Take Your Institution to the Next Level
The ultimate goal is to see students reach their full potential and to provide them with the resources to do it. Deer Brook offers higher education institutions a path to reach that goal. With our unique expertise and perspective in higher education, we'll help you make sure your institution has the right systems in place to ensure that your students are always put first.
With our specialized solutions, designed to be sustainable and effective, you'll be able to meet every challenge and secure a bright future for your institution and your students.
The ultimate goal is within reach.
Who We Are
Hope Jacobson
Vice President of Higher Education
With a deep passion for innovation and collaboration, Hope guides a dynamic and skilled team of IT professionals that empowers institutions to prosper.
With over 20 years of IT experience, Hope thrives on bringing cross-functional teams together to achieve both tactical goals and big-picture initiatives.
She is a Certified Information Systems and Security Professional (CISSP) and studied Business Administration at the University of Southern Maine.
Deseret Scharett
Director of Business Applications, Higher Education
Deseret is a problem solver at heart, using collaboration, diverse perspectives, and strategic questioning to move initiatives forward.
Her extensive background in integrating multidisciplinary teams has been instrumental in designing and developing higher education solutions.
Deseret holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management and Marketing from Park University and a Master’s in Adult and Higher Education Administration from the University of South Dakota.
Sonia Young
Senior Business Analyst, Higher Education Applications
Sonia has an extensive background in integrating teams and applications to facilitate higher education solutions that support critical infrastructure and business processes.
Adaptable and an excellent communicator, she thrives on solving complex challenges and building meaningful relationships with clients.
Sonia holds a Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University and a bachelor’s degree in Management from Clemson University.
Kirk leverages his expertise in operations management, process improvement, and change management to optimize systems and technologies for higher education institutions.
His data-driven approach, combined with a strong commitment to Lean Six Sigma principles, allows him to deliver practical and effective solutions that meet business needs.
Kirk holds a B.S.B.A. in Financial Management from Suffolk University and MBA from Plymouth State University.
Kirk Estes
Project Manager
Paul collaborates with colleges and universities to assess and refine strategic, operational, and organizational processes.
With over 20 years of experience in higher education leadership, Paul has a proven track record of designing practices that create efficiencies and maintain regulatory compliance.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts in Learning Disabilities and Social Studies from Hope College, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from Michigan State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Leadership from Western Michigan University.
Paul Ballard
Senior Education Consultant
Joshua leads the design and optimization of seamless ETL workflows, integrating diverse data sources into unified, high-performance pipelines.
He specializes in designing and curating advanced data models that align with institutional goals, enabling impactful decision-making and transformative growth.
Joshua holds a master’s degree in Information Technology from La Rochelle Université.
Joshua Eale
Senior Data Architect / Data Scientist
