Experienced Chief People Officer, Higher Ed Executive Join Edtech Investor on Board of Fast-Growing Simulation Creator

Skillwell helps major employers, universities build “practice gyms” for immersive learning as AI drives down the cost and time-to-market for simulations.

CHICAGO – January 28, 2026 – Skillwell, a pioneer in the development of immersive and adaptive simulations for higher education and corporate learning, today announced the appointment of Chargebee Chief People Officer Denise Haselhorst, EAB President Scott Schirmeier, and investor Josh Pierce to its Board of Directors. The appointments follow Skillwell’s recent merger with Realizeit, which established one of the few global companies capable of delivering both immersive simulations and the data-driven insights leaders need to measure, develop, and verify skills.

“Whether learning happens in the classroom or the workplace, skills are the coin of the realm– and we’re on a mission to create immersive experiences that develop and measure the skills that matter most,” said Phillip Miller, CEO of Skillwell. “The experience of our new directors reflects both our focus and capabilities, as a business that spans both higher education and the world of work.” 

• As Chief People Officer at Chargebee, Denise Haselhorst leads people operations and talent initiatives for the global software firm which employs more than 900 people worldwide and counts Freshworks, LegalZoom and Toyota among its customers. “Too often, organizations are forced to infer capability from proxies like course completion, credentials, or time spent,” said Haselhorst. “Skillwell changes that by enabling managers and leaders to clearly spot mastery and close gaps with precision.”
• Higher education veteran Scott Schirmeier spent more than 20 years at The Advisory Board Company and now serves as President of Technology and Partner Development at EAB, where he works with colleges and universities to improve student success, workforce readiness, and institutional effectiveness. “Institutions and employers are under the same pressure: prove that learning transfers to the real world,” said Schirmeier.
• Socratic Ventures founder Josh Pierce leads an investment platform backing transformational business models at the intersection of postsecondary education and employers. As a cofounder and early lead investor in network platform, Acadeum, and the first student-loan-benefits startup, Vault, Pierce brings hands-on experience at the forefront of workforce innovation. “The global economy is on a long arc of major employers re-learning how to measure, train and hire to competency. We’ve always known that people learn better by doing, through practice and repetition,” said Pierce. “But until now, the tools to create, scale, and measure fundamental skill-building through simulations were largely beyond reach. Skillwell is ushering in a new era of skills-aligned learning, regardless of context.”

For more information about Skillwell, please visit us on LinkedIn. 

About Skillwell: 

Skillwell gives you the right learning, right when you need it. Our immersive and adaptive platform has helped millions of people develop skills to improve their performance inside organizations and educational institutions. We combine personalized learning pathways with realistic simulation training, powered by AI, to address critical challenges such as wasted learner time, lack of real-world practice, and invisible skill gaps. Visit skillwell.com to learn more.