“Working with Branch Ideas has already changed the way we are doing business. We are education technology startup that has grown exponentially over the last three years, and to have someone with Denise’s background and decades of experience in the publishing space has really opened our eyes to opportunities and risks we had not previously considered. They are always quick to respond to questions and concerns, and they keep you informed on their work and progress. I’ve got a lot of balls to juggle, so I love that they come to me with ideas of projects they can work on and things they can do to help. Every ed-tech entrepreneur needs Branch Ideas in their corner.”
–Stuart Draper, CEO and Founder, Stukent
“As is common with early stage start-ups, we were juggling multiple priorities and Denise was a great help to us during a hectic time. She honed our messaging to get ready for a pitch and simultaneously created a plan for us to launch a content-marketing campaign–just in time for the start of the school year. Denise’s knowledge, resources and expertise were clutch during this crucial period. Her patience and thoughtfulness are a reflection of her experience working with start-ups and addressing their unique needs.”
—Melissa Corto, CEO, Education Modified
“As a leader, Denise understands change — how to prepare for it, how to understand it, and how to grow with it. She took an early lead in developing educational media for the higher education markets we sold in. Her strengths were in asking great questions about the market and its needs, identifying projects that would solve real teaching and learning challenges, setting up good teams to develop those products, and implementing systems for in-house professional development.
“During her time as our president, we grew our market share, and enhanced our reputation as a higher education publisher professors could trust. That growth and trust stemmed directly from Denise’s deep commitment to teaching and learning in the humanities.“
—Nick Carbone, Director of Digital Teaching and Learning, Macmillan Learning
“Denise is smart, thoughtful, and a superb leader. As an author working with Bedford/St. Martin’s, I watched her rise from a development editor to director of their publishing technology group to president of the company. Denise was part of an amazing group of editors at one of the most successful publishers in higher education – and she was one of the most important contributors to that success. She helped me enjoy more success than I ever could have imagined when I was starting out. I’d trust her advice on any project.”
— Mike Palmquist, Associate Provost for Instructional Innovation and Professor, Colorado State University
“Denise listens, analyzes, and takes positive action. She is a powerful leader because she coaches teams to discover solutions. When I discuss work problems with Denise, she helps me see new possibilities. I value her vision.
“As President of Bedford/St. Martin’s, Denise launched new product models and grew the business. She fostered a working environment where everyone (students, instructors, authors, publishers) reaped the rewards of innovation. Grounded by her masterful knowledge of learning design and how teaching really happens, Denise is one of those rare talents who can get new products into classrooms.”
–Susan Brown, Director, Content Management Solutions, Macmillan Learning
“Denise provides that essential bridge for turning ideas into solutions. It’s called clear thinking. She’s the first to re-frame the conversation when a question is the wrong question or when a proximate solution is still not driving at the desired distal outcome. She’s also a master of clarity when it comes to articulating with precision the features and benefits of a particular solution. Indeed, her strengths are highly relevant from ideation through marketing, and she’s long been associated with successful innovation.”
—Jane Knetzger, Director of Content Development, Macmillan Learning