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3 minute read
The best stories help us understand where we’ve been, make sense of where we are, and imagine what is possible. As I begin my new role as Publisher and President of Gibbs Smith Education, I’m excited to join an organization dedicated to helping students and educators do just that.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside educators, state leaders, and education organizations committed to helping students succeed. My work has taken me from building relationships with schools and state agencies to leading teams and developing strategies that bring educational programs and services to communities across the country and, in some cases, to students outside our borders.
Most recently, I served as Managing Director of Pearson's U.S. K–12 School Assessment business, where I worked with talented colleagues across content, operations, technology, sales, and program management. Together, we strengthened our work, supported our customers, and found new ways to meet education's changing needs.
Those experiences reinforced something I believe deeply: the most meaningful work in education begins with listening. When we listen to educators, students, families, and communities, we better understand what they need—and how we can support them.
Why Gibbs Smith Education?
I was drawn to Gibbs Smith Education because its purpose speaks directly to what has motivated me throughout my career: a belief in education's power to open minds, create opportunity, and strengthen communities.
Social studies has a role in that work. Social studies helps students explore the people, places, events, and ideas that have shaped our world. It invites them to ask questions, examine evidence, consider different perspectives, and connect the past to the present. Those skills matter in the classroom and throughout students’ lives.
Gibbs Smith Education’s commitment to accurately telling the stories of our collective past and creating authentic learning experiences resonated with me. So did its commitment to giving educators the tools to bring those stories to life.
I was also inspired by the company’s culture. As an independent, employee-owned publisher and certified B Corporation, Gibbs Smith brings a sense of shared responsibility to its work. Its people are personally invested in the organization's success and the communities it serves. That combination of purpose, ownership, and care is meaningful to me.
Lisa Lepic (r.) with Program Specialist Katie Forsell (l.) at the 2026 Iowa CSS Conference
What I’ve learned since joining
Since joining Gibbs Smith Education, I’ve spent time listening, learning, and getting to know the people behind our work. What has stood out most is their commitment—to our customers, to one another, and to creating resources that make a difference for educators and students.
I’ve seen the care that goes into educational publishing: the research, conversations, creativity, and attention to detail required to develop materials that teachers can trust. I’ve also come to appreciate the many people whose expertise contributes to that work, from editorial and design to sales, customer support, production, and beyond.
I’ve learned that the strength of Gibbs Smith Education is found not only in the resources we create, but also in the relationships we build. Educators and school leaders have important goals for their students, and our opportunity is to listen closely, understand their needs, and be a partner they can count on.
These early conversations have also reminded me how much potential lies ahead. Education continues to evolve, and so must the ways we support teaching and learning. I’m energized by the opportunity to build on our foundation while exploring new ideas, strengthening partnerships, and finding thoughtful ways to reach more students and educators.
Looking ahead, together
As I begin this chapter, I’m excited to work alongside our employee-owners, educators, partners, and communities to shape the future of Gibbs Smith Education.
Together, we can keep creating meaningful social studies experiences that spark curiosity, support teachers, and help students develop the knowledge and skills to engage with the world around them. We can honor the stories that have brought us here while remaining open to new perspectives and possibilities.
To our educators and partners: thank you for the work you do every day and for allowing us to be part of it. To my new colleagues: thank you for the warm welcome and for the dedication you bring to our mission.
I’m grateful to be here, excited about what we can accomplish together, and ready to begin this next chapter with you.
