Women in Leadership at UC Santa Barbara PaCE

What Women in Leadership at UC Santa Barbara PaCE does

UCSB Professional and Continuing Education (UCSB PaCE) is the continuing-education division of the University of California, Santa Barbara, a public state university. It operates a small portfolio of online executive certificate programs in partnership with Zschool, which handles curriculum design, instructional delivery, and operational mechanics. The portfolio consists of four programs: (1) Customer Experience Leadership with AI, an 8-module Mastery-Track certificate priced at $4,995 per learner that integrates AI-powered tools (CX Coach, persona building, journey mapping); and (2) three Operational Readiness for OUD (Opioid Use Disorder) programs tailored respectively to correctional officers, first responders/EMS, and police officers, each priced at $450 as a 4-hour Fast-Track certificate. All programs are delivered online through the Canvas LMS with rolling admission, self-paced format, and downloadable toolkits (CX Ultimate Toolkit with 60+ resources; Operational Readiness Power-Packs).

The business model combines a self-serve individual enrollment motion (open admission, no application, one-time per-program purchase) with a corporate/team enrollment motion in which program managers (Josh Talmadge, Lauren Mastroianni, Jodi Sporn) sell customized department-specific learning portals and group pricing to public safety agencies and other organizations. Instructors are practicing industry professionals: CX strategists from InMoment, Cognizant, Spotify, and The New York Times, and retired or active senior public safety executives (police chiefs, EMS division chiefs, correctional directors). The unit is positioned in a niche credential market centered on two verticals: public safety opioid crisis response and customer experience leadership, with UCSB's institutional brand providing the university-backed certificate value proposition.

Name

Women in Leadership at UC Santa Barbara PaCE

Legal name

UCSB Professional and Continuing Education

Website

https://zs.professional.ucsb.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UCSB Professional and Continuing Education is the continuing-education unit of UC Santa Barbara, offering online executive certificate programs in partnership with Zschool. It serves individual professionals and public safety agencies with a four-program portfolio: Customer Experience Leadership with AI and three Operational Readiness for OUD programs for corrections, first responders, and police.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Continuing Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD)

Keywords

• Professional continuing education
• Executive certificate programs
• Opioid response training
• Customer experience training
• Law enforcement training

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Program Enrollment: One-time purchase of online certificate programs for individual learners. Fast-Track programs at $450 or Mastery-Track programs at $4,995 per person. Revenue recognized at enrollment with immediate access to course materials.
2. Corporate/Team Training: Customized department-wide training portals with group discounts available for teams of three or more. Pricing negotiated individually based on organization size and customization requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

UCSB Professional and Continuing Education delivers online executive certificate programs in partnership with Zschool, using the Canvas LMS for self-paced course delivery. The portfolio includes the Customer Experience Leadership with AI Program (8 modules, 3.2 CEUs, Mastery-Track at $4,995) and three Operational Readiness for OUD programs (corrections, first responders, police officers) at the Fast-Track level ($450, 4 hours). Programs are taught by practicing industry professionals and grant university-backed certificates of completion.

Product overview

UCSB PaCE offers executive certificate programs delivered in partnership with Zschool. The portfolio consists of four distinct programs: the Customer Experience Leadership with AI Program (an 8-module professional development course focused on customer experience strategy and leadership); and three Operational Readiness for OUD programs tailored to Corrections, First Responders, and Police Officers (each a 4-hour self-paced certificate). Programs are delivered online via Canvas LMS with pricing ranging from $450 (Fast-Track) to $4,995 (Mastery-Track) per person.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zschool: Partner organization delivering executive education programs in partnership with UCSB PaCE

Products and services

• Customer Experience Leadership with AI Program An 8-module online executive certificate program that equips professionals with CX strategies, tools, and leadership skills to design and deliver exceptional customer experiences using AI-powered tools and frameworks. Includes the CX Ultimate Toolkit with 60+ resources and awards 3.2 CEUs upon completion. Available as Fast-Track ($450) or Mastery-Track ($4,995).
• Operational Readiness for Corrections: OUD Program A 4-hour online self-paced certificate program for correctional officers, supervisors, and facility staff to respond safely and effectively to Opioid Use Disorder and co-occurring conditions in custody using the CARE approach framework. Includes the Operational Readiness Power-Pack with downloadable workbooks, templates, and reference materials.
• Operational Readiness for First Responders: OUD Program A 4-hour online self-paced certificate program for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and crisis intervention teams to handle opioid-related emergencies safely and compassionately using the CARE approach framework. Includes training on de-escalation, critical resource connection, and community partnership building.
• Operational Readiness for Police Officers: OUD Program A 4-hour online self-paced certificate program for law enforcement officers to de-escalate crises, connect individuals to resources, and build trust within the community while addressing opioid use disorder and related challenges. Includes the Operational Readiness Power-Pack with sector-specific scenarios.

Quantifiable outcome

• Earn 3.2 CEUs upon successful completion of Customer Experience Leadership with AI program

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ZschoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZschool is the primary educational partner for UCSB Professional and Continuing Education's Executive Certificate Programs. Zschool collaborates on program development, curriculum design, and instructional delivery. The partnership enables UCSB to offer industry-focused professional certificates taught by practicing executives. This appears to be a long-standing partnership with Zschool handling the operational and curriculum expertise while UCSB provides university branding and accreditation credibility.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UCLA Extension: Another UC-system continuing education division offering professional certificates, many online via self-paced delivery. Operates in the same institutional category and competes for the same California-based professional learner market.
• Emeritus: Online professional education provider that partners with universities to deliver executive certificate programs at premium price points. Closely comparable business model: university-branded, online, cohort or self-paced professional certificates.
• Zschool: Private executive education provider that is the operational and curriculum partner for UCSB PaCE's programs. Zschool co-develops and delivers the CX and Operational Readiness certificates, making it both partner and closest comparable online certificate operator.
• Harvard Extension School: University continuing education division delivering online professional certificates and courses with university branding. Closely comparable operating model, pricing structure, and learner value proposition.
• PoliceOne Academy (Lexipol): Online training provider specifically serving law enforcement agencies with subscription-based course libraries including crisis response and de-escalation content. Directly competes with the OUD for Police and OUD for First Responders programs for the same agency training budgets.
• UC Berkeley Extension: University continuing education unit within the same University of California system offering professional certificates and online noncredit programs. Directly comparable as a sibling UC extension delivering online professional certificates.
• NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS): University professional studies unit offering credit and noncredit certificates, including online delivery, with similar university-branded continuing education positioning.

Broad incumbents

• edX (2U): Major online education platform delivering university-affiliated certificates and microcredentials at scale. Competes broadly for the same self-paced professional learner.
• Coursera: Large-scale online learning platform offering professional certificates from universities and companies. Broad incumbent with overlapping self-paced certificate offerings but much wider catalog and reach.
• LinkedIn Learning: Broad incumbent subscription-based professional learning platform used by enterprises for customer experience, leadership, and soft-skills training. Overlaps with UCSB PaCE's CX Leadership program at a lower price point but with broader catalog and corporate distribution.

Market position

Strengths6 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-leadership-at-university-of-california-santa-barbara

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women in Leadership at UC Santa Barbara PaCE