James Shepard

James Shepard Email and Phone Number

Mission-driven leader | Growth strategy, management, and e-learning | CEO at Empow Studios @ Empow Studios
James Shepard's Location
West Newton, Massachusetts, United States, United States
About James Shepard

James W. Shepard, Jr is the CEO of Empow Studios, an organization that educates children in coding, engineering, and digital arts with a focus on fun, discovery, and building a life-long passion in STEM. The organization, founded in 2013, has won a number of awards and is considered the premiere STEM education provider in Massachusetts. Since the day he joined Empow Studios in January 2020, James has maintained a sharp focus on growing the impact and strengthening the effectiveness of the organization.Prior to joining Empow Studios, James founded and was CEO at AchieveLeaders and AchieveMission, two organizations dedicated to enabling nonprofit organizations to build the leadership and talent needed to realize mission impact potential. During James' tenure, AchieveMission delivered 900 consulting projects to more than 100 nonprofits and foundations. Currently James is writing a book that leverages his experience overseeing more than 1000 leadership development consulting projects so that those methods can be available to many more nonprofits.James also worked for seven years at the Taproot Foundation, where he served as Vice President of Programs, COO, and President of the Pro Bono SaaS Platform. At Taproot, James built an award winning social enterprise with 2,500 professionals in 7 cities providing consulting services to more than 1,000 nonprofits. Under James’ leadership, the organization created two new practice areas – Leadership Development, and Strategy Management – and grew at 40% per year while increasing program quality and customer satisfaction. Earlier, James held senior-level marketing, product and business development roles at several venture-funded companies in the related fields of online learning, knowledge management, online community, learning management systems and classroom-based instruction; three of those companies experienced tremendous success and were taken public or acquired. James received his BA from Georgetown University cum laude and began his career as a strategy consultant in the US and Europe for a boutique firm subsequently acquired by the consultancy A.T.Kearney. He received his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

James Shepard's Current Company Details
Empow Studios

Empow Studios

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Mission-driven leader | Growth strategy, management, and e-learning | CEO at Empow Studios
James Shepard Work Experience Details
  • Empow Studios
    Ceo
    Empow Studios Jan 2020 - Present
    Lexington, Ma, Us
    Empow Studios educates children ages 7-17 in coding, engineering, and digital arts with a focus on fun, discovery, and building a life-long passion in STEM. The organization has won more awards for excellence, and offers more programs, in more locations, than any other STEM education provider in Massachusetts. Through our regional offices, we provide: STEM summer camps at 20 locations across Massachusetts, school-year STEM programs for students in more than 50 locations in the state, and support to schools and educational institutions via teacher training, our online learning platform TalentBox and STEM curriculum, and field trips to our centers. As CEO of Empow Studios I set and guide the strategic vision of the organization and manage staff, operations, and performance with the support of an energizing and insightful team. We are committed to continuously strengthening our programs and growing our impact, and I invite you to reach out to learn more about our efforts and programs.
  • Achieveleaders
    Ceo And Founder
    Achieveleaders Dec 2017 - Present
    Newton, Ma, Us
    AchieveLeaders is an extension of the work I began at AchieveMission. In our first eight years we provided the sector's highest quality leadership and talent consulting to more than 100 exemplary organizations, delivered more than 900 projects and grew into the largest and, many have said, best leadership and talent consulting firm working across the sector. To get beyond servicing just one to two dozen organizations per year, our goal was to use our content and expertise to create lower-cost, more accessible solutions such as books and software. To further that goal, we invested enormously in creating and refining programmatic approaches to building more than 25 talent and leadership processes as well as evaluation methods to help our clients monitor, refine and demonstrate the impact of their new leadership and talent capabilities.
  • Achievemission
    President And Ceo
    Achievemission Jun 2010 - Dec 2017
    Founded in 2010, AchieveMission (achievemission.org) consults with nonprofit and foundation leaders to transform strategy into the reality of mission success. AchieveMission is the only nonprofit consulting firm that brings together experience in the nonprofit sector, talent and performance management, and technology. MISSION and VALUES- AchieveMission is dedicated to strengthening nonprofits by improving their ability to efficiently and effectively transform strategy into tangible mission results - We are committed to developing approaches and technologies that enable individual nonprofits and the sector to achieve breakthrough increases in impact with ever decreasing costs - AchieveMission believes in human capital, data, continuous improvement, SaaS technology and the power of open collaborationMISSION in ACTIONAchieveMission pursues its mission in three ways. We:- Consult to nonprofits and foundations - Develop technology that fosters collaborative approaches to knowledge creation, talent development and continuous improvement- Collaborate with complimentary organizations and initiatives
  • Taproot Foundation
    Chief Operating Officer, Taproot, And President Of Taproot'S Pro Bono Saas Initiative
    Taproot Foundation Jan 2008 - Oct 2009
    San Francisco, California, Us
    Led organization to successfully adapt to rapidly changing economic climate brought on by stock market collapse: achieved profit goals and critical initiatives while maintaining high staff morale. Identified opportunity and led effort to commercialize Taproot’s proprietary software and related intellectual property through creation of a for-profit SaaS spinout.
  • Taproot Foundation
    Vp National Programs
    Taproot Foundation Jul 2002 - Jan 2008
    San Francisco, California, Us
    The largest national consulting firm serving the nonprofit vertical (8% of US GDP), Taproot recruits, screens and manages Strategy, Marketing, Human Resources and IT professionals to deliver pro bono services providing business best practices to high potential nonprofits. Devised and implemented innovative approach cutting costs by 80% while delivering unprecedented quality and reliability. Grew organization from 400 to 5,000 consultants that delivered 1,100 engagements in seven cities. Additionally, advised F500 companies seeking to adopt the Taproot model. Widely lauded by leading industry journals, trade associations, think tanks and the White House.
  • Headlight.Com
    Vp Marketing
    Headlight.Com 1999 - 2001
    An eLearning e-commerce company, Headlight built and sold one of the first web-based learning management systems integrated with content aggregated from 40 leading eLearning companies. Recruited by angel investor. Built and led team of 55 in marketing, business development, customer service and product management. Sold to what is now Cornerstone OnDemand. • Designed, built and launched first-ever integrated learning management and e-commerce web platform.• Refocused strategy and wrote business plan, raising $10M from Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
  • Urbanite Network
    Vp Corporate Development
    Urbanite Network 1998 - 1999
    Venture capital funded social networking software provider. Achieved #3 market share among homepage online community companies. • Negotiated revenue generating distribution partnerships resulting in more than 5 million consumer users.
  • Academic Systems
    Product Manager
    Academic Systems 1995 - 1997
    Higher education software provider. Recruited by President after organization received funding from Microsoft, Kleiner-Perkins and Accel Partners. Merged to form The Lightspan Partnership, Inc. (NASDAQ: LSPN) • Led teams in marketing and enterprise sales support. Achieved #1 share in all five software titles managed.
  • Jsa International/Atkearney
    Senior Consultant
    Jsa International/Atkearney 1990 - 1993
    Strategic consulting firm specializing in new products, distribution, partnerships, commercialization and M&A for F500-sized clients in US, Europe and the Middle East. Acquired by A.T. Kearney/EDS. • Selected for rare promotion to post-MBA position before business school. Provided day-to-day leadership on engagements for numerous clients including Kodak, Thomson CSF, and the Romanian government.
  • Pinceton Review, Mid-Atlantic Region
    Director
    Pinceton Review, Mid-Atlantic Region Nov 1986 - Jun 1989
    Franchise of educational services and software company. Subsequently taken public (NASDAQ: REVU)• Increased franchise value by 700% by increasing revenues 600% in and growing margins• Grew from 3 to 12 regional offices; launched 5 new products; managed 100 employees

James Shepard Skills

Strategy Leadership Development Strategic Planning Start Ups Management Talent Management Organizational Development Business Strategy Non Profits Nonprofits Executive Management Performance Management Fundraising Business Process Improvement Operations Management Organizational Design Change Management Entrepreneurship Business Planning Product Management Human Resources Business Development Nonprofit Organizations Workforce Planning Product Development Brand Management Saas Human Capital Management Strategic Hr Strategy Implementation Balanced Scorecard Workforce Performance Performance Turnaround

James Shepard Education Details

  • Northwestern University - Kellogg School Of Management
    Northwestern University - Kellogg School Of Management
    Marketing
  • Georgetown University
    Georgetown University
    Government
  • Phillips Exeter Academy
    Phillips Exeter Academy
    Hs
  • Fessenden
    Fessenden

Frequently Asked Questions about James Shepard

What company does James Shepard work for?

James Shepard works for Empow Studios

What is James Shepard's role at the current company?

James Shepard's current role is Mission-driven leader | Growth strategy, management, and e-learning | CEO at Empow Studios.

What is James Shepard's email address?

James Shepard's email address is ja****@****ion.org

What is James Shepard's direct phone number?

James Shepard's direct phone number is +141533*****

What schools did James Shepard attend?

James Shepard attended Northwestern University - Kellogg School Of Management, Georgetown University, Phillips Exeter Academy, Fessenden.

What skills is James Shepard known for?

James Shepard has skills like Strategy, Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, Start Ups, Management, Talent Management, Organizational Development, Business Strategy, Non Profits, Nonprofits, Executive Management, Performance Management.

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