D2L Connection: New York – Higher Education

Andrea Palyok

Andrea Palyok is a Senior Solutions Engineer at D2L, where she bridges technology and education by delivering customized solutions for educational institutions. She works closely with diverse stakeholders—educators, administrators, and IT teams—to understand their goals and challenges. With deep expertise in D2L’s Brightspace platform, Andrea designs and presents solutions that enhance learning experiences, integrating new features, resolving technical issues, and tailoring the platform to specific educational needs. Her background includes roles as a director of instructional design and adjunct instructor, teaching curriculum design and educational theory. She began her career as a middle school math educator, gaining broad insights across educational settings. Passionate about expanding access to education, Andrea empowers institutions to maximize the impact of e-learning through effective use of technology.

Ben Campbell

Ben Campbell is the VP of Global Solutions Engineering at D2L, where he’s worked for over 12 years. He has worked with hundreds of institutions to help increase their return on investment in learning technology. Prior to joining D2L, Ben worked at the University of Florida and UC Berkeley as an instructional designer and product manager. He lives in Asheville, NC, with his wife and 2 children. He holds a Master’s in Educational Technology and a Bachelor’s in English from UF.

Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky is Vice Provost for AI and Technology in Education. In this role, he designs, develops, and enhances all academic aspects of technology-based teaching and learning, University-wide; oversees the development of NYU’s instructional technology strategy, working with deans, faculty, NYU IT, and other university offices; maintains an inventory of online education offerings; and helps schools use educational technology to recruit new students, help existing students learn and progress, and generate costs savings or new revenues. He chairs the University’s Future of Technology-Enhanced Education Committee.

Shirky is Associate Professor at the Arthur L. Carter Center of Journalism in FAS and Associate Arts Professor in Tisch School of the Arts’ Interactive Telecommunications Program. From 2014 to 2017, he served as Chief Information Officer at NYU Shanghai. Before joining NYU’s full-time faculty in fall 2004, he was a partner at an international investment company, and was the original Professor of New Media at Hunter College, where he helped design its MFA in Integrated Media Arts program. Currently, Shirky is a faculty associate at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and was the 2010 Edward R. Murrow Visiting Lecturer at Harvard’s Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy.

Shirky holds a B.A. in Fine Art from Yale University. A leading voice on the social and economic impact of internet technologies, he is the author of Little Rice: Smartphones, Xiaomi, and the Chinese Dream (2015), Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age (2010), and Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations (2008). In 2010, he was named one of Foreign Policy’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers.” He has had regular columns in Business 2.0 and FEED, among other publications, and his writings have appeared in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Wired, Computerworld, and Foreign Affairs

Dr. Deanna Valente

Strategic leader in workforce transformation, organizational development, enterprise learning systems and LMS optimization with a proven record of modernizing learning ecosystems across higher education. Dr. Valente is results-oriented, high-energy, and hands-on with a proven record of aligning talent strategies to drive performance, innovation, and growth. Strong cross-functional leadership and human-centered design with a deep understanding of digital enablement, AI strategy, and capability building. Passionate about creating inclusive, future-ready organizations.

Doug Harrison

Douglas Harrison leads the Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies at NYU’s School of Professional Studies, where he sets strategy and planning for access and equity pathways for social and economic mobility for working adults, transfer students, degree completers, military affiliated learners, first-gen, and economically disadvantaged students. Prior to NYU, Harrison founded the School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology at the University of Maryland Global Campus. He has published and presented widely on access and inclusion in online learning, assessment security, and academic integrity. He is a past director on the board of the International Center for Academic Integrity and currently serves on Turnitin’s Customer Advisory Board for AI in higher education and for the Sounding Spirit Collaborative at Emory University’s Center for Digital Scholarship. His scholarship has been awarded the John Kluge Residential Fellowship at the Library of Congress and the NEA’s Award for Excellence in the Academy.

Dr. Evan Silberman

Dr. Evan Silberman currently serves as the Interim Senior University Dean of Academic Innovation and Interim Chief Academic Technology Officer at the City University of New York (CUNY). In this role, he leads strategic initiatives to enhance the University’s academic technology landscape, ensuring the effective integration and utilization of technological resources across CUNY’s diverse academic programs.

Jefferson Pestronk

Dr. Pestronk brings two decades of experience at the local, state, and federal level, including as VP for strategy and development at New Visions for Public Schools, one of the largest non-profits focused on improving public education in New York City; and as director of special initiatives in the US Dept of Education, advising on research and development-related policy. He holds a doctorate in ed leadership from Harvard and a BSE in operations research and financial engineering from Princeton.

Jonathan Holtby

Jonathan Holtby is the Director of Product for Artificial Intelligence at D2L working to develop knowledge systems, advanced content generation, and adaptive and dynamic learning implementations for millions of learners across the globe. Jonathan has been leading AI initiatives as an engineer, product leader, and CEO since 2014, building complex systems and prediction models in human resources, personal health, and education, and in 2023 he was the developer of an award-winning system to predict advanced academic outcomes from the data generated playing video games. Jonathan is a graduate of the University of Toronto and of Bond University in Australia, and his also a father of two and an Opera singer.

Dr. Julie Hartly Moore

As Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the State University of New York, Dr. Julie Hartley-Moore oversees academic programs, planning, and assessment, faculty and staff awards, and initiatives to support academic excellence within the SUNY System. Her portfolio includes leadership for the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of Global Affairs and International Student and Scholar Services, SUNY’s Digital Innovation and Academic Services, online educational initiatives, and the Office of Library and Information Services. SUNY is the largest system of public higher education in the United States, with 64, geographically dispersed campuses with differentiated missions, including community colleges, technical colleges, comprehensive colleges and universities, and major research universities.

Dr. Hartley-Moore previously served as Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer for the Utah System of Higher Education, was a faculty member for 14 years, a campus director at Utah State University, and a Dean at Elgin Community College. Dr. Hartley-Moore earned her PhD in Applied Anthropology and Education from Columbia University, a Master of Arts in American Studies from Utah State University, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Anthropology and French.

Dr. Julin Sharp

Dr. Julin Sharp is the Assistant Vice President of Digital Learning Platforms and Technology for Marist University and has been at Marist since 2017.  Julin’s teams are responsible for Marist’s public website, LMS, web applications, technology training, and all academic technologies.  Her special areas of focus include digital innovation, hybrid teaching and hybrid events, and best practices for teaching with digital tools.  Julin holds a bachelor’s degree in education and Spanish, a master’s degree in instructional technology, and a doctorate in educational leadership.  Her research focuses on transitioning instructors to the online classroom, and best practices in digital education. 

Kim Scalzo

Kim A. Scalzo is Senior Associate Provost for Digital Innovation and Academic Services at SUNY System Administration with responsibility for academic technology, innovations in teaching and learning with technology, and academic shared services across the Provost’s Office. Kim Co-led the transformative system-wide implementation of SUNY’s Digital Learning Environment, is currently serving as an Implementation Director for a set of academic innovation initiatives under SUNY’s Digital Transformation Project, and coordinates the SUNY Provost’s Office support for faculty around AI in teaching and learning. Kim previously served as Director of the SUNY Center for Professional Development and as Executive Director of SUNY Online. Prior to joining SUNY, she held multiple roles at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute leading continuing education, academic technology, and distance learning activities. She received her Master’s Degree in Education in College Student Personnel from The College of Saint Rose and her Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from SUNY Plattsburgh.

Laura Todd

I approach learning and course design through three interconnected lenses: as an Instructional Designer and Technology Trainer with over a decade of experience; as an Adjunct Professor working with adult students in an online degree completion program; and as a Doctoral Student researching the accessibility needs of adult learners in online environments. My work is grounded in both practical expertise and pedagogical research, with proficiency in LMSs such as Blackboard, Brightspace, and Canvas. I help educators create courses that engage, excite, and empower students…especially those navigating the unique challenges of online learning. 

Lindsay Shipman

Lindsay Shipman is the Director of Release and Product Enablement at D2L and a part-time instructor at Fanshawe College. With 13 years in educational publishing and technology, she specializes in blended and online learning. Lindsay holds a BA in English and a Master of Professional Education in Curriculum and Pedagogy. She is passionate about building connections, fostering community, and supporting students’ holistic growth.

Mortilaine Riley

Mortilaine is a results-driven learning professional with over a decade of success across higher education, corporate learning, and the non-profit sectors. Her proficiency spans learning strategy, educational technology, instructional design, multimedia communication, accessible teaching and learning, inclusive pedagogies, and training/facilitation. Mortilaine currently serves as one of the Learning Experience Architects (LXAs) at D2L and is primarily stationed in the Learning Services department. In this role, she works closely with clients, focusing on learning consultancy, strategy, and design, with a holistic approach to shaping the overall learning ecosystem. She is passionate about impacting individuals and organizations through the design and delivery of meaningful, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences that drive success.

Dr. Neil Hair

Dr. Neil Hair is an award-winning Professor of Marketing at the Saunders College of Business, and the Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at RIT. He is an expert at the intersection of AI, education, and marketing and brings unique perspectives on how generative AI is reshaping the marketing profession and higher education landscapes.

A five-time teaching excellence honoree including RIT’s prestigious Eisenhart Award, Dr. Hair combines academic rigor with practical innovation—creating the world’s first program on virtual world commercialization and pioneering immersive learning experiences using technology. His current research focuses on assessing generative AI’s transformative impact on the learning experience. Dr. Hair’s credentials span academic and practitioner worlds. He holds Chartered Marketer Status and is a Fellow of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Marketing, a PhD from Cranfield University, and Fellow status with the Higher Education Authority. His research explores the digital frontier, from online social networks and virtual ethnography to designing effective technology-enhanced learning environments, and his portfolio of research has garnered over 4500 citations globally.

As an internationally recognized thought leader in online customer experience, Dr. Hair brings both scholarly insight and practical expertise to discussions on how AI can amplify and transform contemporary marketing practice.

Dr. Patricia Munno

Dr. Patricia Munno, DNP, CNE, CPN, RN, is a distinguished nursing leader, educator, and clinician with extensive experience spanning academic, clinical, and administrative roles. She currently serves as Associate Dean of the School of Prelicensure Nursing at Felician University, where she oversees undergraduate nursing programs, curriculum development, faculty mentorship, and accreditation compliance, while also directing the university’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program. A dedicated educator, Dr. Munno teaches across undergraduate and graduate levels with expertise in pediatrics, nursing leadership, and research. She is also actively engaged in professional service, holding leadership positions within Sigma Theta Tau and contributing to numerous university committees. With a strong commitment to advancing nursing education and empowering the next generation of nurses, Dr. Munno continues to shape the future of the profession through her leadership, scholarship, and service.

Dr. Sambhavi Chandrashekar

Sambhavi Chandrashekar is passionate about inclusive education. With a PhD and postdoc from the University of Toronto, she has taught inclusive design and supervised research at graduate level for over 10 years. She advises doctoral students as adjunct professor in three Canadian universities. As the Global Accessibility Lead of D2L, Sam is focused on enabling disability inclusion in education through digital accessibility. Working at the junction of education, accessibility and AI, she has developed a framework for accessibility governance that enables education leaders to adopt accessibility as a strategic imperative.