything that prepares a person better for just about anything you face in life? How to win, how to lose, how to focus, how to work and most importantly how being a leader will impact you now and in the future no matter how good of an athlete you are. I can honestly say very few things spark the kind of emotion in me that I have experienced while watching them participate in whatever sport they are playing. There is nothing quite like it.
Janet is responsible for overall business leadership for the U.K. and International operations. Her key focus is to deliver top- and bottom-line results from her teams based in London, Dublin, Johannesburg and Melbourne. Janet joined MindLeaders in 2008 following seven years as the Senior VP of Sales for consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. During her tenure there, she doubled revenue and managed a sales team of 100 people across EMEA. Prior to this role Janet worked as a commercial publisher for the education arm of the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), Hobsons. She was responsible for a wide portfolio targeting the 16 – 18 year old school leaver market. Janet graduated with a law degree from Exeter University in 1993.
As a business leader I am entirely reliant on the talents and motivation of the team I have working alongside me. Hiring people with the right skills is critical, but only the beginning. You need a real commitment to invest in the talent you have within your people to make sure you are getting the best from them. Critical to this is clear communication of objectives, regular feedback, support through coaching, and timely training. The use of technology is the only way to make this both an efficient and effective process.
Outside of work, I have the even bigger job of being a mother of two young children. I love spending time with them as well as my even more demanding husband. If it’s not raining I enjoy a run along the river, catching up with friends, and travelling. I particularly enjoy spending time in the house that we renovated in Valencia, Spain.
Brendan O'Sullivan
Chief Executive Officer
Colm Saunders
Chief Financial Officer
Paul MacCartney
President
Carla Woodhouse
Vice President of Product Development
Alan See
CMO & Vice President of Marketing
Shawn Dean
Vice President of Sales
Janet Garcia
Director, MindLeaders United Kingdom and International
Copyright MindLeaders, Inc. 2012