Flat World Expands Its Executive Team

Flat World, the leading enabler of competency-based learning and digital learning content, appoints two senior executives to its team. Bill Barke, formerly Chairman of Pearson, Higher Ed, US and Canada, joins as Executive Chairman of the Flat World BOD and Jade Roth, formerly VP, Books, Digital Strategy and Chief Product Officer for Barnes & Noble College joins as SVP, Strategy and Content.

​Flat World, the leading enabler of competency-based learning and digital learning content, announced today the appointment of two senior executives to its leadership team. Bill Barke, formerly Chairman of Pearson, Higher Education, US and Canada, joins as Executive Chairman of the Flat World Board of Directors and Jade Roth, formerly Vice President Books, Digital Strategy and Chief Product Officer for Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, joins as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Content.

Barke joins Flat World as it enhances the experience between learners and teachers to increase outcomes for traditional learners, career professionals and working adults. In his new role, he will work with Flat World to strategically position the Company to transform education by delivering carefully designed learning opportunities when and where people want them.

"...As software continues to eat the world and new styles & models of work are created, we can no longer be committed to models that have been proven to fail our educators and our learners. Flat World exists to explore new frontiers, saving professionals time and money while delivering the knowledge they require to move ahead in their education and ultimately their careers. Now is the time to make a difference."

Christoper Etesse , CEO

“Flat World is expanding education while education is expanding the world and I am delighted to join at such a vital stage in this journey,” Barke stated. “Chris and his team have engineered a stunning and strategic pivot to meet the demand for competency-based educational models and have emerged as a pioneer in the movement to create affordable solutions that will change the lives of learners who will now be able to pursue their educational and career goals without turning their busy lives upside down.”

Roth joins Flat World to position the company to bridge the gap between today and tomorrow’s learners by providing exceptional, relevant and affordable digital content while creating personalized, learning experiences tailored to individual needs.

“Flat World is creating innovative solutions to meet the needs of learners, educators, institutions and publishers.  Building on their core content foundation, Flat World continues to listen to learners who need access to education in ways that work for them.  This is a Company that isn’t afraid to toss out educational models that no longer work and to develop progressive solutions that do. I am thrilled to be part of this ground-breaking organization.”

“Flat World is committed to being part of the solution for today’s learners,” commented Christopher Etesse, CEO of Flat World.  “Bill and Jade will be great assets in making that happen. As software continues to eat the world and new styles & models of work are created, we can no longer be committed to models that have been proven to fail our educators and our learners.  Flat World exists to explore new frontiers, saving professionals time and money while delivering the knowledge they require to move ahead in their education and ultimately their careers. Now is the time to make a difference.” More information around Flat World’s work and the future of work & education can be found at http://expandingtheworld.com/about

About Flat World 
Flat World Education enables competency-based education that allows instructors and institutions to personalize content providing measurable, quality, affordable and fresh content to students.

Flat World has powered the education of more than one million students, 40,000 faculty members, and 2,500 institutions worldwide. It supports today’s higher education by addressing some of the biggest issues, including degree affordability, access and completion through an online platform for skill-based or competency-based learning.

Flat World Education is based in Washington, D.C. 

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