I’m extremely detailed/organized, and I have a knack for uncovering the true business need behind new Salesforce requests. This means you’ll have a solution that brings real value to your business.

As a Project Manager and a Business Process Specialist, Tabitha keeps Cloud Next Level projects on time and budget, and she does deliver real value. She does so with a welcoming smile and a friendly nudge. Polite, professional persistence is the grease that keeps the project wheels turning, and Tabitha knows where to apply it.

Tabitha draws upon the variety of courses she took in college. She possesses a tremendous curiosity and hunger to learn that aids her in solving client challenges in thoughtful and creative measures. In the business world, she honed her skills at a large financial institution with multiple business entities pursuing different markets using unique business processes. Tabitha handled them all through a Salesforce platform lens. That experience has been helpful as she transitioned to the multiple industries that CNL clients work for.

I have a lot of experience eliminating technical debt. I enjoy helping customers eliminate old/outdated configurations to keep their Salesforce org healthy and functioning efficiently. There’s so much to love about Salesforce, but one of my favorite things is Reports & Dashboards. I love putting the data into charts and visually communicating business performance in real-time. This is where the magic happens.

When Tabitha is not deftly navigating Salesforce projects and defining and refining business projects, you will find her in the wilds of Arizona (her home), taking in the perfection of nature from the seat of her dirt bike with her husband.

I’m proud to work with CNL because we are passionate about doing what’s best for the customer and never pressured to cut corners. I’m excited to be a part of such a talented team and look forward to growing my skills as a Salesforce consultant.

Undoubtedly, Tabitha is on the perfect path for her career in helping CNL clients succeed.

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Kendra McKeever has been in the technology world since 2002. She earned a BS in Computer Science from Miami University and an MBA in eCommerce from Xavier University. Her early days included building databases, B2B integrations, and programming. She then transitioned into Enterprise Sales of software, hardware, and services with companies such as IBM and Microsoft. Kendra brings the unique ability to marry business and technical requirements to meet clients’ strategic objectives.

Kendra developed a passion for Salesforce as a business user and after reading Marc Benioff’s book, Behind the Cloud. She was inspired by Mr. Benioff’s mission and the impact he wants to have in the world. She hopes to play a small part in helping to fulfill that vision. Her personal missions include supporting women in technology and providing career growth opportunities for women returning to the workforce and high-schoolers seeking alternative education paths.

Kendra serves as a board member for the Xavier University School of Analytics Advisory Board and as a student mentor. Her passions include lifelong learning, personal development, and helping others raise expectations for their own lives.

Kendra is a step-mother to 3 fabulous step-children who never cease to amaze her. When she is not working, you will likely find her curled up on a cozy patio or playing with her rescue animals (3 dogs and 2 cats).

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In the CRM space, Jay worked for a small boutique CRM firm specializing in SMB manufacturing and distribution clients helping with strategic business planning and business process automation before joining Cloud Next Level as Vice President of Salesforce.com Services Operations.

Beyond technology, Jay handled operational, corporate communication, human resources, training, and benefits coordination at United Parcel Service.

Jay is a Cincinnati native and graduate of Xavier University where he serves as a board member for the Xavier University School of Analytics Advisory Board and is the former Chair of the Xavier University Marketing Advisory Board. He also proudly serves as a student mentor there.

Jay has a solid foundation of international multi-disciplined experience that CNL and its clients can utilize to improve their company performance.  According to Jay “Salesforce.com helps clients improve the way they conduct business and service their customers.  It is extremely rewarding to help companies grow and refine the way they operate to gain the maximum value from their Salesforce instance.”

Outside of work you can find Jay working on his yard and garden or playing with his three rescue dogs.

The post Cloud Next Level Welcomes Jay McKeever as Vice President of Salesforce.com Services Operations first appeared on Cloud Next Level.

Lori Preede McAlister
Social Media Specialist

Lori grew up on the east coast, went to college in Pennsylvania and graduate school in Boston. Lori has spent most of her career in the non-profit world as a Writer, Editor and, in recent years, Social Media Manager and Web Master. She’s done all this while at the same time raising three self-sustaining young adults! 

Salesforce has been an exciting challenge for Lori as she works her way through Trailhead towards the goal of becoming a Certified Administrator. Her experience with a live system in the NPSP environment and her knowledge of non-profits of various sizes are a benefit to clients who need help figuring out how Salesforce can be customized for their unique non-profit needs. Her recent journey towards becoming a Trailhead Ranger gives her perspective as a new user and the questions that come up along the way.

Lori lives in Cincinnati with her husband and a small poodle-ish dog named Radar. In addition to her work for Cloud Next Level, Lori is working on her “black belt” in Yoga, nurturing her lifelong commitment to making the perfect loaf of bread, and reading – A LOT.  

LoriM@CloudNextLevel.com
@CloudNextLevel

The post Cloud Next Level Welcomes Lori McAlister first appeared on Cloud Next Level.

“Worldwide, Salesforce and its ecosystem are expected to enable the creation of 3.3 million jobs within the Salesforce customer base from the use of cloud computing between the end of 2016 and the end of 2022.”

3.3 MILLION.  That’s a lot of jobs and a lot of workforce to train.  Here at Cloud Next Level we believe that Salesforce administrator and developer skills are the “Next Level” of job skills necessary in today’s workforce and we’re here to help you be ready for that.

Ninety percent of today’s jobs already have a digital component and the digital skills gap is a burden on businesses and the economy. Some people are calling this the fourth industrial revolution, one driven by changes in technology. For students, if they want great jobs that can transform their lives, they need to be ready with the skills that employers are looking for as they enter the workforce.  It’s not your parents job search anymore. Many employers no longer require applicants to present them with the traditional array of exam results and course load to become part of the workforce. Rather, they are looking for well-rounded individuals, who can adapt to ever-changing circumstances and apply a range of skills to the role.

Investing in the Future….

Salesforce itself has invested in the future digital workforce through their philanthropic work, empower young people to build the future they deserve by connecting them to greater opportunities in education, training, and employment.

Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of Salesforce announced in September that it would donate $12.2 million to San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to expand computer science education in Bay Area public schools. This marks the fifth consecutive year of Salesforce.org’s partnership with SFUSD and the second year of partnership with OUSD, bringing Salesforce.org’s total investment in the districts to $34.7 million.  Support for STEM programs is changing the way that students in the Bay Area are learning, helping them prepare for tomorrow’s shifting trends. Since Salesforce.org formed its partnership with SFUSD five years ago, San Francisco has become the very first urban, public school district in the United States to have a computer science curriculum for every grade. Enrollment of girls in computer science has increased from nearly 200 to more than 3,800, and enrollment of underrepresented groups in computer science has increased from less than 100 to more than 3,800. Today, computer science enrollment mirrors the SFUSD community demographic with females and underrepresented groups each making up nearly half of overall enrollment.

The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Student Entrepreneur Program (WBENC SEP) is a premier startup program that fosters growth for the next generation of women-owned businesses. While this is not specifically Salesforce focused, since its inception in 2008, nearly 200 students from 80+ colleges and universities across the country have graduated from SEP.  Aspiring collegiate female entrepreneurs studying in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) or Business receive mentoring from some of the most successful Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and America’s largest Fortune 500 companies while also participating in a tailored entrepreneurial curriculum, a pitch competition awarding $20,000 in seed capital and experiential learning through off-site visits to WBEs, corporate campuses, and accelerators. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is dedicated to supporting women in the workforce as well as women preparing for the workforce.  They see the need for outstanding preparation and they are addressing it in tangible ways.

But…. What about training in those very specific Salesforce skills needed in today’s workplace?

In 2016 Salesforce created Trailhead, an educational program to help anyone get acquainted with and certified in the enterprise platform. Its long-term goal has been to “transform how customers learn to use Salesforce, by radically simplifying and redefining the learning experience.” After its first year, the company reported that 200,000 people were actively using the service, with 1.2 million badges earned. Today it is estimated that there are 1.7 million learners in the trailhead community.  The clear need for interactive hands on training was evident.

Other organizations have followed Salesforce’s lead and are training their particular constituents with Salesforce skills using their brilliant and easy to access Trailhead tools.

In January of 2019 The BCI Skills Center in St. Louis Missouri announced the launch of an innovative program to teach adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities the skills needed to gain employment in roles that require knowledge of the Salesforce platform.  They implemented a two-month training program that includes technical training along with soft skills coaching in interviewing techniques, workplace communication and collaborating with colleagues.

Southern New Hampshire University has made a name for itself by making education and degrees accessible to all learners in varied places with varied needs.  For today’s students, there’s no greater need than learning the skills to fill the most in-demand jobs of a changing economy.  In August of 2019 SNHU teamed up with Salesforce to offer college credits.  In its partnership with SNHU, Trailhead will create pathways for Trailblazers to earn college credit by completing admin and developer badges, all while gaining critical skills needed in today’s workforce and well into the future.

The credit can be applied as a major elective for applicable IT-related programs or as a free elective towards many of the degree programs we offer. Current and future SNHU students can work on Trailhead modules at any time.  Academic advisors will help with applying the right credit towards their program and their transcripts.

What are you doing to up your skill set?  

Our experienced team here at Cloud Next Level understands the importance of Salesforce skills in the current workplace.   We’ve been through our own training and are excited to be helping others by way of our apprentice program.

What are you doing to boost your skills and how can we help?  Give us a call if you’re interested in training for you and your staff.

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