May’s Education Foundation Ambassador
Paula Reed Carter
National Director, Education Partnerships
Discovery Education
Mrs. Paula Reed Carter has been a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and a member of the Executive Committee, serving as the Secretary for approximately three years. She is a results-driven executive, who offers more than 20 years of experience and success in business development, relationship building for valued partnerships, and leadership. She is quite able to provide organizations key access to relationships with high level education (superintendents and administrators) personnel, political, and business leaders and offer strategic guidance in obtaining new relationships for growth. Throughout her career, she has launched a full-scale start-up recycling business for an international paper company with focus on philanthropic efforts for a K-12 education market. She has managed a $2.5M budget, P&L, logistics, strategic planning, government and vendor relations, sales, as well as, human resources and training. Recognized as a leader and visionary, she also established a University’s Outreach Marketing department focusing on national market growth and branding, through web marketing, event management, writing, editing, design and dynamic public speaking.
Paula earned her BA, Communications, from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1984. Has done graduate work at UMUC Leadership Management Development Program and coursework in Management Marketing, at the University of Maryland University College.
As the Director of National Education Partnerships, Mrs. Reed-Carter works at Discovery Education, Division of Discovery Communications. Discovery Education partners with school districts, dioceses, and charter schools around the world to transform teaching and learning and improve student achievement. From digital textbooks, standards-aligned curricular resources, and transformative professional development, Discovery Education supports schools as they make their digital transition and conversion. Reaching 50% of the schools in the United States with Baltimore County Public Schools being among them, they are proud to help transform schools one classroom, one educator, and one child at a time.
Paula is a corporate citizen and she, like the eyes of the company in which she works, believes that “the future of learning is now.” Her work includes traveling across the country visiting large urban and suburban school districts, and she states, “I have been most impressed by BCPS’ comprehensive plan for a 5 year digital conversion, with the priority on changing the look and feel of teaching and learning for 21st Century students. The leadership, administrators, and teachers have their eye on the prize, which is to make worldwide competitive students who are ready for a career and or college. Very seldom do you see everyone in a school district singing from the same hymnal as you do in BCPS. I share BCPS’ phenomenal success with folks throughout the nation and encourage them to visit BCPS to see how great leadership, a quality team of educators, focused on children, with vision and perseverance, leads to engaged students who are ready to take on the world.”
Mrs. Reed-Carter is known as creative, analytical, and an astute team builder and leader with experience managing multiple site locations, as well as, internal marketing and sales staff units. We are very fortunate to have her as a board member of the Foundation and applaud her many professional accomplishments.