Janelle Simmonds is passionate about advancing education at the intersection of academia and industry. She has used her expertise in university/industry partnerships, organizational strategy, and online learning to positively impact institutions and individuals throughout the course of her career in both higher education and the corporate sector.
Janelle is the Global Enablement Lead for the Academic & Future Workforce Strategy team at Siemens Digital Industries Software. She is responsible for content and credential strategy, equipping learners and educators with resources to prepare the future workforce with the skills needed to succeed in industry.
Before joining Siemens, she led the Partnership Development team at the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation, and formerly served as Chief of Staff to the Office of the Provost at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Previously she spent 12 years overseas, working in international pathways education in the UK and Europe. During that time, she leveraged her prior career expertise to teach PR, marketing, advertising, and business development to students from across the world. At Kaplan International Pathways, she served as a lecturer and curriculum consultant, then as a program leader, college director, and associate director of the Center for Learning Innovation & Quality.
Janelle holds a BA in Communications and International Studies, and an MA in Communication from Wayne State University. She also completed an executive coaching certification from the University of Michigan, and provides coaching and consulting to empower leaders and teams in moving toward their goals.