All you need to know, from the ones who know it best.
Edge2Learn was born from a deep understanding of the needs of multifamily professionals. Our affiliate, Ellis Partners in Management Solutions, has been offering services to optimize the customer experience since 1984, and realized an industry need for training and development centered around real property management issues. Edge2Learn is led by those same seasoned management professionals.
Over
150 years Multifamily training experience is represented by our Edge2Learn
Leadership Team.
“For
leadership to be effective, it must be built on a solid foundation consisting
of a clear mission, a vision for the future, a specific strategy, and a culture
conducive to success.”
We
know the success of our organization begins with our leadership. We strive for
superior service and we incorporate that commitment at all touch points. Our
leadership team is available, approachable and involved day-to-day for our
clients and each other. Our clients gain 24/7 access to a wealth of Multifamily
industry knowledge and expertise, as well as the peace of mind that comes from
being partnered with the best. We offer
the highest level of quality service through the effective collaboration of a
select group of skilled professionals.
If
you are seeking an experienced eLearning company that specializes in all facets
of property management, you can feel confident in trusting Edge2Learn to help
you make the most of your investment. We offer professional, personalized property
management services within all the major disciplines in the industry. Behind
each of our leaders is a highly skilled individual with decades of experience
possessing expert qualifications, education, and the ability to effectively
offer the best service available.
Our
goal is to exceed expectations of our clients, industry partners and each
other. We strive to bring a fresh and
creative approach to learning in the Multifamily Industry.
Executive Team
Joanna Ellis, CAPS
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
With a decades-long understanding of the sales and retention process, Joanna created Edge2Learn as a natural progression of her commitment to help property management companies improve sales and customer service while avoiding liability. She is a strong proponent of the integrated customer experience, and thrives on working with companies to impact the performance of onsite teams through coordinated feedback and training solutions.
Joanna has spent more than 25 years in the multifamily industry and holds both the Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and Certified Apartment Property Supervisor (CAPS) designations from the National Apartment Association. She is also a licensed Texas real estate agent. Joanna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business degree from Texas A&M University.
In honor of EPMS’ reputation for integrity, the Dallas Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals awarded Ms. Ellis, on behalf of the company, the 2008 Greater Dallas Business Ethics Award for mid-size companies.The Society of Financial Service Professionals established the American Business Ethics Award to honor companies that demonstrate a firm commitment to ethical business practices in everyday operations, management philosophies, and responses to crises or challenges. More information is provided at http://www.gdbea.org.
Francis Chow, CPA
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
As the Chief Strategy Officer of Edge2Learn and Ellis Partners in Management Solutions, Francis’ expertise includes the development and evolution of Ellis’ customer experience programs geared toward the internal customer (employee) and the external customer (resident), bringing those experiences to life.
Francis’ previous background and expertise in the retail and consumer products industries, lends well to creating value for each employee and customer experience.
Francis is a Certified Public Accountant. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Business Arts degree in Accounting, Organizational Behavior and Business Policy and a minor in Economics.
Lan Lam
Chief Learning Innovation Officer
Lan has spent the last 20 years educating, engaging, motivating, and connecting with learners. Her career has been built around helping organizations to transform their learning and performance solutions into leading programs that leverage technology and keep pace with the shifting needs of modern learners.
Lan holds a Master’s Degree in Instructional Systems Design and Technology and is most passionate about creating innovative and effective learner experiences. Lan joins Edge2Learn with a vision that anticipates the future potential of learning and technology. Her approach is anchored by proven learning and cognitive processing methodologies and her expertise is drawn from decades of collaborative efforts with forward-thinking clients spanning various industries.
Management Team
Emily Garner
Director of Client Experience
Emily joined Edge2Learn in 2017; she is a 20 year veteran of the multifamily industry and true training professional. Emily has displayed her talents as a Regional Trainer, Marketing Coordinator, and Marketing & Training Director in addition to leading national training client accounts.
Maria Lawson
Learning Strategy Consultant
Passionate about generational research, Maria has played a leading role in the apartment industry for over 25 years. Maria has worked with Ellis, Partners in Management Solutions since 2007, writing and designing training materials focused on teaching the on-site teams on how to understand and work with their colleagues and customers of all generations. She applies her insight into generational differences to develop training for Edge2Learn that is relevant to the four unique generations now in the workplace
Maria’s career started with Lincoln Property Company, where she held almost every onsite position over a span of 16 years, earning the Vice President of Marketing and Training.
Maria has earned her Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) certification. She attended Broward Community College in Florida and Kaiser Paralegal College in Florida.
Pam Roberts Pederson
Director of Engagement and Communications
Pam has over 30 years of progressive experience developing and presenting training, including HUD compliance programs beginning in 1986 when she joined the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1989, she continued her career at the Gene B. Glick Company becoming the Director of Training in 2003. Her love of training led her to join Grace Hill in 2012. Pam became a member of the Edge2Learn team in 2017 to share her passion for training, along with a superior customer experience for clients.
Pam has a unique ability to provide training materials in a captivating and entertaining format and facilitates presentations nationally. Her experience also includes creating and branding training initiatives and utilizing social media, email, newsletters, and webinars. She serves as a volunteer, working with the Indiana Apartment Association for over 14 years, receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2011, and previously served as a board member.
Carla Samford
Director of Learning Strategy Solutions
Carla found her passion for the property management industry after earning a degree in Residential Property Management from Virginia Tech. She immediately began her career with Trammell Crow Residential Services where she remained for 11 years as the company evolved, later joining Cornerstone Realty as their Director of Training and ultimately becoming Vice President of Training and Development for Colonial Properties. Carla then focused her expertise exclusively on multifamily e-Learning and development for the next 11 years, directly prior to joining the Edge2Learn team in 2017.
Carla knows individual performance leads to organizational success. For this reason, she enjoys working with leaders in the industry and getting to know each company and their unique training needs. Carla provides custom solutions to meet specific company training goals and objectives.
Michelle Williamson
Learning Systems Support Specialist
Michelle has been working with our affiliate, Ellis Partners in Management Solutions, since 2005. She has over 20 years of technical support and customer service experience and truly enjoys helping our clients to have the best LMS experience. In 2017, she was recruited for her service talents to the Edge2Learn team.
Kathy Vance
Learning Strategy Consultant
With a proven history of providing learning and development solutions designed to support critical corporate initiatives and improve individual and team performance, Kathy is a key member of the Edge2Learn team. Her expertise encompasses teaching adult learning in the classroom, developing webinars and designing eLearning content.
Kathy is an NAAEI Certified Instructor and has facilitated CAM courses online and in the classroom since 1999. Previously Kathy worked for Equity Residential for almost 20 years in operations and learning and development. She is passionate about inspiring others to be their best self through coaching, personal and professional development support, and delivering exceptional learning events, all in a motivational and engaging environment.
Kathy graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and is also a graduate of Accomplishment Coaching, an affiliate of the International Coach Federation. She is certified in facilitating Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation and Behaviour (FIRO-B), and California Psychological Inventory (CPI).
