Andrew Datars

Chief Technology Officer, D2L

Andrew Datars leads our Technology, Engineering and Development department, ensuring our customers have an outstanding product experience and that new product innovations are rapidly developed. He has an irrational love of building great commercial software. He believes that great engineers have a deep passion for having a positive impact in the world and his job is to support and enable that desire. He has spent most of his career helping engineering organizations ship great software that improves collaboration, health care, and now education.

Andrew has more than 25 years of leadership experience in commercial software including at Microsoft, Oracle and most recently at PointClickCare where he was the EVP of Engineering. He holds a M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Toronto and a B.Sc. in Physics from McGill University. He spent five years of his life studying quantum measurement and wavefunction collapse because it bothered him.

Angela Gunder

CEO, Opened Culture

Angela Gunder, Ph.D., is the CEO and founder of Opened Culture, a pioneering collaboratory dedicated to empowering stakeholders across the educational ecosystem to advance academic innovation and cultures of openness. She is also an online instructor at The University of Arizona where she has been teaching in Brightspace for over a decade.

Asim Ali

Executive Director, Biggio Center, Auburn University

Barry Sugarman

Vice President, University of Maryland Global Campus

Bo Wandschneider

Higher Education Consultant & Advisor on IT and Leadership Bo brings over 35 years of executive experience in higher education, specializing in technology, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. A former CIO, he advises boards and institutions on governance, risk, and strategy, helping leaders build resilient, responsible learning ecosystems.

Brad Fastenau

Senior Solutions Engineer, Okta

Chris Youles

Higher Education Lead, AWS

Curtiss Barnes

CEO, 1EdTech

Eric Stortz

Associate CIO, DeVry University

Juno Jesuthasan

SVP, Information Technology & Corporate Security, D2L

Justin Rose

Vice Provost, Digital Strategy, Southeastern University

Lester Godsey

Chief Information Security Officer, Arizona State University (ASU)

Mathew McNeeley

VP, Legal Operations and Business Affairs, D2L

Matt Campbell

SVP Cloud Platform, D2L

Melissa Vito

Vice Provost, University of Texas at San Antonio

Dr. Melissa Vito is a nationally recognized leader in higher education with over 35 years of experience, known for her visionary approach to higher education. As the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Melissa plays a pivotal role in elevating the university’s online education offerings and spearheading its exploration of Generative AI (GenAI) in teaching and learning.

Before joining UTSA, Melissa built a distinguished career at the University of Arizona, where she served as both Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives and Student Success. During her tenure, she was instrumental in securing the university’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, a significant achievement that underscored her commitment to creating more equitable and inclusive learning environments. Her leadership also led to the creation of the Student Success District, a groundbreaking space that integrates academic support, wellness services, and learning resources, all designed to enhance student well-being and academic achievement.

Melissa briefly retired in 2018, but her passion for educational innovation brought her to UTSA, where she has continued her mission to improve higher education through strategic leadership and collaboration. At UTSA, she has overseen the rapid expansion of UTSA Online, which has been recognized among the top online programs in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. This achievement reflects her dedication to enhancing accessibility to higher education through digital platforms, ensuring students have the opportunity to pursue their academic and career goals.

Under her leadership, the Academic Innovation Center (AIC) was established in 2023 as a collaborative hub for faculty, students, and staff. The AIC fosters creativity, collaboration, and experimentation, allowing the UTSA community to explore the transformative power of new technologies like GenAI. Through her initiatives, UTSA has become a leader in developing practical and ethical approaches to using AI in the classroom, preparing students for the technological challenges and opportunities of the future.

Melissa is also an accomplished speaker and writer, frequently contributing to discussions on educational leadership, digital learning, and student success.

Michael Feldstein

Chief Strategy Officer and President, 1EdTech

Dr. Nicole Johnson

Executive Director, Canadian Digital Learning Research Association Dr. Nicole Johnson is internationally recognized as a leading digital learning expert. Best known for her work as the Executive Director of the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA), she has extensive experience conducting research studies exploring digital learning trends in higher education. She recently launched the Digital Learning Leadership Community, an initiative designed to help educational leaders develop future-proof strategies and policies by providing evidence-informed leadership support. Underpinning all she does is Dr. Johnson’s passion for making high-quality learning experiences available to more people by advancing strategic and responsible technology use. Her areas of expertise include: digital learning trends, AI policy and governance, exploring potential futures for higher education, faculty experiences with technology, and understanding how adults learn informally in digital contexts.