Behind every student’s success is a team of dedicated people working to make sure your experience is smooth, supportive, and empowering. From your first login to your final course, our team is here to guide, encourage, and celebrate you every step of the way.

Janine Deems – Founder & Fearless Leader

Janine is the visionary behind Smarter by 1 Degree. She created SB1D with one simple goal to make earning college credit smarter, simpler, and more affordable for families. While Janine isn’t part of the day-to-day customer support team, she leads with passion and heart, constantly improving programs, building partnerships, and ensuring families have access to quality education options.

 Janine believes every student deserves the chance to graduate ahead — and she’s built SB1D to make that possible.

Joy – Customer Success Lead

Joy keeps our support system running strong! As the Customer Success Lead, she helps families feel confident and cared for from the very beginning. She ensures that every question is answered, every issue resolved, and every student has the tools they need to stay on track.

Joy’s known for her quick replies, encouraging tone, and “we’ll figure this out together” approach.

Lauren – Customer Success Specialist

Lauren is a friendly, dependable guide for students and parents who need help navigating their courses or degree plan. She makes sure every family feels supported and confident even when things get technical.

Lauren's motto: “There’s always an answer and I’ll help you find it.”

Amy – Customer Success Specialist

Amy brings warmth and calm to every interaction. She helps families navigate account access, coursework, and program details with ease and clarity.

 Amy's goal: “Help families feel seen, supported, and successful.”

Anna – The Nurturer

Anna is known as our heart of the team. She’s always there to encourage, check in, and make sure every student and family feels part of the SB1D community. Whether it’s answering questions, sharing a kind word, or helping you find your next step, Anna’s gentle guidance helps make the SB1D experience personal and reassuring.

 Anna’s superpower: turning stress into calm and questions into confidence.

Matt – Advisor Behind the Scenes

Matt works diligently behind the scenes supporting our academic planning and student success systems.
He ensures our degree pathways are accurate, up to date, and easy to follow  so students always know where they’re headed next.

 Matt’s strength: thoughtful strategy and a quiet commitment to helping everything run smoothly.

Nicole and Rachel– Student Advisor

Nicole and Rachel are your go-to Student Advisors here to help you navigate your courses, understand your next steps, and make the most of your SB1D experience. They’re friendly, approachable, and always ready to guide students through course setup, orientation, or program milestones.

 Their approach: “Every student’s path is unique we’re here to help you walk it confidently.”

And Many More Behind the Scenes

SB1D is powered by a passionate network of people working together from degree planners and course evaluators to tech and curriculum teams. They keep your courses running, your degree plans accurate, and your portal experience smooth.
You might not see all of them, but their work is what makes your SB1D journey possible.

We’re Here for You

No matter where you are in your journey, our team is here to help!
Whether you need help accessing a course, have a question about your plan, or just need encouragement we’re only an email away.