Anissa Lokey-Vega has been a professor of Instructional Technology at Kennesaw State University since 2011. Dr. Vega currently serves as the Associate Vice Provost providing oversight of curriculum, digital learning, academic policy, and academic innovations. In this role she leads and supports the institutional curriculum review process, general education, and online course quality review. Under the umbrella of academic innovation, she supports several cross-campus initiatives including alternative college pathways, micro-credentialing, and learning analytics. In 2014, Dr. Vega was awarded the Affordable Learning Georgia Textbook Transformation Award and inducted into the Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame in 2017 for online teaching by the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia (USG).  Dr. Vega’s research and presentations have focused on curriculum alignment, online teaching and learning, new learning models and innovation in higher education.

Dr. Jessica Riddell is a Full Professor of Early Modern Literature at Bishop’s University and holds the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. 

As founder of the Hope Circuits Institute (HCI), she drives systems-change in higher education, focusing on governance, leadership, and student success. In a landscape rife with indictments of broken systems, her work invites people across the post-secondary ecosystem to co-create blueprints for meaningful rewiring that centers justice, equity, and access. 

Her 2024 book, Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities and Other Organizations for Human Flourishing (McGill-Queen's Press), offers a roadmap for this transformation. 

Meet Michelle

Dr. Michelle Weise (pronounced W-ice) leads Long Life Learning Strategies, a consulting firm for organizations seeking to prepare working-age adults for a longer future of work. Her award-winning book, Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs that Don’t Even Exist Yet, was recognized by University Professional and Continuing Education Association as the most outstanding work of continuing higher education literature in 2021. That same year, Thinkers50 named her one of 30 management and leadership thinkers in the world to watch.

 Karen Costa is an author, adjunct faculty, and faculty development professional working to support both faculty and student success in higher education. She specialises in supporting higher educators with weaving climate action into their teaching, creating neuroinclusive learning environments, and all things online pedagogy. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, son, and shih-tzu.

Karen’s first book, 99 Tips for Creating Simple and Sustainable Educational Videos (Stylus, April 2020), focuses on helping faculty and teachers to make creative use of videos in their classrooms. Her second book, Open Minds: Designing and Teaching for ADHD Students' Success, is under contract with JHU Press.

Matthew Rascoff is Vice Provost for Digital Education at Stanford University. He was previously Associate Vice Provost for Digital Education and Innovation at Duke University. Before Duke, he served as Vice President and founder of the Office of Learning Technology & Innovation for the University of North Carolina system, where he worked from 2014-17. 

See Matthew's writing on digital education.

Mike Yates is a Senior Designer at the Reinvention Lab at Teach for America.

At TFA, he’s focused on figuring out where learning is going and pointing Teach for America in that direction. Right now that looks like leading AI for the organization and he runs hackathons, designs unique and engaging workshops, and trains TFA staff to use AI in novel ways to better their work. 

Mike is also a sought-after speaker (appearances include TedX and SXSW, among others), and is a consultant for edtech companies. 

Prior to joining TFA, Mike Yates worked in education as a college readiness tutor, education programs coordinator and teacher. 

 Realizing a bright, innovative, and equitable future of learning is why Mike gets up in the morning.

Tom Andriola is UC Irvine’s VC for Information Technology and Data and Chief Digital Officer. His role is designed to ensure the strategic use of data and technology, drive interdisciplinary partnerships, and champion digital strategies.

Andriola is a global business & technology leader with a broad array of experience in the public and private sector. He is an advocate for progress and equity utilizing technology and data, serving on the boards of OCHIN and Unizin. 

He holds a bachelor's degree from George Washington University, a master's degree from the University of South Florida, and has completed the Stanford Executive MBA program.