D2L Fusion 2021
Speakers
The Fusion program is packed with session led by D2L experts, partners, and of course our fabulous customers – imagineers shaping the future of learning today!
Keynote Speakers
John Baker
President and CEO, D2L
John is a strong believer in community involvement and devotes both his personal and business efforts to supporting young entrepreneurs who are developing and applying technology to improve society worldwide. He was appointed to the Governing Council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He is also a member (Entrepreneurs’ Circle) of the Business Council of Canada and the Business Higher Education Roundtable, is past chair of the board of Communitech, and is a board member of Canada’s National Ballet School. John has been awarded the Meritorious Service Cross, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Ontario for Software and Technology), the Young Alumni Achievement Medal from the University of Waterloo, and the Intrepid Entrepreneur of the Year in the Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.
John graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honors B.A.Sc. in systems design engineering, with First Class Honors and an option in management sciences.
Jose Miguel Valdes Rodriguez
SIDES Student
Fireside Chat Guest
Karen Flello
Principal of South Island Distance Education School (SIDES)
Karen Flello
Principal of South Island Distance Education School (SIDES)
Cynthia Rodriguez Gonzalez
SIDES Parent
Kenneth Chapman
VP of Learning Innovation Advocacy, D2L
Deeply passionate about the connection between technology and learning, Kenneth strives to identify how the changing EdTech landscape can help educators transform student outcomes. He joined the original D2L team back in 2003, and has since played a major role in shaping customer support, product management, product design, and market strategy.
Kenneth graduated with distinction from the University of Guelph, holding an Honours Co-op Bachelors in Mathematics & Statistics and Computer Science. He has also subsequently achieved certifications in both product management and project management disciplines.
Closing Keynote Presenter
Aprille Joy Ericsson
Rocket Scientist, Technologist & STEM Educator
Aprille Joy Ericsson
Rocket Scientist, Technologist & STEM Educator
During her 25+ year tenure with NASA, Dr. Ericsson has worked as Aerospace Engineer, Technologist, Project and Program Manager and Executive. She has taught at both Howard University, University of Maryland, and Bowie State University. Dr. Ericsson has been named one of the top 50 minority women working in science and engineering fields by the National Technical Association and she was ranked 8 of 20 on the 2016 list of the Most Powerful Women Engineers by Business Insider.
Ericsson was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Raised in the projects of Bedford-Stuyvesant, she began her education being bussed to an elementary school in Brooklyn. She continued to excel academically and was accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Minority introduction To Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Science program. During her time at MIT, she was involved in several Aerospace research projects and lead the research for Manned Mars Mission crew systems for interplanetary vehicles for her senior project.
She earned her masters and doctoral degree at Howard University (HU), Washington, D.C., where her research focused on developing practical design procedures for future orbiting space structures, like the Space Station. As an attitude control systems specialist, Ericsson developed and used programs for dynamic modeling simulation, which are invaluable in predetermining the dynamics and structural reactions of spacecraft. Ericsson’s work as an aerospace engineer has presented many opportunities to fulfill her dream of advancing space flight.
She speaks to young people across the country – especially minorities and women – to encourage them to follow in her footsteps. She mentors students every year and 20 years ago she created an email pipeline for groups underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Dr. Ericsson’s many honors and awards include: an Honorary Doctor of Science from Medgar Evers College; The Tau Beta Pi Alumni of Distinction; The Washington Award; The Women’s Network “Top 18 Women Who Will Change the World”; National Technical Association’s “Top 50 Minority Women in Science and Engineering”; the Women in Science and Engineering Award for Engineering Achievement; the Black Engineers Award Conference Special Recognition Award; and several NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Honor Awards.
Dr. Ericsson has always pursued ambitious undertakings and has never shied away from aiming high. In fact, she lives by these words of Norman Vincent Peale: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Barry Dahl
Teaching and Learning Advocate, D2L
Prior to D2L, Barry served as the Vice President of Technology and Lake Superior Connect e-Campus at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN, where he was the senior administrator in charge of online learning. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Instructional Technology Council that concentrates on providing useful services to member schools. He has a total of 27 years of work experience within higher education, and also milked his college student career for as long as he possibly could.
Speakers
Hattie Abretti
Teach First
Chris Alibaruho
Panopto
Sheena Allan
D2L
Dr. Lisa Andion
Bb Ally
Mario Andrade
EXP For School
Dayna Armstrong
D2L
Dr. Celeste Atkins
University of Arizona
John Baker
D2L
John Baker
D2L
Stefanie Baldwin
D2L
Stefanie Bassett
Indiana Wesleyan University
Chris Bellini
D2L
Robert Belliveau
NeonTrain Inc.
Tina Bergman
HPEDSB
AnnaMaria Bliven
WGU
Brady Boswell
IWU
Cathryn Brooks-Williams
New Mexico Highlands University
Martin Broughton
Course Merchant
Frank Brusca
Southern New Hampshire University
Mark Bryant
University of Arizona
Steve Bryson
Waterloo Catholic District School Board
Dr Ellen Buck
University of Suffolk
Bruce Burghgraef
D2L
Aaron Burrell
University of Suffolk
Susan Caldwell
Longwood Gardens
Flavio Camargo
D2L
Lauren Campbell
Longwood Gardens
Rodrigo Capelato
SEMESP
Corey Carter
D2L
Eline Cavalcanti
D2L
Edina Cejvan
Crystal Delta
Sambhavi Chandrashekar
D2L
Kenneth Chapman
D2L
Kenneth Chapman
D2L
Erin Coffin
Respondus
Marcia Conrado
D2L
Delia Couto
D2L
Chris Cramer
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
Mary Crawford
Southern New Hampshire University
Paige Crump
Middle Georgia State University
Carrie Curry
Delaware Tech
Barry Dahl
D2L
Chef Ilona Daniel
Holland College
Jennifer Davis
Sinclair Community College
Niki Davis
Southern Illinois University
Robert Day
Integrity Advocate
Jamie Dayton
IWU
Bianca Del Vecchio
D2L
Jesus Deloya
ALIAT Universidades
Anna Desmond
Respondus
Ginger Dewey
ReadSpeaker
Juliana dos Santos
Emily Dowd-Arrow
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Danielle D'Souza
Queen's University
Lorraine Dubuisson
Middle Georgia State University
JP Dunn
Southern Illinois University
Dan Ehrlich
D2L
Pascal Elzinga
D2L
Bryan Fair
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Helen Farmer
Teach First
Zala Fashant
Minnesota State
Karen Flello
South Island Distance Education School (SIDES)
Emanuel Fonseca Marinho
João Freitas
Kari Frisch
Central Lakes College
Monica Gaertner
D2L
Thomas Garrett
D2L
Randy Garver
Columbus State University
Paul Gebb
Oklahoma City University
Rebecca Gidjunis
Eastern University
Kory Gilderman
The College of St. Scholastica
Luke Gleadall
Energy Safety Canada
David Gomes
GECDSB
Guilherme Gonçalves
UBEC
Roberta Gontijo
UBEC
Brigitte Gorgan
D2L
Elliot Gowans
D2L
Kiara Graham
D2L
Krista Greear
Bb Ally
Nate Green
Flint Hill School
Brigitte Grogan
D2L
Karen Hahn
Saint Leo University
Michael Hakkarinen
Harmonize by 42 Lines
Carin Headrick
D2L
José Henrique Paim Fernandes
Fundação Getúlio Vargas
Alan Hiddleston
D2L
Selina Idlas
Queen's University
Brian Jacobsen
Bongo
Greta Jenkins
The College of St. Scholastica
Danny Jerman
Janison
Shawn Johnston
Anita Joshi
D2L
Christina Kalel
University of Arizona
Sam Karell
Bb Ally
Puneet Kaur
D2L
Michael Kavanagh
D2L
Jordan Kay
D2L
Lauren Keefe
West Chester University of PA
Becky Keith
IntelliBoard
Christopher Kline
Western Governors University
Jennifer Knott
Columbus State University
Eric Kowalik
Marquette University
Max Kraus
Otis College of Art and Design
Kassia Kukurudza
D2L
Anuja Kulkarni
Southern New Hampshire University
Foster Kwon
D2L
Karen LaPlant
Metropolitan State University
CAROLINA LASTRA
Universidad de los Andes
Marisa Lavoratore
Queen's University
Carla Letícia Alvarenga Leite
FAESA
Jeffrey Linek
Georgia Highlands College
Helen MacLennan
Saint Leo University
Dale Mancini
Saint Leo University
Richard Martin
D2L
Lindsay McCardle
D2L
Colleen McIlroy
Saint Leo University
Brenda McKinley
Sinclair Community College
Angelene McLaren
Saint Leo University
Jeannette McNamara
D2L
Scott McRae
Energy Safety Canada
Mike Mendenhall
IWU
Sandra Metzger
Indiana Wesleyan University
Amy Miele
VHS Learning (VHS, Inc.)
Eric Mistry
The College of St. Scholastica
Gina Monaghan
Simple Syllabus
Mike Moore
D2L
D2L Moose
D2L
Keya Mukherjee
Saint Leo University
Dr Dhaya Naidoo
Tshwane University of Technology
Artur Nappo Dalla Libera
União Brasileira de Educação Católica
Anita Naravane
St. Petersburg college
Jeremy Negrey
PartsSource
Lirim Neziroski
Prairie State College
Alison Nooks
Middle Georgia State University
Bruno Oliveira
Explicaê
Ronan O'Loughlin
Chartered Accountants Ireland
Leandro Ortunes
Faculdade Capital Federal
Laura Osborne
Stephen F. Austin State University
Christian Pantel
D2L
Stuart Pedley-Smith
Kaplan
Joe Petrusa
D2L
Ed Pettersson
Domo
Peter Phinney
GECDSB
Jack Pinette
D2L
Rachael Platt
The College of St. Scholastica
Colin Porter
Southern New Hampshire University
Sadaf Qayumi
D2L
Andre Quaglia
GECDSB
Lynda Randall
California State University, Fullerton
Surekha Rao
D2L
Everton Renaud
Francisco Reynoso
Pima Community College, PimaOnline
Scotty Robinson
D2L
Cynthia Rodriguez Gonzalez
Steve Rogalsky
D2L
Matthew Ross
Longwood Gardens
Jeff Rubenstein
Kaltura
Tricia Salata
Cengage
Jeff Salin
D2L
Natalie Salvador
Otis College of Art and Design
Cara Scott
Dematic
Dan Semi
D2L
Megan Shuker
D2L
Jason Silverstein
Delaware Tech
Amy Smoke
Tiffany Snyder
Indiana Wesleyan University
Arie Sowers
Respondus
Ana Spike
Dematic
Sarah Starrett
Nipissing University
Jillian Steele
University of Ottawa, Teaching and Learning Support Service
Vlad Ster
FeedbackFruits
Jeff Stevenson
D2L
Andres Taborda
Honorlock
Carla Tamburro
West Chester University of PA
April Tanner
D2L
Monti Tanner
Calgary Board of Education
Samuel Tanner
Nottingham Trent University
Lara Tarantini
University of Arizona
Tom Tenney
Pima Community College, PimaOnline
Peterson Theodorovicz
D2L
Andy Thomas
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada
Matthew Thomas
Longwood Gardens
Jenn Tisdale
D2L
Chris Trace
University of Surrey
Jane Tyerman
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Health Science
Andy Ugro
SIDES
Jose Valdes Rodriguez
Alex Valee
D2L
Fernando Valenzuela
Global Impact EdTech Alliance
Ivo van der Wek
Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HVA)
Jean-Marie Venturini
Otis College of Art and Design
Betina von Staa
Chris Watson
Bayfield Design
Sean Watt
Queen's University
Megan Weatherly
Stephen F. Austin State University
Sabrina Wengier
Middle Georgia State University
Karen Wenz
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Holly Whitaker
D2L
Ian Williamson
New Mexico Highlands University
Nadiya Wilson
D2L
Kathy Wood
ReadSpeaker
Steven Woodard
D2L
Sarah Wright
D2L
ShiKui Wu
Lakehead University
Frank Yang
Energy Safety Canada
Sue Yavor
Eastern University
Kelly Zepp
Community College Of Denver
Grace Zhu
Southern New Hampshire University
Fusion 2022
Where: Location to be announced
When: July 2022
Network with educators and experts from around the world to discuss teaching, learning, and professional development topics; stay up to date with industry trends; and see the latest product innovations available to you.
We can’t wait to see you at our annual user conference in July 2022 to take part in discussions that matter to you!