My Balanced Life Let’s talk

I know what leadership asks of you.

I’m Samantha Ventura. My career has taken me from statewide education programs to global executive leadership. I’ve built workforce partnerships, led organizational change, and helped boards connect strategy with investment. I bring that experience to the decisions and people you are responsible for.

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Portrait of Samantha Ventura outdoors near a lake

I listen before
I recommend.

The people closest to a problem often know what is wrong. They need a place to say it, and a reason to believe someone will listen.

I ask questions and help the group put the issue into words. That gives us something specific to address.

I recommend the support the situation calls for, including when a smaller step will do.

The experience I bring to your team.

About

Global leadership and strategy

As Senior Vice President of Education and Training at CEDIA, I led teams responsible for education, curriculum, workforce development, and industry standards, including education across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. I worked with executive leadership and the Board of Directors on long-term strategy and the resources to carry it out.

I built partnerships with universities, workforce boards, state agencies, and industry leaders. I also secured philanthropic support for programs and led organizational change. That experience shapes the questions I ask about a plan: who it serves, what it requires, and how people will put it into practice.

Learning that opens career opportunities

As Vice President of Operations and Learning Initiatives at DevOps Library, a global education nonprofit, I connected technology education with mentoring and employer partnerships for underrepresented talent.

I also built the systems behind those programs, from staff recruitment and coaching to grant reporting and tracking learner progress. I understand how much has to happen inside an organization for a good idea to reach the people it is meant to help.

Teaching people who learn differently

At Indiana University Bloomington, I taught writing and communication alongside my leadership roles. At HighPoint Global, I developed national curricula and leadership training for federal agencies. My role at McGraw-Hill Education included designing courses for adult learners and training educators across the country.

I have taught and designed learning for multilingual students, first-generation college students, and adults returning to education. I bring that attention to how people learn into every session I lead.

Education and community access

At the Indiana Department of Education, I served as Chief Reading Specialist, directed the state’s Reading Is Fundamental program, and advised on grant writing. I led literacy and family-engagement initiatives, advocated for migrant and multilingual students, and helped school administrators secure support for their programs.

Earlier, at Southwestern Community College District in California, I created Smart Bridge to help high school students prepare for college. I also supported AmeriCorps participants entering employment and helped connect student parents with affordable childcare. Those experiences continue to shape how I think about participation: what would make it possible for someone to contribute?

“Samantha Ventura is one of the most effective leaders I have worked with. Her energy is contagious, and she is the epitome of a servant leader.”

David PedigoChief Operating Officer, Trinnov

“Samantha is driven to develop people at their core, to become great people, team players, and inspiring leaders. Her candid nature is refreshing, always nudging the bar just a bit higher.”

Jamie BriesemeisterCEO and Co-Founder, Integration Controls

“She builds trust quickly, raises expectations, and leaves teams stronger than she found them.”

Derick AbshireDirector of Professional Development and Training, Indiana Professional Management Group

“I did not expect to learn as much as I did. She is probably the most charismatic instructor I have ever had, period. She used real world examples that did not shame anybody but made us think. This was hands down a life changing class for me.”

Darryl LocknerLearner, Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace, Indiana University

“Professor Ventura is the most engaging teacher I have ever had. She makes you think about things in an entirely different way and completely outside the box. I loved going to her class.”

Emily HakesLearner, Organizational Ethics and Values, IU Indianapolis

What you can expect from me.

In the words of a former student: “She used real world examples that did not shame anybody but made us think.” That is the standard I hold for every room.

Listen closely

I learn the people and the context before I design anything.

Ask the next question

I help people name the issue they have been working around.

Design for participation

More than one way to think, speak, and contribute. Not everyone processes out loud.

Follow through

We connect the conversation to decisions, responsibilities, and what happens when everyone returns.

Recognition and published coverage.

My years at CEDIA included developing new ways for people to learn and build a career in the industry.

Education through a period of change

As CEDIA’s Senior Vice President of Education and Training, I led programs that helped people build their skills and careers. Our 2021 conference brought together in-person learning and on-demand classes.

Read the CEDIA Expo announcement · June 2021

Find me on LinkedIn

Tell me about your team.

Tell me what is happening and what kind of support you are considering. We can decide whether my experience is a fit.

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