Empowering 28 Million Students and Teachers with Clever CEO Trish Sparks

Send us Fan MailTrish Sparks leads Clever as CEO. Previously she was VP of Customer Success and Sales. Trish came to Clever with a wealth of executive leadership experience at companies such as LinkedIn, where she scaled a global customer success organization, and at DemandBase, where she was Chief Customer Officer. As a North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholar, she started her career as a middle school teacher in Wake County Public Schools. Trish holds BS degrees in Business and Education as well as an MBA from Meredith College. After living in the Bay Area for 20 years, Trish now resides in Chapel Hill, NC.💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:How Clever has grown to serve 28 million students and teachers across the U.S.The role of digital identity platforms in securing and simplifying education technology.Insights from Clever’s “Classroom of the Future” report on AI adoption in education.How AI and automation are reducing teacher workloads and improving teaching conditions.Clever’s innovative cybersecurity solutions tailored for K-12 schools.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:02:47] Trish’s journey from teaching to leading Clever and her passion for EdTech.[00:04:54] The critical role of identity platforms in protecting student data and facilitating digital learning.[00:08:04] Key findings from Clever’s “Classroom of the Future” report[00:09:41] The rapid adoption of AI in EdTech and its evolving role in education[00:11:12] Cybersecurity challenges in K-12 schools and Clever’s solutions to mitigate risks.[00:14:44] Exciting EdTech trends, from addressing teacher shortages to advancing student data protection.😎 Stay updated with Edtech Insiders! Follow our Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyAmazon MusicSign up for the Edtech Insiders newsletter.Follow Edtech Insiders on LinkedIn!🎉 Presenting Sponsor:Innovation in preK to gray learning is powered by exceptional people. For over 15 years, EdTech companies of all sizes and stages have trusted HireEducation to find the talent that drives impact. When specific skills and experiences are mission-critical, HireEducation is a partner that delivers. Offering permanent, fractional, and executive recruitment, HireEducation knows the go-to-market talent you need. Learn more at HireEdu.com. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.