Enterprise Learning in the Next Twenty-Four Months

Ashwani Sirohi

Sirohi started his career as a s/w developer with India�s $1billion+ IT powerhouse ---Tata Consultancy Services. He then got an MBA and transitioned to Deloitte Consulting doing mostly process reengineering, organizational design and merger work. From Deloitte he joined Accenture and worked on more strategy-oriented consulting engagements. With family pressures building to cut down on travel he switched to Microsoft and ran Product Marketing & Strategy for the MSDN product line (MSDN Universal, Professional and Library). Then came the whole �dotcom� world and every company was worth $1 billion! So he along with some of his other Microsoft buddies did the entrepreneur/start-up things. �We raised a tons of cash from VCs (including $15m from Paul Allen!) and tried new fangled business models. "I had a lot of fun and one of the more interesting things I landed up doing was having lunch with Martha (of the Imclone/Kmart fame).� Post-Microsoft, he led 2 start-ups and after successfully selling his last one, a Real-Time VoIP company, he joined Click2learn. He has been with Click2learn for nearly 1 year. Sirohi has an undergraduate degree in engineering from India and an MBA from UCLA.

Tobin Gilman is vice president of product and field marketing at Docent (DCNT), a Mountain View, CA-based provider of business performance management software. Prior to joining Docent, Gilman was vice president of strategic marketing at Hyperion Solutions (HYSL), a provider of analytic applications and business intelligence software. Previous assignments include senior positions in product marketing, product management, and sales at Prism Solutions, Eastman Kodak, Intergraph and CalComp.

Gilman holds a MBA degree from California Polytechnic State University in Pomona, California and a BA degree in Political Science from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California.

Chris Pirie is Vice President Online Learning, Oracle Corporation.

Over the last four years, Pirie has led the management team that has been instrumental in expanding Oracle's internet-based education capabilities. The team built Oracle University Online, a learning portal serving over 200,000 learners comprising Oracle's worldwide customers, partners and employees. The service offers thousands of hours of formal and informal education in eight languages to students in over 50 countries. During this time Oracle University has documented over 22% reduction in cost of internal training, a healthy growth in revenues from online and blended customer education programs, and evolved a world class Learning Management System (LMS) called iLearning as the underlying technology platform. Pirie currently spends much of his time helping customers and prospects understand the potential of online and blended learning and the value of an integrated approach learning management.

Dr. Margaret Driscoll is Market Development Manager for IBM Lotus software�s Workplace Learning Products. She is author of Web-Based Training from Jossey-Bass and a featured speaker at national and international training events. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Performance Improvement; Training and Development Magazine, the Multimedia and Internet Newsletter; Technical Training; and CommunicationsWeek Driscoll is a regular contributor to ASTD�s Learning Circuits and an adjunct faculty member of Teachers College Columbia University, in New York City. She brings eighteen years of training and educational experience in working with organizations such as Merrill-Lynch, BayBanks, Harcourt Publishers, i2 Technologies, Stratus, Interleaf, Compaq Computer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Fidelity Investments. Her experience as a distance educator in high tech, financial services, and academic institutions makes her well versed in the real-world.

Edward Cohen joined Plateau Systems, Ltd as Chief Technology Officer in 1999 as part of a merger between Sensory Computing, Inc. and Plateau. Cohen has been involved with computer based instruction since the late 1970s when he developed content on PLATO for the University of Illinois. Since that time, Cohen has developed well over 400 titles on almost every e-learning technology including, CBT, interactive videodisc, CD-I, Web and several other technologies. In 1993 Cohen founded Sensory Computing, Inc. which produced both instructional titles and pioneering LCMS and reusable learning objects functionality within an authoring tool. The CBT titles produced by SCI became a standard within the nuclear power industry, completely replacing classroom instruction for several facilities. Today, Cohen lives in Washington DC and enjoys working with computers and racing cars.

Grant Ricketts is Vice President of Business Development for Saba and was part of the start-up management team in shaping the company when it was founded in 1997. In his current capacity, he also sponsors the Content Alliance program and is the host for a recently introduced web seminar series focusing on content issues entitled, InsideContent! He brings many years' experience in building and marketing enterprise-scale web-based applications and developing industry alliances. Before joining Saba, Ricketts spent several years with Sybase where he created the company's first channels business plan for ISVs, VARs and SIs. In 1995, he started the Internet Products Group at Sybase, and later led market development for the Internet and New Media Division at Oracle.

Ricketts has spoken at numerous conferences on e-Learning including OnLine Learning (1999), Information Technology Training Association (ITTA, 1999, 2000), Instructional Systems Association (ISA, 2000, 2002), TechLearn (1998 - 2002), Training2001, Educa Berlin (Germany, 1999), and Forum de Tecnologia (Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2000). He also represents Saba in ISA (Technology & Standards committee) and the Masie eLearning Collaborative.

Stephen Burke is Vice President of the Professional Services practice for KnowledgePlanet and is responsible for our client's overall service and satisfaction. He provides critical client perspective and strategic direction to the product roadmap and application development process. Prior to joining KnowledgePlanet he was the general manager for a strategic consulting company focused on content management technologies and custom web-application development. Additionally, Burke spent several years with Ernst & Young's Knowledge Management consulting practice as a subject matter specialist with leadership roles in client engagements, solutions development, and within the Center for Business Knowledge. Burke is a native of Seattle, his current home, and has been married to Heidi for 10 years. They have two daughters: Madaleine (four) and Ella (one and a half). He is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University (BS in Finance) and Purdue University (MS in Management).

Dale Cline is President of Knowledge Products, a division of Global Knowledge. Cline oversees the growth and expansion of Knowledge Products' flagship product - OnDemand Personal Navigator. OnDemand is a synchronized content platform for docuentation, training and performance support for enterprise applications. Prior to joining Knowledge Products, Cline served as President and Chief Operating Officer for InfoRay Inc., a provider of cross-enterprise supply chain event management solutions. From 1997 to 2000, Cline worked for Network Associates, where he served in various roles including Vice-President of Worldwide Channels and President of the Americas Organization. Before joining Network Associates, Cline served as President of MediaPath Technologies, a software company based in Israel. He began his career in software and sales management at the Microsoft Corporation. Cline received his Bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a Master's degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Becky Mason is currently responsible for customer marketing initiatives and programs for PeopleSoft�s Human Capital Management division. She is also responsible for the development and delivery of marketing content for PeopleSoft HCM. Prior to joining PeopleSoft, Mason served as the Director of Marketing for SkillsVillage, which was acquired by PeopleSoft in June of 2001. At SkillsVillage, Mason was responsible for branding, positioning, messaging, and all Public Relations, Analyst Relations, and external marketing. Before SkillsVillage, she was an HRMS Product Consultant for PeopleSoft. Mason has over 8 years of experience in the software industry, having served in various Field Marketing and Account Management roles.

Mark Nation is Director of Product Marketing for Employee Relationship Management (ERM) at Siebel Systems. He is responsible for Siebel ERM�s eLearning product line. He also manages learning standards, business planning and sales support activities for the Siebel ERM business unit. Nation has seven years of technology experience in learning management systems, virtual collaboration, corporate portals, analytics, call center software and IT project management. Prior to Siebel, he managed marketing and business development at Thinq Learning Solutions. Earlier, he led mergers & acquisitions business integration at Unum Provident Corporation, the world leader in disability insurance.

Nation holds a bachelor�s degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He has been recognized as an accomplished musician and entrepreneur.

Tamer Ali, VCampus