TeacherMade: Ed Tech Made for Your Classroom

I’ve been an ed tech publisher since 1995, back when CD-ROMs were first arriving on the scene. So it’d been a couple of decades since I’d been in front of a classroom so I took the opportunity to return in 2019. Lots had changed but much was the same. The interactive whiteboards and chromebooks were a huge improvement, but there was still a lot of paper floating around. Our district paid big $$$ for assessment systems yet we were throwing away reams of formative data. Meanwhile, our paper-based activities had to be hand-graded and returned to students, often many days after they’d moved on. Technology was a big part of grading and lesson planning, but had yet to transform most of the teaching and learning taking place in the classroom.

My partner, Brad Smith, and I started designing a web-based teacher productivity tool that would turn the printed pages of any classroom into engaging digital activities. Teachers would be happier, less stressed, and more productive. They could reuse their favorite materials so they didn’t have to reinvent the wheel… ! And they’d be capturing formative data in an actionable manner.

We were taking our time to design the platform properly… and then COVID hit! All of a sudden our laconic pace was replaced with a frenetic race to get TeacherMade into your hands as quickly as possible!! We launched on September 8th, 2020 and have been building what is now the most feature-rich classroom teaching tool available today.

Teachers love TeacherMade thanks to you. — Laura Bresko, CEO – September 2023

Brad Smith and Laura Bresko, the co-founders of TeacherMade.com, have spent all of their lives in the education world. Raised in families of Teachers– aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers and, most importantly, moms who all taught school, there was little doubt where they’d direct their professional attention. Coming of age during the 80s and 90s, they combined their natural attraction to technology with their education DNA. They’ve been making impactful edtech ever since. They’re happiest when they’re solving problems for Teachers– the beautiful, caring people who build the future each and every day. We’re all “Teacher-made.”

Meet the TeacherMade Team Members Who Take Care of You Every Day

Though there are many professionals who make TeacherMade possible, from software developers and data analysts to content specialists and web designers, these are the people you’re most likely to interact with. Take a moment to get to know Jen and Kate, Matt and Nate so they’re more than just a voice on the phone or an email in your Inbox!

Jen Chorma, Your School Sales Manager

Hi! I’m Jennifer Chorma. I have been an educator for 29+ years. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Geneseo State University in NY and a Masters of Education degree in School Counseling from the University of West Alabama. I started out as a research chemist but that was not for me. (I like to talk too much 😉 I have a passion for all things education so I went into the classroom in (ahem…) 1992. I became familiar with TeacherMade as a high school chemistry Teacher when COVID hit and everyone was scrambling to come up with a “remote education plan.” TeacherMade was a LIFESAVER, so I became the School Sales Manager in addition to my virtual teaching job.

I have two daughters who are amazing. My oldest daughter works and takes care of my grandson. My youngest daughter is attending Valdosta State University where she is a member of the Cross Country Track team.

Currently my husband and I are “digital nomads” living and working in our 29 foot RV as we travel around the country. Our goal is to run and hike in as many national and state parks as we can before our knees give out, while sampling the local pizza places along the way. We’ve visited 40 states so far and are looking forward to seeing all of this magnificent country.

Matt Slattery, TeacherMade's Product Manager

Matt comes to TeacherMade with 30 years experience making Teacher-friendly platforms and curricular materials. In the late 90s, he created the first instructional management system for The Learning Company School Division bringing popular home titles like Word Munchers, Cluefinders and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing to the classroom. From there, he was a founding member and ran product development for SkillsTutor, a basic skills instruction tool that served millions of students. After eight years at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, he served as CTO of Calvert Education for some time, and… finally! He arrived at TeacherMade and is thrilled to do whatever it takes to help make Teacher’s lives a little easier every day. (Matt’s wife is a Teacher 🙂

Kate Howie, Your Customer Success Manager

Hello! Most of you know me from our TeacherMade Community Forum. Officially, my title is Teacher Success Manager, but you can just call me Kate. My main focus is making sure all of our TeacherMaders are finding answers that lead to success when using our amazing app.

I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Business Administration and live in Boston, Massachusetts now. Between graduation and joining the TeacherMade adventure in September of 2020, I completed a year of service with City Year. I worked as a math tutor in a 10th grade classroom at The Jeremiah E Burke High School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. It was an awesome and humbling experience where I developed great respect for the work that Teachers do everyday!

I’m excited to be working in EdTech as that’s always been a passion of mine. However, I could definitely see myself re-entering the classroom down the road and, as our CEO Laura always says, moving somewhere much warmer than New England!

Nathan Cofield - TeacherMade's Digital Marketing Specialist

Hailing from the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Nathan spent five years teaching AP US History, Government, and Economics at Princeton ISD while coaching football and basketball. Now at TeacherMade, he’s a marketer and data analyst, specializing in email campaigns and newsletters to keep educators informed and engaged. Driven by his own experience with teacher burnout, Nathan’s mission is to make everyone aware of TeacherMade to help save educators time and reignite their passion for teaching. Off the clock, he enjoys disc golf and family time.