TECH INDUSTRY VETERANS KIERAN SOBEL AND DAN WINSTON JOIN EXECUTIVE TEAM OF AWARD-WINNING EDTECH STARTUP PRESSTO FOR NEXT-GEN EXPANSION

CPO and COO to Spearhead Enhanced Software Rollout

NEW YORK and HALIFAX, NS, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EdTech startup Pressto enters a new phase of expansion, naming Kieran Sobel as Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Dan Winston as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Pressto is dedicated to continuously modernizing the way teaching and learning to write are developed through the platform, and Winston and Sobel will play critical roles in the development, launch and distribution of the product. With these hires, Pressto has rounded out its leadership team to build a best-in-class K-12 writing environment for classroom instruction that will expand across subject areas, ages, languages, and continents.

"At Pressto, we are developing, launching, and deploying a technology-based solution for writing instruction, and we have brought in Kieran and Dan to lead these efforts," said Pressto Founder and CEO, Daniel Stedman. "Their leadership will push the evolution of Pressto to be used as the next generation of essential writing tools to support educators and spark students' creativity."

Pressto is the first company to focus on creating a fun and rewarding writing environment for both students and teachers. As a core part of English Language Arts standards, writing is a key pillar of literacy skills that are essential for students to learn for the classroom and beyond. 

"The writing tools that teachers currently use do not provide an authentic and engaging space for students to learn the fundamentals of clear writing. I am excited to leverage our expertise in design, pedagogy and technology to offer teachers the perfect complement to writing instruction," says Kieran Sobel, Pressto's new Chief Product Officer. Sobel has over a decade of developer experience, including serving as Chief Technology Officer for EdTech unicorn Newsela.

"Based on feedback both from educators and from EdTech executives that serve as our advisors, we plan to demonstrate how Pressto will be a pivotal change in K-12 writing instruction, away from a focus on learning cumbersome word processors and a return to the components of great writing." says Dan Winston, Pressto's new Chief Operating Officer. Winston brings extensive operations and leadership experience, including several C-level roles on the executive team in seven years at Newsela, and from prior experiences as a sales and operations consultant at other start-ups and large districts including NYC DOE.

Pressto's soon to be announced updates will include an interactive teacher panel, new template designs and new, proven feedback tools for students and teachers. Pressto's software also begins to prepare students for a future of work where "creator skills'' like publishing, sharing and audience development are critical to success.

"We believe that every single school should be using Pressto rather than Google or Microsoft word processors. We now have the capability to marry the knowledge of our experienced educators with the technical ingenuity of our product developers and engineers who have a proven track record of leveraging and scaling technology in the classroom," adds Stedman.

To learn more about Pressto, please visit www.joinpressto.com.

Pressto was founded in 2021 by Daniel Stedman, the co-founder of Brooklyn Magazine and Northside Media. Pressto develops proprietary educational technology that is designed to transform the way writing is taught and learned in the digital classroom. Pressto provides an environment that makes writing fun and purposeful for students and time-saving and easier for teachers. Pressto's Junior Journalism Program provides students with real-world, project-based learning opportunities in conjunction with local Mayor's offices, and was acknowledged as an honorable mention in the Education Category of Fast Company's 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards. To learn more, visit www.joinpressto.com.

SOURCE Pressto