As part of our focus on customer experience, we’re thrilled to introduce you to EdSmart’s Product Operations Team.
These are the people who are taking your calls, guiding your onboarding, actioning your feedback, and helping refine and develop the EdSmart platform to further meet the requirements of K-12 schools globally.
Read on to get to know them better and put a face to the name the next time you find yourself talking with one of the team (we promise they’re friendly and don’t bite).
Lars Field
Role: DevOps Integration Engineer
Date started at EdSmart: 15th April 2024
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-field-b6a24448/
What are your responsibilities at EdSmart?
“My primary responsibility is to configure and maintain integrations between our platform and various third-party platforms. Additionally, I handle a variety of tasks that span different aspects of our operations, from automating processes to troubleshooting technical issues, making sure our platform runs smoothly and efficiently for our users."
What is your work history?
“With over 10 years of experience across technology, GRC, and education industries, I feel well-prepared for my role at EdSmart. My career began as a junior software engineer, where I developed my technical skills. I then advanced to Assistant Product Manager, gaining valuable insights into product development and management. Finally, I transitioned to a DevOps engineer position, focusing on automation, integration and improving operational efficiency. Through these roles, I've gained a wide range of skills that I can use in my current position at EdSmart.”
Describe something unique you bring to the EdSmart customer experience.
“I’d say it’s my ability to bridge the gap between technical solutions and customer needs. My deep understanding of the intricacies of integration and automation allows me to tailor our platform to meet the specific demands of our users. I’m passionate about making sure our customers find our platform not only functional but also enjoyable to use, and I always look for new ways to simplify and enhance their interactions with our software."
What are you most excited for in the coming year?
“I’m particularly excited about following the progress of SpaceX's Starship development as it advances toward routine launches and landings. Additionally, I look forward to the preparations and developments for the Artemis 2 mission, which will send astronauts on a lunar flyby for the first time since 1972. On a professional level, I look forward to contributing to innovative projects at EdSmart that continue to enhance our platform and improve the user experience for our customers.”
What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?
“Most people are surprised to learn that my name, spelled 'Lars', is pronounced 'Larsh', which is characteristic of certain Southern Norwegian dialects. The only piece of media where I’ve heard my name pronounced correctly is in the movie The Thing (1982), where the Norwegian scientists pronounce it 'Larsh' while the American scientists say 'Lars'."
Amanda Leslie
Role: Senior Project Coordinator
Date started at EdSmart: April 2023
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda–leslie/
What are your responsibilities at EdSmart?
“I work on project deliverables for EdSmart’s enterprise accounts. This involves a lot of ongoing communication with key contacts and others in the EdSmart Product Operations team, as well as ‘moving the needle’ on a daily basis with frequent priority reviews and task pivoting.”
What is your work history?
“I actually began my career in early childhood education across the community and private sectors, which I did for 10 years. Then I had a complete career change for the pandemic and moved into employment services/job coaching to assist the unemployed in pivoting their skillset to align with the new job market and running digital training sessions for using the online platforms.”
Describe something unique you bring to the EdSmart customer experience.
“I’m genuinely excited about change and improvement of administration across schools. I’m a positive and enthusiastic person, and I also have empathy and understanding of the frustrations in educational admin. I’m very team-focused and love celebrating the wins across the team, not just my own. I think I also bring a bigger picture vision of what’s needed now.”
What are you most excited for in the coming year?
“Enterprise was just an idea when I started at EdSmart – now it's almost deployed! That's super cool! I'm looking forward to seeing it go live and have customers use it. I’m excited about growing with the EdSmart team, getting married in April 2025 and watching our 4 fur-babies grow.”
What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?
“I’ve always loved animals, growing up with chickens, ducks, rabbits, birds and a dog, but I never used to like cats. It wasn’t until Ernie unexpectedly fell into my life when I moved out of home that I became a cat fan! Now with my husband-to-be, we have two cats and two huskies!”
Sai Prakash Sadhu
Role: Helpdesk Support Specialist
Date started at EdSmart: 15th April 2024
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svssaiprakash/
What are your responsibilities at EdSmart?
“I provide frontline support by working on support tickets and answering customer calls to assist with their issues. I follow up with relevant teams regarding existing tickets and escalate them if necessary. Additionally, I run training sessions and team meetings, educate users on our software features and maintain our knowledge base. Collaborating with development and QA teams to address bugs and enhancement requests, monitoring system performance, and staying updated on industry trends are also key parts of my role.”
What is your work history?
“I have extensive experience in customer service and support, effectively managing customer issues via ticketing systems and various communication channels. My skills include troubleshooting technical problems, providing comprehensive support and guidance, conducting training sessions and collaborating with teams to resolve escalated issues. I have a strong background in maintaining knowledge bases and ensuring customer satisfaction through proactive and efficient service delivery.”
Describe something unique you bring to the EdSmart customer experience.
“I feel it’s my ability to translate complex technical issues into simple, understandable terms for our users. This skill ensures that customers feel supported and confident in using our platform, regardless of their technical background.”
What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?
“Most people are surprised that my graduation was in life sciences, yet I found my true calling in the customer service field. Despite starting with a different academic background, I’ve now been thriving in the customer service industry for over 10 years. It’s been an unexpected but incredibly rewarding journey.”
Lisa Symons
Role: Product Delivery Manager
Date started at EdSmart: 15th April 2024
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-symons-181909296/
What are your responsibilities at EdSmart?
“I’m responsible for sprint delivery and bug resolution. Working closely with engineers across all EdSmart applications, I test and troubleshoot the bugs reported by clients through support. I collaborate with Product Operations and DevOps teams to ensure every ticket is resolved, from initial diagnosis to final release.”
What is your work history?
“My career has centred around quality assurance and product ownership. Since 2013, I’ve worked across healthcare products and risk management software. I started as a Beta Quality Tester, progressed to Product Owner, and now serve as a Product Delivery Manager."
Describe something unique you feel you bring to the EdSmart customer experience.
“I bring a strong attention to detail and a commitment to high-quality software testing. My focus is on delivering thorough, efficient testing that ensures we meet deadlines and provide reliable solutions across all products."
What are you most excited for in the coming year?
“I'm excited about the continued growth of EdSmart's applications and diving into solving challenges for our key account clients. I'm looking forward to reaching key milestones and reflecting on how far our hard work has taken us.”
What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?
“I'm a very social mother who adores being a boy mum.” I've been a Mariah Carey fan since I was 12 years old.”
Oskar Turner
Role: Helpdesk Support Specialist
Date started at EdSmart: 27th May 2024
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oskar-turner-9ab505309/
What are your responsibilities at EdSmart?
“I assist customers by answering calls and resolving their issues through support tickets. If I can’t solve a problem, I collaborate with other team members to ensure the ticket receives the necessary attention.”
What is your work history?
“I acquired valuable experience in shipping and logistics through my work in fuel ship refuelling where I ensured efficient and safe fuel operations. I also completed a landscaping apprenticeship, gaining expertise in outdoor maintenance, gardening and landscape design.”
Describe something unique you bring to the EdSmart customer experience.
“I bring a friendly and patient approach to every customer interaction, ensuring our clients feel heard and supported. My background in shipping logistics and landscaping has taught me to handle diverse challenges efficiently and creatively, which helps me provide practical solutions and a positive experience for EdSmart customers.”
What are you most excited for in the coming year?
“Further developing my own knowledge of EdSmart’s products and services. I really look forward to refining my technical skills, forging strong relationships with our customers and playing a vital role in the continued success of the support and broader team.”
What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?
“Most people are surprised that, at 20 years old, I have four years of experience working in ship refuelling. It’s an exciting and unique job that taught me much about logistics and safety.”
