D2L Connection: Gold Coast

Christian Pantel

Christian was appointed Chief Product Officer in 2024. He leads global Product Strategy, Product Management, Product Design, User Experience Research and Accessibility at D2L. Christian first joined the company in 2015 and has expanded his leadership in product, design, and engineering. He has extensive experience in Education Technology and knows D2L customers well. With deep empathy for diverse learners and educators, Christian has led D2L to develop products with a world-class user experience.

Christian has over 25 years of leadership experience building software at notable enterprise software companies including Workday, Infor, and PeopleSoft. Christian earned a Master of Science in computing science from Simon Fraser University, specializing in human-computer interaction and Web-based learning environments. He also holds a Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) from the University of Manitoba. Christian lives in Winnipeg with his wife and four children.

Dr Cristi Ford

Dr. Cristi Ford serves as the Chief Learning Officer at D2L, bringing more than 20 years of experience in higher education, secondary education, project management, program evaluation, training, and student services. In this role, she provides strategic leadership and thought direction, ensuring that D2L remains at the forefront of innovation in learning, teaching, and academic affairs. Her work extends across institutional, corporate, and global landscapes, driving impactful change in digital learning environments.

Dr. Ford has held key roles across secondary and higher education, as well as on the international stage, where she has played a pivotal role in expanding online learning in both the U.S. and the African continent. Her expertise includes building and scaling online education programs, faculty development, instructional design, and pedagogical best practices.

Dr. Ford’s contributions to the field have been widely recognized. She was selected as a 2022 OLC Fellow by the Online Learning Consortium—the highest professional distinction awarded by the association—in recognition of her dedication to advancing quality online education. Known for her visionary leadership, she is committed to helping institutions build capacity, scale digital learning, and enhance student success. And in In 2024, she received the Mildred and Charles Wedemeyer Award, recognizing her as an outstanding practitioner in distance education.

Tony Maguire

Tony leads the D2L team and focuses on executive-level engagement across the ANZ region. He is a seasoned executive and industry leader whose experience ranges from Fortune 500 companies including Apple and Oracle to advising entrepreneurial Australian start-ups and leading regional market entries for global companies.

He has created deep and lasting local and international networks over his 25 years in the EdTech space – always with a focus on collaboration and using learning to drive business transformation.

Kevin MacLeod

Kevin MacLeod is a Learning Experience Architect with D2L’s Learning Services. Kevin brings over 15 years of experience as a learning strategist, instructional designer, and curriculum developer to his consultation work – collaborating with D2L clients to prioritize and optimize their work in online learning. His experience spans a variety of professional contexts, including non-profits, member associations, learning organizations, post-secondary institutions, and corporate environments.

Trond Skeie

Trond Skeie has been working in the EdTech industry for 20 years. He has been 15 years with an LMS company focusing on pedagogical consultancy, business development and various management roles. Currently Trond is the Manager for Customer Success at H5P Group.

Dawid Naude

Dawid Naude is a trailblazer in business, disruption, and innovation, shaping the future by translating AI’s potential into real world impact. Committed to making AI exciting, accessible, and impossible to ignore, he helps organisations to make every employee more productive, reimagine what’s possible, and achieve breakthrough innovation.

With a dynamic CV spanning consulting and leadership roles across digital, technology and innovation, Dawid is the proud Founder & CEO of Pathfindr. Named one of AFR BOSS’ Most Innovative Companies in its founding year, Pathfindr’s is now the fastest growing AI Accelerator in Australia.

An advisor to Government and industry bodies across APAC, Dawid is one of the region’s foremost AI innovators, educators, and implementers. With an infectious energy and a gift for making the complex feel simple, his keynotes have built a reputation for exciting audiences into action.

Belinda Moore

With over 30 years’ experience, Belinda has helped thousands of associations, industry bodies, charities, and not-for-profits worldwide tackle complex challenges. She specialises in transforming membership models, guiding strategic planning, and turning research and data into actionable insights. A sought-after speaker, Belinda is known for her engaging style and practical, inspiring sessions on topics from association strategy and innovative membership models to the impact of artificial intelligence. Her presentations cut through complexity, leaving participants with strategies they can use immediately. In her consultancy, Belinda combines innovative thinking with proven methods to deliver tailored, outcomes-focused solutions. Her ability to break down complex problems into clear, step-by-step actions has made her a trusted partner for organisations navigating change. A prolific author and committed researcher, Belinda’s work uncovers emerging trends and opportunities, equipping organisations to make confident, well-informed decisions that drive meaningful results.

Olena Lima

With a passion for transforming membership organisations through innovative marketing and digital strategies, Olena Lima has been a driving force in the association sector for the past 15 years. As the Founder of MemberBoat, a specialised digital marketing agency, she has guided dozens of professional associations, empowering them to connect meaningfully with their members and navigate the challenges of our digital world.

Her journey began working in several associations, where she developed an insider’s understanding of their unique needs. This inspired her to establish MemberBoat, specialising in member engagement, marketing strategies, and digital transformation. Through her Membership Marketing School, hundreds of association professionals have discovered innovative ways to grow and engage their membership base, making marketing affordable and accessible to associations of any size. On the Association Hub Podcast, she fosters thought-provoking conversations about the future of associations and the power of innovation.

Olena holds a Professional Diploma from The Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), a Master’s Degree in Marketing from UNSW, and the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from ASAE. A sought-after speaker, she has shared her expertise with leading organisations, including ASAE, AuSAE, ESAE, Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the Union of International Associations, Global City Alliance, Australian Marketing Institute, Australian Community Managers, and many others, leaving a lasting impact on the global association community.

Dr Julie Lindsay

Julie is a globally recognised education leader and innovator whose 35+ years in the field have established her as a thought leader in educational technology and transformative learning design. Her vision focuses on leveraging technology for digital transformation while reimagining education for an interconnected, AI-enhanced world.

Julie’s research centres on online global collaborative learning in higher education, including frameworks like Cosmogogy, learning while connected to the world through digital technologies, and “flat learning” that transcends geography. Through award-winning initiatives such as Create@UniSQ student portfolios and leadership of ICDE’s Technology and Innovation Network, she fosters Communities of Practice that accelerate global knowledge sharing.

Lee Webster

Lee Webster is a forward-thinking leader in educational technology, specialising in driving innovation at the intersection of learning design and emerging technologies. As Director of Learning Technology Innovation, Lee champions strategies that enhance digital learning ecosystems, foster engagement, and deliver measurable impact across organisations.

With extensive experience in implementing cutting-edge solutions, Lee’s work focuses on immersive technology, educational technology to create transformative learning experiences. A passionate advocate for lifelong learning, Lee regularly collaborates with industry and academic partners to shape the future of education and workforce capability.

When not exploring the next wave of learning technologies, Lee contributes to thought leadership initiatives, sharing insights on innovation, change management, and the evolving role of technology in education.

Sarah Sabell

Sarah is a visionary trailblazer on a mission to transform vocational education as we know it. For nearly fifteen years, she has worked to build, develop, and grow an award-winning RTO that delivers excellent vocational education and training; offering flexible, on-demand, and adaptable learning solutions with unparalleled value and support for individual learners. A passionate lifelong learner herself, Sarah is currently working towards her PhD in Adult Learning. Through this, she is exploring the needs of adult learners, the barriers they face, the skills they need today and tomorrow, and the way technology can enhance the learner experience.

Jordan Burnett

Senior Technical Lead in Deakin Learning Futures at Deakin University. Over 15 years of technical experience in learning and teaching in both the Higher Education and Corporate industries, with an additional 10 years of experience in product design and system engineering. A skilled leader in all aspects of the product management and development lifecycles, including driving product requirements through rapid prototyping and customer feedback; implementing new products, customisations and features using Agile development methodologies; measuring product success through analytics and continuous feedback. Expert in breaking down big problems and creating innovative, simple, and easy-to-use solutions.

Emma Rice

Emma Rice has worked in the TVET sector for over 25 years, holding teacher, leadership and management roles within community enterprise and government services nationally and internationally.

Emma is the Senior Advisor, Learning and Teaching for TAFE Queensland responsible for leading the design, planning, development and implementation of strategies, plans and initiatives to enhance the student experience and support quality improvements in learning and teaching to enhance educational outcomes for students. Emma collaborates with relevant business areas and stakeholders across the state, nationally and internationally to achieve educational priorities and objectives.

Rebekah Mollgaard

With over a decade of experience across healthcare, learning technologies and project delivery, Rebekah Mollgaard is a seasoned leader in digital learning and system optimisation within Queensland Health. Currently serving as the Senior Learning Advisor for the statewide iLearn LMS, Rebekah provides strategic guidance to executive leadership while driving innovation and continuous improvement across learning platforms for over 100,000 staff.

Previously, Rebekah managed vendor relationships, conducted change management for major platform releases, and supported data reporting through Power BI and HR integrations. With a background in project management within Pathology Queensland, including WHO contract coordination and digital process transformation, Rebekah brings an exceptional blend of technical acumen, stakeholder engagement and operational excellence.

A learning systems specialist and former laboratory scientist, Rebekah has a unique ability to translate complex systems into intuitive user experiences and facilitate organisation wide adoption of digital solutions. Passionate about improving learning outcomes through intelligent design and data-driven decision making, she is a trusted advisor and engaging presenter across enterprise health settings.

Steve Ambrose

Steve Ambrose is the Team Leader for Educational Technologies Experience at TAFE Queensland, where Steve drives initiatives to enhance digital learning environments and improve student engagement. With a strong focus on innovation and user experience, Steve has been instrumental in implementing strategies that streamline access to resources, improve platform usability, and support educators in leveraging technology effectively.
Passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences, Steve works closely with academic teams to ensure technology serves as an enabler for teaching and learning excellence. Steve’s recent work includes developing forward-thinking innovations that simplify educators’ workflows through the right tools, smart technology choices, and the use of AI and automation—empowering educators to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
When not leading educational technology projects, Steve enjoys exploring emerging trends in edtech and sharing insights with anyone eager to learn.