OUr Team
David Benoit
Dave Benoit is an education business leader with a track record as an innovator, capable of launching new companies and fixing underperformers. He has over 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, operations and senior management. Dave’s successful ventures include Lightspan (IPO-2000), Co-nect (sold to Pearson in ‘05), Connections Academy (sold to Pearson in ‘11), Middlebury Interactive Languages (sold to K12 in 2016, won award for excellence at Serious Play Conference in 2011), and ScholarCentric (sold to Advance Path in 2015). He also received the EdNet Rookie of the Year Award as best new company and product (Waking Minds, Writing) in the K-12 market for CDI America, an English language company he launched in 2004.
For the past two years, Dave has been leading global business development for Stratasys, one of the largest 3D printing companies in the world. In this role, he has developed strategic partnerships with Dell, Learning Blade, STEMconnector, Job for America’s Graduates and Jason Learning. In addition, he is married with three sons, mentors college football players for his alma mater (Northwestern – ’86), has served on several boards and advises a number of companies in the education market.
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan has more than 25 years in leadership roles specializing in finance and administration, most recently as CFO of Middlebury Interactive Languages, LLC, a partnership between a Middlebury College and K12, Inc. As a member of the senior management team, Ismail helped drive a threefold increase in revenue and profits and implemented an organic strategy for organizational growth. Ismail also worked at Pearson Education, the world's largest publisher, in a series of finance roles with increasing responsibility.
He is adept at forming and leading startup companies and has managed the functional areas of Finance, Human Resources, Technology Support and Customer Service. Ismail is a firm believer in a team-based approach, where individual strengths and competencies come together in collaboration for success. Ismail majored in finance at Loyola University Chicago and resides in the Chicago area with his wife and college-bound son.
Daniel Ray
Daniel Ray has spent the last 19 years working in product management and marketing roles. Leveraging his broad experience in leading product management, marketing and development teams, Dan relishes working collaboratively and cross-functionally to infuse the voice of the customer into organizational strategy. With his effective communication style and analytical approach to problem solving, he has led product portfolio reviews, market research initiatives, and rebranding projects.
Dan believes well-rounded product managers need to be adept at driving overall business strategy for their product lines, guiding sales and marketing strategy, and working with development teams on product roadmap strategy. He has cultivated those skills and experience throughout his own career by earning his MBA from Duke University, developing effective sales tools and strategies in conjunction with sales and marketing leaders, and virtually managing development teams spread across four continents.
Jane Swift
Former Governor Jane Swift has over a decade of experience as an executive, advisor, investor and board member to venture-backed, growth stage companies in the education technology and services sector. Building off her unique public and private sector leadership experiences, today Jane advises CEOs and boards as a senior level advisor providing strategy and services aimed at maximizing growth and profitability for companies with extensive dependence on government interaction. She was the Chief Executive Officer of Middlebury Interactive Languages, LLC until April, 2017. Middlebury Interactive, a joint venture between K12, Inc., the largest virtual school provider in the United States, and Middlebury College was the academic leader in digital language learning and grew revenue threefold and achieved national recognition as the academic leader under her leadership. Jane earned her place in history as the first woman to serve as Governor of Massachusetts and as the first governor in our nation’s history to give birth while in office – to twin girls. Her term as Governor capped more than a decade in public service as a state senator, a lieutenant governor, a cabinet secretary and a governor. She currently serves on the boards of Suburban Propane (SPH), Ultimate Medical Academy and Champlain College as well as the Advisory Boards for the School of Leadership Afghanistan, Teachers of Tomorrow and eDynamic Learning.
Jane has been featured on national television programs such as 60 Minutes, The Early Show on CBS, The Today Show on NBC, The View on ABC, and Inside Politics on CNN. Glamour magazine once declared her “One of 11 Women Who Could Change the Country.” She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Trinity College, in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1987 and has been awarded seven honorary doctorates. Jane taught for ten years as the Williams College Class of 1948 Distinguished Lecturer in Leadership Studies. She lives in Vermont with her husband, Chuck. They have a daughter, Elizabeth, who is a freshman in college and twins, Lauren and Sarah, who are juniors in high school.