Executive Briefing: Entertainment, Media & New Technology
By Special Invitation

2004-2005 series sponsored by Phillips Nizer LLP

• Advances in digital content delivery and rich media that are helping to customize learning experiences
• Integration and mobility of devices for continuous learning, independent of location
• How new technologies facilitate greater interaction between students, teachers and parents
• Impact of the US Department of Education's National Education Technology Plan
• A future business model for education, including corporate partnerships and sponsorships

Aline van Duyn is the US Communications Editor for the Financial Times. Her beats include media, satellite and cable industries, and telecommunications. Aline has worked for the FT since April 2000. Previously, she was a Capital Markets Editor and Lex writer in London before moving to New York for her current role. Before the FT, she worked at Reuters for five years covering capital markets, bond markets and foreign exchange trading. She has appeared on CNN and BBC World, and made frequent contributions to Reuters Financial TV in the late 1990s. Aline received her BS in Economics from London School of Economics, University of London and her MS in Economics from Birbeck College, University of London. She speaks Spanish and Dutch.

Francie Alexander is Senior Vice President, Scholastic Education, and Chief Academic Officer of Scholastic Inc., the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. She advises the creation of educational products and services in reading instruction, assessment, intervention, professional development and early childhood literacy. Francie also speaks on educational best practices, and oversees qualitative validation of Scholastic Education products and programs. Francie joined Scholastic in 1994 as publisher of research-based multimedia reading instructional materials including Scholastic Literacy Place®, and the best-selling Scholastic Phonics Readers. She enabled development of READ 180®, Scholastic Red®, and the Scholastic Early Childhood Program Featuring Clifford®. Francie serves on the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees “The Nation’s Report Card.” Previously, Francie was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning in the Office of Education Research and Improvement for the US Department of Education. She also served as Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction in California, and taught students in kindergarten through college. Francie has a bachelor’s degree in Combined Social Sciences from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a teaching credential from the University of California at Los Angeles. She also has a master’s degree in Education and a supervision credential from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Richard Beckwith is a Research Psychologist with Intel Research’s People and Practices Research Group in Hillsboro, OR. Richard works with social scientists and technologists to provide Intel engineers with a vision of computing for five to 10 years into the future. The goal of this group is to better understand the role of people in the adoption of emerging technologies, so designs can better reflect the needs of various constituencies. Before coming to Intel, Richard was a Research Faculty member at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL and also was an Associate Professor at the Institute for the Learning Sciences (ILS). He worked earlier at Princeton University as a Research Scientist in the Cognitive Science Laboratory and as a Research Assistant at Teachers College, Columbia University. Richard has taught courses in qualitative methods, language acquisition, and theories of human development, and has conducted several seminars. Richard received his Ph.D. in Developmental and Educational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Maureen Betses is Vice President of Higher Education and eLearning at Harvard Business School Publishing, a solely owned not-for-profit subsidiary of Harvard Business School. HBSP produces and distributes management development products to the corporate market and teaching materials to universities offering MBA and Executive Education programs. Maureen oversees and directs the Harvard Business School Case Study products and the online management development and performance support programs produced by the eLearning group. Prior to this assignment she held several management positions in corporate training and customer service. Experienced in both the higher education and corporate markets, Maureen brings a comprehensive, yet practical perspective to training and its alignment with corporate strategy and performance. Maureen’s insights about adult learning, corporate curriculum development and implementing corporate strategy offer a valuable framework for aligning training initiatives with corporate objectives. Maureen is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, where she majored in English with a concentration in Secondary Education and Psychology.

Steve Rae is a Vice President of Services for IBM Learning Solutions, a business organization within IBM that works with customers to develop innovative solutions to improve human performance through technology. Steve has more than 15 years of experience in training and education, including eight years as a Learning Consultant and Project Manager, and four years as an executive in IBM Global Services. During this period, Steve oversaw the development of a worldwide network of Knowledge Factories—teams that customize and deliver tailored content development services to clients. Steve was also Director of Development for IBM Learning Services, a unit responsible for developing training materials for IBM products. Steve believes technology can be a catalyst in creating connections between people that facilitate better learning. His current focus includes developing new technologies for the classroom, creating networks of experts, implementing “communities of purpose,” and helping clients leverage learning to maximize the value of their business initiatives. Steve has authored many articles on learning and technology, and has a bachelor’s degree in Business from Michigan State University.

Kyra Reppen is Vice President, General Manager of Nickjr.com, a division of Nickelodeon Online, part of Viacom Inc. Kyra oversees strategy, creative and editorial for Nickjr.com, which she has repositioned from a television promotional site to the top parenting website for parents of US preschoolers. She created the first-ever 3D online games for preschoolers and is spearheading the networks' preschool introduction to wireless, interactive TV and innovative online gaming experiences. Kyra began at Viacom in 1996 as Corporate Counsel, MTV Networks Law and Business Affairs, and was named Senior Counsel, Nickelodeon Law and Business Affairs, where she counseled the online, consumer products and digital TV businesses. She was part of the launch team for Nickelodeon Online and, as VP, Business Development and Operations, was responsible for structuring and negotiating deals with strategic partners, creating business plans and developing growth strategies for this new and burgeoning division of the company. Kyra is a graduate of Wellesley College and holds a JD degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law.

Additional panelists to be announced.

Attendance is by Special Invitation to senior executives with extensive experience in entertainment, media and new technologies. Seating is limited and subject to availability. Advance registration is required no later than Wednesday, May 4. For convenience, a personalized name badge will be pre-printed with the information you provide below. (The information requested with a red asterisk * is required.) A confirmation will be sent via e-mail from registration@executivemediagroup.com to your e-mail address.