D2L Connection: London

Margaret Korosec, PhD, SFHEA

Dr Margaret Korosec is an innovative leader in higher education known for bringing creativity, a human-centred approach, and a systems perspective to her work in scaling online, open, and flexible education.

Margaret’s work at the University of Leeds has catalysed institutional progress and expanded access for diverse learners. She leads the strategic investment in, and expansion of, the University’s online degree and flexible learning portfolio. Her systems-thinking approach and measurable impact have shaped institutional progress in digital education more broadly, culminating in her current appointment as Director of Digital Education and Learning Innovation. In this expanded role – following her tenure as Dean of Online and Digital Education – Margaret is responsible for aligning key strategic enablers and collaborative efforts across the University to integrate online, flexible, and campus-based digital education more effectively and cohesively.

Prior to her current role, Margaret played a key role in expanding online degree provision at both the University of Derby Online Learning in the UK and Western Governors University (WGU) in the USA.

As a Fellow of the Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE), she is part of a scholarly network exploring institutional culture and academic challenges in online and flexible education.

Rose Luckin

Rose Luckin is an internationally respected academic and leading voice on the future of education and Artificial Intelligence (AI). With over 30 years of expertise, she advises policymakers, governments, and industry worldwide. She is Professor Emerita at University College London and Founder/CEO of Educate Ventures Research (EVR), which provides training and consultancy to help the education sector use AI ethically and effectively.

Rose has held senior leadership roles, including Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sussex, Co-Founding Director of its Human Centred Technology group, and member of the UCL Institute of Education’s Director’s Strategy Group. She co-founded the Institute for Ethical AI in Education and serves on multiple advisory boards, including the UK Department for Education’s Science Advisory Council.

Her contributions have earned global recognition: the 2025 Bett Outstanding Achievement Award, 2024 Leading Woman in AI EDU (ASU-GSV), 2023 ISTE Impact Award, and the 2018 International Francqui Chair. She has also been named among the most influential people in education (Seldon List, 2017) and one of the 50 most influential women in UK tech (Computer Weekly, 2024).

A prolific author, Rose has published extensively. Her books include Machine Learning and Human Intelligence (2018) and AI for Schoolteachers (2022). A sought-after speaker, she writes for the Times Educational Supplement and leading newspapers, and regularly appears in global media.

Lisa Nelson

Lisa Nelson is a leader at the forefront of the Education revolution, dedicated to fundamentally reimagining what we teach and how we learn for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. As Director of Education at Kaplan Professional Education, she champions a radical reimagining of learning. Lisa believes that the traditional models of education are no longer fit for today’s constant disruption, and the future belongs to those who can adapt, create, and solve problems. Her journey began in accountancy training, a path that ignited a passion for professional education and ultimately led her to become a pioneer in digital learning. Today, she leads nearly 300 academic professionals at Kaplan and spearheads the integration of technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to supercharge personalisation and access, making learning “everywhere, anywhere, just-in-time”. Lisa’s work focuses on the “human” curriculum, ensuring learners cultivate skills like critical thinking and emotional intelligence that complement, rather than compete with, AI. She is committed to transforming education from a linear, front-loaded model into a continuous, lifelong journey.

A busy mum to three grown-up daughters, Lisa understands the need for flexible, personalised learning and is committed to fostering an institutional culture that embraces agility and experimentation. She asks us to consider: will you lead this transformation, or will you trail behind?

Andrew Howie

Andrew is BSLM Chief Finance and Commercial Officer. He has extensive experience, both in the private and voluntary sectors, of project management, business development and finance. Andrew has been responsible for securing funding and managing several successful large projects, such as devising and executing compliance, monitoring and policy frameworks and high-profile workplace wellbeing initiatives. He is adept at including introducing new protocols and systems integration in education and finance. As the BSLM Learning Academy Project Lead, he has been instrumental in the development of both the learning management system and course content

Stuart Samuels

Stuart is the Flexible Learning Manager at Nottingham Trent University, where he leads the Flexible Learning team. He is responsible for driving the university’s strategy to weave face-to-face and digital provision seamlessly into all programmes, enabling students to plot their own routes through their courses.

The team has a proven record of creating online learning experiences that deliver equal outcomes for students in terms of grades and satisfaction when compared with NTU’s celebrated campus-based study.

At the heart of their work is a clear vision: harnessing technology to break down barriers to education, giving students choice over how, when, and where they learn. This flexibility empowers them to balance their studies with life’s demands, creating more opportunities for more people to succeed.

Stuart also plays a key role in NTU’s work on AI in education, focusing on keeping the human firmly in the loop and defining what responsible, human-centred adoption looks like. His current projects include developing the skills of students and staff to use AI ethically and effectively, alongside sector engagement to shape practice and national debate.

Samuel Tanner

As Head of Flexible and Work-Integrated Learning within the Centre for Academic Development and Quality (CADQ), Samuel is responsible for leading flexible and online courses, lifelong learning, continuous innovation for new methods of delivery of education, and work-integrated provision. Samuel manages the Apprenticeship team, which is accountable for apprenticeship funding, regulatory compliance and external engagement, and the Flex team, who manage the institutional Virtual Learning Environment and design and develop online provision at NTU. In support of this, Samuel acts as Chair for the Online Learning Governance Committee.

Samuel has a proven track record of effective educational leadership across further and higher education over the last two decades. He began his career teaching Music Technology at Loughborough College before moving to learning technology support roles. Samuel then returned to teaching, working as the Curriculum Manager for Creative Arts and Computing at Aylesbury College.

Since joining NTU in 2014, Samuel has worked as the Learning and Teaching Support Unit Manager in the School of Arts and Humanities before taking up online and flexible learning-related roles in the Centre for Academic Development and Quality in 2016. Samuel has overseen NTU’s Virtual Learning Environment since 2016, working closely with schools and professional services departments to ensure NTU has the highest quality digital learning tools to support excellent teaching, learning, and assessment. In 2020, Samuel set up the Flex Team, a Learning Design unit created to design and develop high-quality online education to move NTU towards a flexible delivery model that gives students choice over how, when, where, and what they study. In 2022, Samuel took leadership of the Apprenticeship team to develop the fast-growing provision into a mature and thriving area of NTU.

Cairo Okba

Meet Cairo, an experienced learning professional with an impressive journey spanning more than a decade. Her key focus revolves around creating engaging learning experiences and overseeing the intricacies of Gafta’s online learning platform, Agribility™. In fact, she’s the driving force behind the scenes, supervising the entire cycle of Gafta’s digital learning programmes – from pre-analysis and design to rollout and delivery.

Prior to Gafta, Cairo’s career path voyaged through various industries such as healthcare and finance. Her expertise found its roots in training management, digital learning strategy, Learning Management Systems (LMS), instructional design, and delivering valuable learning experiences.

Cairo’s dedication and achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2021, her outstanding contributions secured her the esteemed Association Executive of the Year award at the AAE International and European Association Awards. This recognition speaks volumes about her impactful work on Gafta’s Distance Learning Programme and the pioneering Agribility™ platform. With Cairo, you’re accessing a wealth of experience and expertise wrapped up in a friendly and professional package.

Wendy Lecluyse

Dr Wendy Lecluyse is Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching at the University of Suffolk. She leads initiatives that enhance learning, teaching, and assessment practices, embracing approaches such as block and blended learning, inclusive curriculum and real-world assessment design. She plays a key role in shaping and overseeing the University’s academic portfolio. Wendy is dedicated to improving the student experience at every stage, focusing on success, progression, and belonging, and contributes to the University’s ambitions around access, participation, and teaching excellence. She champions staff development and supports colleagues in developing their pedagogic practice and leadership capabilities.

Franca Jonquière

Franca’s origin is both in Media Studies and Veterinary science, where she lectured at the University of Amsterdam and Utrecht University, starting with a passion for teaching and education. She then spent some time working in online education management for IDEXX, a leading veterinary technology company, before returning to the academic world. She currently works at TU Delft where she was instrumental in building the Teaching & Learning Services department that supports campus and online lecturers, education innovation and teacher training. She has over a decade of experience in education management and has presented at numerous conferences in this capacity.

Carmen Miles

Dr. Carmen Miles is Strategic Lead for Digital Education at De Montfort University. She led the Brightspace implementation at the university as part of embedding the university’s vision for empowering staff and students and supporting the creation of transformative learning experiences across the diverse curriculum. An experienced educator, with 30 years of teaching experience, Dr Miles has spent more than 20 years leading distance and online education and is regularly invited to share her insights on learning design, learning technology and academic development. Having led learning, teaching and academic development through the formation of Arden University – the first private online university – she is a reputable leader in creating a vision for pedagogical change and harnessing innovative ways to embed these across an institution.

Louwarnoud van der Duim

Louwarnoud is responsible for the usage of IT in education, digital assessments, professionalisation of teachers, educational institutional research and innovation in education. His background is in Educational sciences and he couples this with a lot of work experience in large scale deployments of IT-systems in a university context. His passion is the gradual improvement of education which he sees as one of the main goals of every society.

Eamonn O’Brien

Eamonn O’Brien is Senior Manager VLE at TU Dublin, with responsibility for the management of the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. With over 20 years of experience in Higher Education, he brings a deep understanding of digital transformation in the sector. Since taking up his current role in November 2023, Eamonn has led the successful delivery of the oneVLE project, unifying TU Dublin’s virtual learning environments, and recently completed the integration of Brightspace with the Banner Student Records Management System (SRMS). Prior to this, he worked in TU Dublin’s Technology Services department, where he was technical lead on several transformative IT initiatives, including the TU Dublin email project, the university-wide website unification project, and the TU Dublin domain and identity consolidation project. Eamonn is passionate about leveraging technology to enhance the student and staff experience and to support institutional excellence.

Zaaid Orrie

Zaaid is the Learning Technology Services Manager at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He oversees the Learning Technologies support team’s portfolio, encompassing the online learning environments at UCT such as Amathuba (Brightspace), along with other software technologies that facilitate teaching and learning.

He holds an Honours Degree in Psychology and has 8 years’ experience in the EdTech field that includes Learning Design, Product Management and Learning Technology.

Stefaan Vanbillemont

Stefaan has been a member of HOGENT’s e-learning team for more than 22 years. Over the course of his career, he has taken on a wide variety of roles, from LMS administrator to software developer, trainer and system engineer. His current work centers on the broader ecosystem of EdTech applications, where he maps out tools, assesses their value, and builds connections between technologies, workflows and user needs, with a strong focus on software analysis & process management

Emma Roose

Emma Roose is coordinating HOGENT’s Educational Technology support team. By striving for strong support and tailored training, the team empowers lecturers to confidently integrate technology to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Emma’s work centers on strengthening the digital learning experience by building partnerships, exploring future-oriented EdTech solutions, and driving digital innovation projects across the institution.

Fiona Palmer

Fiona is the Head of Professional Standards at The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK (CILT(UK)), supporting members and industry partners with their career and learning journeys. With a focus on Professional Standards and CPD, Fiona has supported the implementation of various platforms and services in an effort to bring value and engage the CILT(UK) membership.

Agustina Videla

Agustina Bruno Videla is an experienced Instructional Designer and E-Learning Specialist with over nine years of expertise spanning education, healthcare, and sport. At the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), she leads digital learning initiatives and oversees GAINLINE, the organisation’s Brightspace-powered LMS. Agustina has spearheaded projects that not only support individual learners but also improve accessibility and user experience at scale. Passionate about the transformative power of learning, she focuses on designing solutions that serve members while strengthening the wider sporting ecosystem. She has shared her insights at previous D2L Connections events in Amsterdam and London.

Colin Moran

With almost 30 years experience in sports education with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and World Rugby, Colin considers himself very privileged to have played a part in some of the most significant developments in the IRFU and rugby in Ireland.

In recent years one of those revolutions has been brought about by the adoption of Brightspace by the organisation – its first ever eLearning platform, which they call ‘GainLine’.

He is currently the IRFU’s National Training and Education Manager and oversees the education and certification provided by multiple IRFU departments and the support offered to learners across these multiple strands.

As a World Rugby Master Trainer he has been a regular presenter at conferences and workshops and has travelled the world to avail of opportunities to both teach and learn.

Sarah Shreeves

Sarah Shreeves is Head of Training Services at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). She is responsible for the delivery of CIPFA’s full Professional Accountancy Qualification and Level 7 Apprenticeship via its Education and Training Centre, as well as a range of short courses. Brightspace underpins all CIPFA programmes, not only enabling all students and delegates to receive a contemporary learning experience, but also providing trainers and management with progress and engagement data, vital for supporting learners and meeting requirements of funders. Prior to working at CIPFA, Sarah worked for the University of Hertfordshire group, managing employer-focused training and consultancy projects.

John Baker

John founded D2L in 1999, at the age of twenty-two, while attending the University of Waterloo. He strongly believes that learning is the foundation upon which all progress and achievement rests.

He is a member of the Business Council of Canada, board member of the Business Higher Education Roundtable, member of the Industry Strategy Council in Canada, Chair of the Digital Economic Strategy Table in Canada, has served on the Governing Council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, is the Past Chair of the board of Communitech, and is a board member of Canada’s National Ballet School.

John was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Ontario for Software and Technology), Young Alumni Achievement Medal from University of Waterloo, and Intrepid Entrepreneur of the Year in Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.

John graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours B.A.Sc. in Systems Design Engineering, with First Class Honours and an option in Management Sciences.

Brian Finnerty

Brian is a dynamic marketing leader with extensive experience building successful go-to-market teams. He believes in the transformative power of marketing, leveraging a potent combination of brand strength, targeted demand generation, tight sales alignment, and compelling customer stories.

Prior to D2L, Brian has held pivotal leadership roles at high growth companies including Udacity, Demandbase, Marin Software, and Skillsoft. He has been a driving force behind aligning sales and marketing around a bold and compelling message – resulting in quality pipeline generation, increased bookings, and strong customer retention.

Brian has an unshakable belief that marketing offers one of the most enjoyable and rewarding careers available. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, three boys, and a very friendly chocolate labrador.

Stewart Watts

Stewart Watts is Senior Vice President, EMEA & APAC Sales, at D2L. He leads the company’s commercial activities east of the Americas—across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

A graduate of The University of Nottingham, Stewart holds an MA (Hons) in Hispanic Studies and has worked in the software industry within education and learning since 2011. Stewart moved to D2L in January 2016 having previously spent close to five years at software and services firm Blackbaud Inc., where he ran commercial operations within the European division.

Stewart was brought up in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the north of England and now lives in Surrey with his wife and two children. Stewart describes himself as a “spare bedroom musician,” a “wannabe Tiger Woods,” and a “long-suffering Manchester United fan,” with his passions for music, golf and football taking up the majority of his free time.

Imran Ahmed

Imran Ahmed is Vice President of Product Marketing at D2L, where he leads global GTM strategy across the K–12, higher ed, and corporate learning markets. With over 15 years in SaaS and EdTech, including roles at Demandbase, ADP, and Ceridian, Imran is known for crafting differentiated positioning and driving cross-functional alignment. His focus on customer-centric messaging and market-backed insights has helped scale some of the industry’s most trusted brands.

Dr. Sam Chandrashekar

Dr. Sam Chandrashekar is the Global Accessibility Lead of D2L. She is is passionate about enabling disability inclusion in education through digital accessibility. With a PhD and postdoc from the University of Toronto, she taught inclusive design and supervised research at graduate level for over 10 years. Currently, she advises doctoral students as adjunct professor in three Canadian universities.

On the policy side, Sam holds offices in and contributes to several national and international standards-making bodies on Accessibility, Education and AI. Notably, she is the Vice Chairperson of Canada’s technical committee on Accessible and Equitable Artificial Intelligence Systems and the Vice Chair of the Global Leadership Council of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals aka IAAP.

Sam loves teaching, and connecting with people. She believes that being there for one another makes the world go round. She draws energy from deep networking with several communities including disability groups.

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.

Rachel Foster

Rachel Foster is a dynamic and solutions-driven Principal Solutions Engineer at D2L, where she leads strategic engagements that help institutions unlock the full potential of digital learning. With over six years at D2L, Rachel has progressed through senior engineering roles, including team leadership, consistently delivering tailored solutions that meet complex client needs across the UK and beyond. Rachel’s passion for education extends beyond her professional role—she served as a dedicated school Governor at Thorn Grove Primary School for over five years, including as Chair during the COVID-19 pandemic. She holds a BSc in Information Technology and Multimedia from the University of Gloucestershire and a Professional Certificate in Management from The Open University. Known for her technical acumen, leadership, and collaborative spirit, Rachel is committed to driving innovation in education through thoughtful, impactful technology.

Michael Kavanagh

Michael Kavanagh is a seasoned leader in educational technology, currently serving as Senior Director of International Customer Success at D2L. With over a decade at D2L, Michael has played a pivotal role in driving global adoption of the Brightspace platform, helping institutions transform learning experiences across diverse regions. Prior to this, he led technical strategy as D2L’s EMEA Technical Director, building scalable solutions tailored to regional needs. His career spanned nearly 14 years at Oxford University Press, where he spearheaded digital innovation as Head of Technology for the ELT Digital Media Group. Michael’s expertise lies in bridging technology and pedagogy, delivering impactful solutions that empower educators and learners alike. He holds an Honours BA in Film Studies from Queen’s University and studied at the University of Glasgow. Based in the UK, Michael is known for his strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and unwavering commitment to improving the way the world learns. 

Louise Plunkett

Louise leads D2L’s product strategy across international markets, focusing on creating innovative digital learning solutions for diverse educational needs. Based in the UK, Louise is dedicated to helping shape the future of education through strategic product development and global market insights. 

Rob Telfer

Rob has more than two decades experience working on digital transformation projects across various industries. Since joining D2L in November 2020, Rob has been working in D2L’s Education team and has helped numerous schools, colleges and universities across Europe throughout their evaluation, selection and implementation of the Brightspace Learning Management System. Rob is a firm believer in a pedagogy first approach to the design and development of learning technology.

Zain Qaadri

ain is a Senior Solutions Engineer with 7 years of hands-on experience in the educational technology industry. His journey began as a Business Development Representative, where he honed his skills in understanding customer needs and motivations.
With a keen eye for identifying pain points and drivers, Zain transitioned seamlessly into the role of Solutions Engineer. His forte lies in crafting customised software solutions that precisely address the unique challenges faced by clients, leveraging his Brightspace expertise to help revolutionise learning experiences and drive educational innovation.

Heather Williams

Heather is a Senior Implementation Consultant and Trainer who has worked with D2L for over 7 years. She has a strong interest in accessibility as a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) with the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. Before working in education technology, Heather was a professional dog trainer and specialised in working with fearful and aggressive dogs.