ClassWallet Expands its Marketing Focus by Hiring Karen Nelson as VP Marketing
ClassWallet, the leading digital wallet technology for K-12 education, has appointed Karen Nelson, an experienced global marketing executive with more than 20 years’ industry experience, as the company’s vice president of marketing.
Nelson will oversee the brand, demand generation, communications and product marketing strategy for the rapidly growing organization.
“It is an exciting time at ClassWallet, and we are extremely pleased to welcome Karen aboard the team to help continue the monumental growth we have experienced this past year,” said Jamie Rosenberg, CEO and co-founder of ClassWallet. “Karen’s track record in K-12 education as a brand and demand generation-focused leader will be instrumental as we continue to refine our story and expand our reach.”
As the company’s first vice president of marketing, Nelson will lead the marketing strategy for ClassWallet’s innovative digital wallet payment platform in K-12 education and expand the company’s marketing team to arm the high growth organization with new talent to support the expansion.
“I can’t imagine a better culture, product and organization to join and believe that ClassWallet’s digital wallet payment platform is already becoming the de facto K-12 industry standard in helping teachers, school administrators and parents save valuable time,” said Nelson. “I’m looking forward to working with the entire ClassWallet team to refine its brand story to increase engagement with key audiences and help them manage payment processes so more time can be focused on students’ learning and enrichment.”
Nelson has two decades in brand, demand generation, product marketing and communications experience working with K-12 education companies. Prior to joining ClassWallet, she served for six years as the director, brand and demand generation, for SMART Technologies, the Calgary, Canada-based supplier of interactive solutions for student collaboration and engagement. She led a team of marketers based in North America, Asia, Europe and United Kingdom to build SMART’s brand, regional marketing, communications and demand generation plans.
Previously, Nelson was the global director of brand communications for Steelcase, provider of furniture, and technology, where she managed brand, communications and product marketing for the company’s education and healthcare brands. Before that, she was the director of global marketing for Promethean, makers of education technology solutions, where she managed a global team leading the company’s expansion through brand, communications and regional marketing initiatives. Earlier positions included product marketing for Lightspan and Edutest.
Nelson is a graduate of Louisiana State University (LSU) with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. She resides in Atlanta with her husband, Ken; daughter, Brittany; and sons, Bret and Jackson. In her free time, Nelson plays tennis and volunteers with the Atlanta Special Populations (“Pops”) tennis program, as well as at her local school in Forsyth County, Georgia.
About ClassWallet
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Miami, ClassWallet (www.classwallet.com) supports K-12 finance leaders in saving valuable time and overhead costs by providing an automated accounts payable platform and marketplace for decentralized purchases. Used by 13 state agencies and 3,900 schools serving 2.5M students, the innovative digital wallet technology is fast becoming the industry standard for classroom supply and facilities maintenance budgets, emergency funding and student scholarship programs. ClassWallet has attracted top retailers like Amazon, Office Depot, Staples, Scholastic, School Specialty, Home Depot, Lakeshore Learning and thousands of leading merchants that serve the K-12 education market to accept ClassWallet as a form for payment.
Editor’s Note: A photo of Karen Nelson, ClassWallet’s new VP of marketing, is available upon request.
CONTACTS:
Doug Wright / Henry Feintuch / Ashley Blas
Feintuch Communications
201-952-6033 / 914-548-6924 / 509-494-4053
