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Renee Patton

Former Global Director of Education and Healthcare

Global Industry Solutions Group

Renee Patton was the leader of Global Education and Healthcare at Cisco.  In this role, she was responsible for Cisco’s go-to-market strategy for these two industries and managed a team of education and healthcare consultants who help customers realize their visions through the logical placement of technology within schools, colleges, universities, and healthcare institutions.

She has over 25 years of business, management, sales, and marketing experience in both small start-up and large corporate environments, including Siemens. She ran her own marketing consulting firm for over seven years prior to joining Cisco full time.

Prior to moving into US Public Sector, Renee served as Worldwide Industry Marketing Education Lead within Cisco’s Corporate Marketing Organization where she was responsible for developing Cisco’s education messaging platform and driving Cisco’s position in the education market.  Prior to this role, she managed Cisco’s national E-rate Program and served as the lead for US Education Field Marketing.

While studying for her Master’s Degree in Education from Stanford, Renee began teaching high school English and French, coaching cross-country, and moderating the student yearbook and newspaper.  She then spent four years on the Los Gatos-Saratoga JUHS Board of Trustees and was responsible for managing policy and a $20M district budget.

She brings a clear perspective to addressing business issues and an in-depth understanding of the K-12 and Higher Education markets.  She is particularly interested in trends driving the massive shift in education delivery models, new educational approaches, and ways that technology can help to engage learners and prepare teachers.  Renee is a Lions' Club Member and is on the board  of the Los Gatos High School Alumni Association.  She holds a BA degree in English from Santa Clara University and an MA in Education from Stanford University.

 

Articles

May 2, 2020

EDUCATION

Update: Time to submit your video for Connect Your Classroom Contest!

2 min read

In our last blog we announced the Connect Your Classroom Contest and the opening of pre-registration. Sponsored by Cisco and our friends at the Center of Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC), the contest invites K-12 teachers in the U.S. to tell us how they’re using technology to enable collaboration in their classrooms. Since that announcement, […]

February 17, 2020

EDUCATION

Connect Your Classroom Contest: How are You Using Technology to Drive Collaboration?

2 min read

Are you a K-12 teacher located within the US? Tell us how you’re enabling collaboration within your classroom! Check out the Connect Your Classroom Contest details and share your interest before February 28 and you’ll receive a free Webex Teams license (first 300 entrants) upon your submission, once entry intake opens on March 2, 2020!

November 8, 2019

EDUCATION

A Lesson in STEM: When a Teacher Becomes Student, It’s a Game Changer

2 min read

The CyberPatriot competition and Cisco Networking Academy are helping schools empower a new generation of STEM education. Find out how.

October 17, 2019

EDUCATION

The Future of Education

3 min read

The future of education opens a new world of possibility. Explore how technology will shape the teaching, learning, and communities of tomorrow.

July 11, 2019

EDUCATION

Teachers as Problem Solvers: Mars Classroom Simulator Puts Technology in Students’ Hands

2 min read

In my last post, I discussed the impact of Teachers as entrepreneurs. After returning from the International Society for Education Technology (ISTE) 2019 show, I’m thinking about teachers as...

June 19, 2019

EDUCATION

Teachers as Entrepreneurs: Applying Ed Tech to Better Learning Outcomes

3 min read

I happened across a great (albeit non-Webster’s) definition of “entrepreneur” from the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center website today: -- Entrepreneur/ noun en.tre.pre.neur Someone who’s willing to sacrifice sleep, sanity,...

February 28, 2019

EDUCATION

Creating Learning Spaces that Promote Active Learning

2 min read

Learning can take place anytime, anywhere, and on any device.  Learning is no longer confined to a physical time or location – it happens in spaces that transcend traditional, physical...

January 24, 2019

EDUCATION

From Places to Spaces: Taking Learning Beyond the Classroom Walls

2 min read

Do you remember when school used to be a place? Do you recall going to a building, finding a classroom, locating your desk, and sitting in your row for an...

April 5, 2018

EDUCATION

My Top 3 takeaways from CoSN 2018

3 min read

Designing Learning in the 4th Industrial Revolution was the CoSN theme, and I’ve thought about what this industrial revolution, connecting the physical, digital, and biological worlds, might mean to educators.

March 19, 2018

EDUCATION

Going digital? 5 change management tips for schools

2 min read

Managing the convergence of technology and pedagogy can be challenging. Discover how these 5 organizational change management strategies can help you create next-generation learning environments.

October 12, 2017

EDUCATION

Cisco, E-rate, and the Digital Journey in K-12

1 min read

New and emerging technologies are fueling exciting innovation in education, and students are embracing new ways of learning. Funding support from the E-rate program helps make technology investments more affordable.

July 13, 2017

EDUCATION

Solving the Puzzle of 21st Century Learning in a New Way

1 min read

What happens when students are put on a bus full of technology and asked to problem-solve in a new way? They learn to collaborate, create and think critically. This is the concept behind iSchool Initiative’s “Escape the Bus” challenge. The bus has mobilized the popular escape room concept into a classroom on wheels. Players must […]

November 7, 2016

EDUCATION

Final Thoughts from EDUCAUSE 2016

1 min read

While EDUCAUSE 2016 has come and gone, there were countless introductions and insights presented last week that will influence higher education until Philadelphia next year. One of the highlights this year was the launch of the new Cisco Digital Education Platform.  This platform makes it easier for colleges and universities to offer online courses and programs […]

October 28, 2016

EDUCATION

EDUCAUSE 2016: Update from the Show

2 min read

Hello from Anaheim! I’ve had the chance to connect with tons of colleges and universities at EDUCAUSE 2016, and there have been many great breakout sessions. By far, the biggest trend this year is digital everything. Everywhere I look, digital challenges and solutions are front and center. In fact, according to a recent Campus Computing survey, […]

October 27, 2016

EDUCATION

Virtual Courses Are Now Second Nature

2 min read

With EDUCAUSE in full swing, Cisco is thrilled to announce the launch of a new Digital Education Platform – right from the show floor in Anaheim, California!

March 23, 2016

EDUCATION

Upcoming Webinar: Pennsylvania School uses E-Rate to Deploy Meraki Solution

1 min read

Schools districts all around the country have been using E-rate funding to spark a digital transformation in their classrooms.

March 10, 2016

EDUCATION

Don’t Wait, Apply for E-rate!

2 min read

E-Rate applications are due April 29th! If you are unsure what E-Rate can do for you, these Cisco resources help with what you need to know -- now.

February 29, 2016

EDUCATION

Learn How to Lead the Digital Transformation in Higher Education

1 min read

Have you heard? There’s a digital revolution coming, and it’s going to change higher education as we know it. Colleges and universities are facing societal shifts and changing attitudes towards higher education, but modern technology can help improve both the academic and administrative experience. This digital revolution – and the broader digitization of higher education […]

February 4, 2016

EDUCATION

Using E-Rate to lead a Digital Transformation in Education

1 min read

For many businesses, technology has become an integral part of operations, transforming the way people learn, think, and do their jobs. With the right tools, K-12 school districts can experience these same transformational benefits. Digital transformation in education means using technology to create better access to educational experiences for students. That can be using mobile […]

November 11, 2015

EDUCATION

Learning from EDUCAUSE 2015

2 min read

EDUCAUSE is always one of my favorite conferences, and this year was no exception. While many of the discussion topics weren’t new, they did focus on issues that are gaining steam, such as mobile device management (MDM) and how to prevent cybersecurity breaches. Last week, I shared some of the things I was hearing on […]

October 29, 2015

EDUCATION

Checking in from EDUCAUSE 2015

2 min read

Hello from EDUCAUSE 2015! I’m checking in from Indianapolis to share a little bit about what has been discussed so far. Yesterday, I heard an excellent general session from Daniel Pink, had the chance to attend multiple sessions on everything from the affordability of course materials to the personalization of the student experience, and spoke […]

October 21, 2015

EDUCATION

No Limits on Learning

1 min read

EDUCAUSE 2015 – one of the leading events in higher education – will take place starting on October 27th in Indianapolis, Indiana. The conference gives national education experts a chance to hear from industry leaders and learn about the latest technology developments in higher education. Here at Cisco we’re excited to return to EDUCAUSE again […]

September 30, 2015

EDUCATION

Summary – #WednesdayWalkabout Series: Learn Without Limits

1 min read

What if… …We lived in a world where each and every child has equal access to a quality education… …A place where all students can learn new and innovative skills,...