Member since May 2024
Dr. Sher Downing is Founder & CEO of Downing EdTech Consulting and Founder & Creator of The Entrepreneur Sandwich™, bringing 30 years of strategic leadership to the intersection of EdTech innovation, workforce policy, and inclusive entrepreneurship.
Sher spent decades advising on learning transformation and EdTech partnerships at the highest levels, holding C-suite roles at R1 research institutions and guiding companies through the complex landscape of institutional decision-making. Her deep expertise in digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and scaling innovation positioned her as a trusted advisor to both educational institutions and technology companies.
Now, she’s channeling that strategic lens toward a challenge hiding in plain sight: the 73% of business owners simultaneously managing enterprise growth and family caregiving. Through The Entrepreneur Sandwich™ framework and her forthcoming book Navigating The Entrepreneur Sandwich™ (February 2026, featuring contributions from Dorie Clark and Chip Conley), Sher provides research-backed strategies for sustainable business building that honors life’s full complexity.
Her work has been recognized by EdTech Digest (Leading Voice 2026-2027), Phoenix Business Journal (Top 50 Women Leaders in Arizona), Women in IT USA Awards, and featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review Ascend, and Brainz Magazine. As host of the Forward Thinking Experts podcast, she amplifies voices at the intersection of education, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Sher holds a PhD, Master of Legal Studies, and brings a perspective others miss: the vital connection between business strategy and human dignity.
I’m Dr. Sher Downing. For 30 years, I’ve advised on EdTech innovation and learning transformation. Now I’m bringing that strategic expertise to entrepreneurship—helping founders build sustainable businesses that don’t collapse when life gets complicated. I see what others miss: the connection between business strategy and human dignity.
My first go at technology and customer service was learning at my first job in a music store.
I was fortunate to grow my career as the EdTech industry came to be in our world. While working to create new programs and initiatives over thirty-five years was exciting, I found a common thread among everyone. It was to produce the minimum and expect the maximum results. At the same time, I had achieved the growth in my career that I had set to meet so the opportunity to take those years of skills and knowledge and be able to create and contribute to a new path naturally created the next level of my career.
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, colleges and universities are increasingly embracing online learning, leading to a substantial growth in their digital footprint. However, with this growth come significant challenges—high costs, scalability issues, and the need to balance support for both high-demand and low-enrollment programs. Despite implementing various reactive measures, a crucial gap often remains between online learning divisions and strategic planning, frequently neglecting considerations of institutional culture, cost-effectiveness, and return on investment.
This insightful presentation on navigating these challenges and positioning your institution for long-term success in the digital age. Drawing on my extensive experience in higher education and strategic planning, I will explore the pitfalls and opportunities associated with online learning. We'll delve into why many institutions initially turned to third-party revenue-sharing contracts only to find themselves financially strained, and how internal hiring practices can sometimes hinder effective program assessment and support.
Moreover, we will discuss the scalability strategies that some institutions have adopted—such as flooding the digital space with numerous online courses—and the unintended consequences of these approaches, including faculty competition and resentment. You'll learn why addressing students' genuine interests and satisfaction is critical for sustaining growth and achieving institutional goals.
This presentation will focus on five key elements essential for navigating the complex landscape of online learning:
1. **Understanding Institutional Culture**: Ensuring online learning initiatives align with your institution’s cultural identity.
2. **Securing Buy-In**: Garnering support from all stakeholders to ensure the success of online programs.
3. **Evaluating Cost-Effectiveness**: Assessing the financial implications of online learning to ensure sustainability.
4. **Assessing Return on Investment**: Measuring the success of online programs in terms of student satisfaction and institutional growth.
5. **Future Planning**: Using current data and experiences to inform strategic planning and future initiatives.
Valuable insights and practical strategies will be presented to help your institution thrive in the digital era. Let’s bridge the gap between online learning and strategic planning, ensuring your institution not only survives but excels in the competitive landscape of higher education or for companies seeking to integrate partnerships with institutions.
Presentation and workshop given for SCDSS attorneys (across state of South Carolina), training moderators and facilitators to handle negotiation conversations in hybrid situations, leading to compromise and resolve issues to minimize sending situations to the court system.
I was honored to be asked to speak as an alum to the 2023 Master of Legal Studies graduates at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. I was able to provide them with my perspective of utilizing my degree since 2010 and how the world is in constant change, providing them steps to be open to opportunities.
My first go at technology and customer service was learning at my first job in a music store.
I was fortunate to grow my career as the EdTech industry came to be in our world. While working to create new programs and initiatives over thirty-five years was exciting, I found a common thread among everyone. It was to produce the minimum and expect the maximum results. At the same time, I had achieved the growth in my career that I had set to meet so the opportunity to take those years of skills and knowledge and be able to create and contribute to a new path naturally created the next level of my career.
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, colleges and universities are increasingly embracing online learning, leading to a substantial growth in their digital footprint. However, with this growth come significant challenges—high costs, scalability issues, and the need to balance support for both high-demand and low-enrollment programs. Despite implementing various reactive measures, a crucial gap often remains between online learning divisions and strategic planning, frequently neglecting considerations of institutional culture, cost-effectiveness, and return on investment.
This insightful presentation on navigating these challenges and positioning your institution for long-term success in the digital age. Drawing on my extensive experience in higher education and strategic planning, I will explore the pitfalls and opportunities associated with online learning. We'll delve into why many institutions initially turned to third-party revenue-sharing contracts only to find themselves financially strained, and how internal hiring practices can sometimes hinder effective program assessment and support.
Moreover, we will discuss the scalability strategies that some institutions have adopted—such as flooding the digital space with numerous online courses—and the unintended consequences of these approaches, including faculty competition and resentment. You'll learn why addressing students' genuine interests and satisfaction is critical for sustaining growth and achieving institutional goals.
This presentation will focus on five key elements essential for navigating the complex landscape of online learning:
1. **Understanding Institutional Culture**: Ensuring online learning initiatives align with your institution’s cultural identity.
2. **Securing Buy-In**: Garnering support from all stakeholders to ensure the success of online programs.
3. **Evaluating Cost-Effectiveness**: Assessing the financial implications of online learning to ensure sustainability.
4. **Assessing Return on Investment**: Measuring the success of online programs in terms of student satisfaction and institutional growth.
5. **Future Planning**: Using current data and experiences to inform strategic planning and future initiatives.
Valuable insights and practical strategies will be presented to help your institution thrive in the digital era. Let’s bridge the gap between online learning and strategic planning, ensuring your institution not only survives but excels in the competitive landscape of higher education or for companies seeking to integrate partnerships with institutions.
Presentation and workshop given for SCDSS attorneys (across state of South Carolina), training moderators and facilitators to handle negotiation conversations in hybrid situations, leading to compromise and resolve issues to minimize sending situations to the court system.
I was honored to be asked to speak as an alum to the 2023 Master of Legal Studies graduates at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. I was able to provide them with my perspective of utilizing my degree since 2010 and how the world is in constant change, providing them steps to be open to opportunities.
