Since its founding in 2008, StraighterLine has supplied an alternate mannequin to construct the workforce of tomorrow by serving the learners of at the moment. StraighterLine has supplied 1000’s of learners with reasonably priced and versatile postsecondary training programs which can be accepted at greater than 2,000 accredited U.S. schools and universities. These programs are delivered via low-risk on-line pathway packages that assist establishments handle enrollment and retention challenges. StraighterLine additionally companions with employers to ship versatile, low-cost profession paths that align with in-demand expertise.         

“The price of faculty weighed closely on me all through my very own journey to finishing my diploma as I labored all through my faculty years and nonetheless graduated with pupil debt.  Now, with my oldest daughter making use of to school, affordability and optionality is top-of-mind for me as soon as once more,” stated Combs, who accomplished her undergraduate diploma in three years, partially by taking over accelerated course masses. “I’m excited to hitch StraighterLine to assist increase reasonably priced, versatile postsecondary alternatives and take away pointless boundaries for at the moment’s college students to allow them to carry out at their greatest and obtain their profession objectives.”

With Combs’ arrival, co-founder and chief govt officer Burck Smith will transition to chairman of the board and proceed to advise on the group’s long-term priorities.

“Heather brings a powerful monitor file of main firm progress and growth, which makes her a perfect match to assist speed up StraighterLine’s scale and maintain our impression in greater training and workforce improvement,” Smith stated. “As a former working learner, Heather understands the distinctive aspirations and challenges of the trendy pupil throughout this essential time for greater training and is the appropriate chief to information StraighterLine as we work collectively to fulfill the tutorial wants of future generations of scholars.”

INVESTING IN GROWTH

In Could 2020, BV Funding Companions (“BV”), a middle-market non-public fairness agency with expertise within the training know-how house, acknowledged the innovation and potential of StraighterLine to fulfill the demand for environment friendly and efficient on-line studying choices and made a major funding in StraighterLine. All through the COVID-19 pandemic, StraighterLine remained dedicated to investing in know-how to help its institutional companions. It additionally expanded into the employer market by partnering with Vivid Horizons, an worker advantages firm that assists companies trying to provide reasonably priced, versatile and efficient diploma and certification pathways to their staff. In 2021, StraighterLine elevated its workforce by 23% and helped tens of 1000’s of learners start or restart pathways to school completion.

“As we enter our subsequent stage of progress, we plan to increase our attain and supply a broader spectrum of options to fulfill the wants of scholars, colleges, workforce companions, and customers at giant,” stated Combs.

A NEW WAY OF LEARNING

StraighterLine’s mission is to resolve the largest challenges going through training to fulfill the wants of at the moment’s learners.

Previous to March 2020, solely 50% of scholars had taken at the least one class on-line. Following a sudden shift to distant training, learners have new expectations and wishes round how greater training is delivered and accessed. The following declines in enrollment and retention and the exodus of school and employees in greater training has establishments redefining monetary sustainability and the companions they should survive. 

“It’s a pivotal second in time for training with an amazing want for industry-valued stackable credentials and reasonably priced levels that supply a higher return on funding for college kids and corporations alike,” stated Combs. “As a pioneer in on-line training, StraighterLine is uniquely positioned to assist develop tutorial, profession, and ability pathways to handle these wants.”

LEADING THE WAY

Most not too long ago, Combs led 3Pillar International’s operations, advertising, and strategic progress initiatives as chief industrial officer, serving to the corporate obtain double-digit progress. She additionally served as chief working officer and chief income officer throughout her 5 and a half years with the corporate. Previous to 3Pillar, Combs led income technique and product administration because the chief enterprise improvement officer on the HR Certification Institute and was the chief gross sales officer at Hanover Analysis, a market analysis and advisory agency serving the Ok-12, greater training, and company markets. Combs spent a lot of her early company profession with the Company Govt Board (now a part of Gartner), the place she labored in quite a lot of roles in product, gross sales, and providers throughout a virtually 13-year run that ended as follow supervisor for the Company Authorized Trade.

Combs is lively in the neighborhood as a founding member of Chief, a community to attach and help ladies govt leaders, and a member of the advisory council for STEM for HER, a corporation that empowers women and younger ladies to pursue training and careers in science, know-how, engineering, and math. A proud graduate of Texas A&M College, she is elevating 5 daughters and resides within the Washington, D.C. metro space together with her household

About StraighterLine: StraighterLine is a pupil success firm and the class creator for offering scalable options to ship reasonably priced, efficient, and accelerated studying pathways to formal diploma packages and well known {industry} credentials. The StraighterLine platform helps over 40,000 new college students a yr, together with instantly via the straighterline.com web site in addition to via the corporate’s rising community of college and employer relationships. Go to https://www.straighterline.com or https://companions.straighterline.com for extra data.

SOURCE StraighterLine