Sacha Laustsen: Resume

Sacha J. Laustsen 42R Prospect Street, Marblehead, MA 617.905.2864, [email protected]

Summary Passion for accessible educational technologies, combined with extensive experience producing interactive content for the educational publishing industry. Enthusiasm for working with others— technical, creative, or otherwise—toward a set of common goals. Talent for identifying market opportunities and reacting with purposeful tenacity.

Professional Experience 1999-Present Thomson Higher Education/Thomson Learning 2006-Present Product Manager: Mobile Content, Ebooks, Thomson Higher Education

Boston, MA

Responsible for the development of market-driven media product lines and line extensions for digital and mobile content, e.g. e-Books, Audio (iPod and MP3), to be sold into both traditional adoption-based markets and direct-to-consumer markets. Responsible for life-cycle management of products from content development and customer functionality to strategic marketing.

2005-2006

Managing Technology Project Manager, World Languages Responsible for recruiting, managing, and training the Media Assistant for World Languages. Responsible for managing and producing all aspects of interactive media projects for the World Languages list including defining project plans, hiring/managing vendors, contractors, authors, and freelancers as well as resource management, communications, sales, marketing, and training.

Achievements: • • •

2004-2005

Product Managed the launch of iLrn Spanish from concept to campus. Responsible for overseeing all aspects of the feature set development, user interface, instructor and student workflows, content production, and customer support site. Presented iLrn Spanish to Thomson Investors at the annual Thomson CEO Exchange hosted by Dick Harrington. Managed technology for a $24 million list with the highest growth rate (12%) in the Humanities specialization of Thomson Higher Education in 2005.

Senior Technology Project Manager, World Languages, Spanish Responsible for managing and producing all aspects of interactive media projects for the Spanish list including defining project plans, hiring/managing vendors, contractors, authors, and freelancers as well as resource management, communications, sales, marketing, and training.

Achievements: •

2002-2004

2005 Codie Award Finalist, Best Educational Solution for Productivity/Creativity for Atajo, 4.0 Tutorial and Writing Assistant for Spanish

Technology Project Manager, World Languages Responsible for managing and producing all aspects of interactive media projects for the World Languages list including defining project plans, hiring/managing vendors, contractors, authors, and freelances as well as resource management, communications, sales, marketing, and training.

Achievements: • •

Facilitated collaboration with members of the editorial and marketing teams to identify market needs, analyze competition, and define project scope and goals. Worked in close contact with key members of production and manufacturing to successfully publish dozens of high-profile technology tools. Hired and managed vendors, freelancers, contractors, and internal resources for as many as 30 products at one time such as interactive websites, online tutorials, CD-ROMs, online courses, videos, DVDs, and e-texts.

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2000 – 2002

Managed production of the Tú Dirás Video, a Telly award winning Spanish video program filmed in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Responsible for annual project plate budgets totaling upwards of $2,000,000. Coordinated workflows by providing detailed project schedules for all key team members detailing resources, milestones, budgets, and deadlines. Facilitated technology training initiatives to coach marketing representatives and sales reps on how to drive sales of multimedia products. Frequently hosted technology focus groups, facilitated in-service trainings, and administered online marketing surveys to gather market needs for key business development. Thomson Learning Higher Education Technology Project Manager of the year in 2003.

Media Producer, World Languages, English, ESL

Achievements: •

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1999 - 2000

Pioneered development of products combining multiple highly acclaimed interactive platforms including multimedia CD-ROM interactivities; mark-up engines; interactive texts with animated examples, audio and video; and on-line course management tools. Developed and implemented modular, templatized, XML-based, interactive CD-ROM authoring system credited with significantly reducing development time and cost. Later pioneered migration of authoring environment online for language software products. Designed digital and print graphic assets for CD-ROM interfaces, DVD menus, video graphics, and silkscreen/sticker labels.

Technology Associate for Foreign Language Managed and Produced a list of technology products associated with the Heinle Foreign Language List such as Interactive Multimedia CD-ROMs, videos, and WebCT & Blackboard courses.

Education 1995- 1999

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana, PA

Bachelor of Arts, French for International Business, Dean’s List

1998

Université de Nancy

Nancy, France

Study abroad program for one semester in the Lorraine region of France with full course load.

1999

China Textile University

Shanghai, China

Mandarin certificate program in Shanghai, China.

2004

New England Institute of Art Certificate, Digital Graphic Design

Complete list of program and OS proficiencies available upon request.

Boston, MA