Enspire's Leadership Team

Enspire is led by a dynamic team of creative professionals with backgrounds in education, technology, production, and business. Our leaders are committed to maintaining a company culture that empowers our team to provide innovation and value to our customers and to use effective content and technology to change the way people learn.

Bjorn Billhardt
Founder and CEO

Bjorn is a recognized authority in the field of e-learning and simulation design and has been a speaker at conferences such as Training, ASTD, and ISPI. Bjorn previously worked as a consultant and corporate trainer for BAAN, a Dutch software company, and conducted training classes in Europe and the US. Bjorn also worked for McKinsey & Company, a strategic management consulting firm. A native of Hamburg, Germany, he holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a dual B.A./B.B.A. from the University of Texas, where he is an alumnus of the Plan II and the Business Honors Program.

John Roberts
COO

John brings 16 years of academic and corporate leadership experience and a deep knowledge of the training industry to Enspire. Prior to joining Enspire, John was Managing Director at the Corporate Executive Board where he was responsible for driving the growth of its leadership academies, including new business development, content creation, and the delivery of high-impact learning engagements. Before joining the Corporate Executive Board, John served as Assistant Professor at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. John holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Business from the University of Florida.

Shon Bayer
Executive Vice President

Shon joined Enspire in 2003, after a 10 year career at The Princeton Review. At the Princeton Review, Shon held various senior roles, including Director of Marketing, Master Trainer, and Executive Director. Since joining Enspire, Shon has helped create simulations such as Executive Challenge, built Enspire's sales and marketing capabilities, and led Enspire's product development efforts. Shon has spoken on simulation development at conferences such as ASTD Techknowledge, Training, and the Serious Games Summit. In his spare time, Shon is an active traveler, enjoys photography, and is an avid cook. Shon has a B.S. in Materials Science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Ed Garner
Vice President of Custom Solutions

Since beginning his career in the US Army as an M-1A1 tank platoon leader, Ed has devoted the last 12 years to educational technologies. He is experienced with Java and .NET development, as well as C++ and embedded systems development. Ed also has experience with Shockwave and Flash browser-delivered interactivity, and he has technical expertise in both PC and Macintosh OS X environments. As a lead programmer at Fusion Learning Systems, Ed developed "Redbeard's Pirate Quest," which was named Newsweek Magazine's "it" toy for Christmas 1999. Ed also led the Fusion engineering team, a position in which he helped build a full content management database and automated website build system. Ed joined Enspire in 2008, where he now uses his technical and managerial abilities to provide effective custom learning solutions for our clients. Ed received his B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.

Brandon Hudgeons
Vice President of Technology Development

Brandon leads Enspire's software development and information technology efforts. His background combines a unique blend of business, technology, and legal experience. In 2001, Brandon founded Internal Machine Industries, Inc. where he also served as President and CEO. He has also worked for Motive, Inc. as a product manager. As an attorney, Brandon represented high-tech and emerging-growth companies. Brandon has an A.B. in Computer Science and English Literature from Dartmouth College. He also has an M.S.C.E.E., an M.B.A., and a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Sammi Frye
Executive Producer

Sammi is an experienced producer who has more than two decades of experience leading projects in the educational software industry. From the trailblazing CD-ROM programs such as Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia to custom training products for global corporations such as SAP, Sammi has led teams to create award-winning programs for over 15 years. She holds a Masters in Education in Instructional Technology from the University of Texas. Sammi has steered exceptionally complex and lengthy projects with Enspire, including award-winning efforts with past clients such as Pitney Bowes, American Heart Association, Pearson Education, and SAP.

Enspire's Leadership Team

Bjorn BillhardtFounder and CEO

John RobertsCOO

Shon BayerExecutive Vice President

Ed GarnerVice President of Custom Solutions