SUMMIT SPEAKERS

Michael serves as the Chief Technology Advisor for Higher Education at World Wide Technology (WWT). In this role, he engages with clients on strategy, innovation, and transformation to develop and deliver outcomes that are important to higher education institutions and their  constituents.  ​Michael has more than 25 years in bringing creative and innovative information technology  solutions that leverage established and emerging technologies across a variety of industries including Higher Education, Banking, Insurance, Distribution, and Health Care.   Prior to joining WWT in January 2022, Michael most recently served as the Associate Vice President and Deputy CIO at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he helped establish  a vision for technology services to accelerate the transformation of UCF IT. Michael also served   as Assistant Vice President of Infrastructure and Operations at the University of South Florida  (USF).  ​ During his tenure within Higher Education, Michael served on the Board of Directors for the   Higher Education User Group (HEUG) and as a board member for Florida LambdaRail (FLR),   Florida's independent statewide research and education fiber optic network services provider.  Michael received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from North   Carolina State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Cleveland State  University.

Tawnya Means, PhD, is co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of AdvancAI Higher Ed, founder & Principal at Inspire Higher Ed, and co-founder of AI Convergence — ventures collectively focused on helping higher education institutions lead AI transformation. She also serves as Strategic Innovation and AI Advisor at Bowling Green State University and Chief Learning Officer at AristAI. A long-standing AACSB seminar facilitator and published scholar, she holds a PhD in Information Science and Learning Technologies from the University of Missouri. With nearly two decades of experience across six continents, she is author of The Collaboration Chronicle: Human+AI in Education on Substack. Her work centers on evidence-based Human+AI partnerships that preserve what makes education irreplaceably human.

Charles Elliott is a Head of Industry at Google Cloud, leading initiatives that transform education through the power of technology, particularly generative AI. Building on a successful consulting career focused on Big Data, Analytics, and AI, Charles now leverages his extensive expertise to guide educational institutions and ed-tech companies in realizing the potential of personalized learning at scale. With over 15 years of experience, he specializes in bridging cutting-edge cloud solutions with the specific needs of the education and research sectors. As a trusted advisor, he empowers organizations to enhance learning experiences, improve accessibility, and drive measurable educational outcomes. His work spans early childhood education, machine learning applications, and strategic cloud implementation, with a focus on leveraging generative AI to unlock new possibilities in transforming public sector organizations.

Alana Rose is Head of Partnerships at Podium Education, the leading experiential learning and career platform that integrates exploration and hands-on experience directly into the classroom, all for college credit. Podium ensures every student, regardless of major or background, has the chance to explore careers, build in-demand skills, and gain real-world experience.  Alana brings over 15 years of experience building and scaling strategic partnerships in the Ed Tech space, having held senior leadership roles at some of the most recognized names in online education — including 2U, Trilogy, Emeritus, and InStride. Known for her ability to forge lasting relationships with university leadership and corporate partners alike, Alana has a track record of turning complex partnership ecosystems into engines for growth. A proud alum of the University of Southern California, Alana lives in NYC with her husband (Jon) and daughter (Mila). Fight On!

Robyn Hammontree is Vice President of Academic Partnerships at D2L and a 2026 Nieman Fellowship Affiliate at Harvard University. In her role at D2L, she partners with universities to turn digital learning priorities into executable plans that improve program quality. Prior to joining D2L, Robyn held senior roles at Noodle, where she supported institutions through complex work, and spent eight years at The University of Alabama in online learning, contributing directly to online program development and the operational practices that support quality at scale. She has worked across K12, Higher Education and Corporate Learning throughout her career, and brings that lens to her work today.

Dr. Joe Sallustio is a recognized leader and expert in higher education, with over 20 years of experience spanning operations, finance, and academics. His career includes leadership roles across both non-profit and for-profit institutions, giving him a comprehensive understanding of how to scale and operate educational organizations in today’s dynamic landscape.  Currently serving as Senior Vice President & Chief of Industry Engagement at Ellucian, a leading educational technology company, Joe plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of higher ed. He is also the co-founder and host of The EdUp Experience Podcast, the top U.S. podcast for higher education insights, featuring interviews with global leaders.  Joe’s thought leadership extends to the stage as a keynote speaker, moderator, and facilitator. He co-authored the best-selling book Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education, which has become a trusted guide for faculty and staff worldwide. His latest book, Digital Modernization for Higher Education Boards, commissioned by AGB, was published earlier this year.

Alex Sevilla, EdD, is co-founder and Chief Business Officer of AdvancAI Higher Ed, and Principal Advisor - Higher Ed Strategy at DriveX Labs — ventures focused on helping universities and edtech firms navigate and lead in the era of artificial intelligence. He serves on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement USA and AI Convergence, and as an Advisor for Miso Robotics. A seasoned higher education executive, Alex has led large-scale transformation across leading institutions — spanning strategic planning, enrollment growth, new program development, campus expansion, career outcomes, corporate partnerships, and technology advancement — including senior executive roles at the University of Florida and Vanderbilt University. He holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. His current work centers on translating AI opportunity into strategic direction and measurable impact, guided by a North Star of transformational gains in career readiness and empowerment for every learner he serves.

Chris Morgan is the Associate Vice President (AVP) of Innovation at Jenzabar, a position focused on developing technology solutions for higher education and lifelong learning. He specializes in product innovation, user experience (UX), and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve educational outcomes.

Matt Huenerfauth is a Professor and Dean of the Golisano College of Computer and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).  RIT is ranked #57 among computing institutions in the U.S. by CSRankings, and the college of computing is home to top-ranked degree programs in game design and development (#3), cybersecurity (#18), and computer science (#57) in US News and World Report.  The college has been home to many "firsts," including the first software engineering and first information technology degree programs in the world, and the college has recently a new BS program Artificial Intelligence.  Huenerfauth is a researcher in computing accessibility for people who are deaf, with work on captioning and sign-language technologies, and he is the recipient of over $5.4 million in external research funding, including an NSF CAREER Award.  He currently serves as chair of the leading professional society in his field, the ACM Special Interest Group on Accessible Computing.

Ayham Boucher is Executive Director of AI Strategy, Innovation, and Enablement at Cornell University, leading institution-wide AI strategy and innovation across education, research, and administration. He advises Fortune 100 companies, supports AI-driven startups through VC advisory roles, and co-chairs an AI Innovation Accelerator of 80+ U.S. and global institutions.

Meet Swift – once an aspiring lawyer who entered the world of tech after attending his first hackathon. Now the CEO and Co-Founder of Major League Hacking (MLH), Swift is on a mission to empower the next generation of technologists. Every year, more than 100,000 developers around the world join the MLH community to learn practical skills through hands-on educational programs like hackathons and Open Source software fellowships where they gain real-world technical experience, build connections with employers, and ultimately launch their careers. Swift’s expertise lies in software engineering and in building and scaling diverse, inclusive developer communities. Previously Swift was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Education category, founded Hacker League (acquired by Intel in 2013), and served as the first Developer Evangelist for SendGrid (IPO 2017, acquired by Twilio in 2019).

Kelly Norris Martin is a Professor and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Martin's research focuses on workforce and communication education, and she has secured external funding from the Teagle Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Engineering Information Foundation, and the National Science Foundation to support projects examining the competencies that help U.S. college students succeed and strengthen employer competitiveness. At RIT she co-founded of the Expressive Communication Center and currently serves as editor of the Graphic Design Archives Chapbook Series with RIT Press.

Brian Amkraut, PhD serves as the inaugural Vice Provost and Executive Director for Workforce and Leadership Engagement at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. He leads the University’s Center for Leadership, develops and manages partnerships with industry and community organizations, and advances the Mount’s commitment to preparing students for meaningful careers and purposeful lives. He has over 20 years in senior leadership roles in higher education at both access-oriented and major research universities.  He received his BA from Columbia and PhD from NYU.

Elaine has served the field of higher education for more than thirty years and believes that remaining relevant requires continuous improvement, both for institutions and for employees. As a native New Yorker, Elaine continues to enjoy the fast paced and diverse work experiences in both her professional and personal life. Elaine T. White has worked at several private higher education institutions where her portfolio has included leadership for a breadth of extra and cocurricular student affairs areas and departments including: Athletics, Campus Ministry, Career Development, Campus Events, Conference Operations, Facilities, Food Services, Health Services, International Student Advisement, New Student Orientation, Performing Arts, Recreation, Residence Life, Security, Student Activities, Title IX (Gender Equity and Reduction of Sexual Misconduct), and Wellness Center Operations.   Throughout her career she has managed major projects, many that focus on student success, her educational passion. Currently, Elaine is employed by Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology where she is serving as Associate Vice President of Institutional Compliance and Student Success.  In this role she is the lead administrator championing the Artificial Intelligence Chatbot designed by EdSights to boost student persistence. The AI chatbot was launched on campus in 2020 and continues to be leveraged to produce positive student outcomes.  Elaine T. White has earned a bachelor’s degree in media arts communication from Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus and a Master’s of Education Degree in Counseling from Manhattan University, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA.  She has completed doctoral classes in Executive Leadership with honors at St. John Fisher College. Currently she is a doctoral candidate in Higher Education Administration at Liberty University, again achieving a 4.0. The area of focus for her capstone is the retention of adult learners in postsecondary institutions.  Additionally, Elaine serves on the Board of Trustees for the Loyola School, a college preparatory high school in New York City, facilitating the Education and Student Life committee as Chair. Elaine is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, International, a professional education focused organization who’s slogan is “Greater Service, Greater Progress”, a motto that resonates with her.

Amanda Davria is Head of Strategic Initiatives at Major League Hacking (MLH), where she leads cross-functional initiatives that shape the future of developer education and early-career tech talent. With over 15 years of experience scaling teams and operations across startups, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies, Amanda is a builder at heart — known for bringing structure, strategy, and momentum to complex programs. At MLH, she has spent five years growing the Fellowship program into a flagship offering, overseeing everything from admissions and marketing to partner success and fellow outcomes. Before MLH, she helped take Flatiron School's admissions operation from a $5M to a projected $50M business. She holds an MBA from NYU Stern.

Roy Moulder is a Partnerships Director at EdSights with over 12 years of experience in technology and a passion for transforming student success in higher education. Drawing on nearly a decade in telecom, Roy understands how to structure communication plans that cut through the noise and maximize engagement - a skill he now applies to help higher ed leaders amplify the student voice at scale. Roy works alongside colleges and universities to move from reactive support to proactive, data-driven action that keeps students on the path to completion.

Juanita Soranno is the Founder and Executive Director of CodeConnect, an organization focused on expanding access to technology education and helping communities build the skills to thrive in an AI-enabled world. She is also a consultant and advisor to organizations working at the intersection of education, workforce development, and AI literacy. Previously, Juanita held leadership roles at Trilogy Education, 2U, and Cengage Group, where she led work spanning social impact, workforce strategy, and program operations. Earlier in her career, she contributed to the growth of one of the fastest-growing EdTech companies, culminating in a $750 million exit in just three years. At 2U, she served as Vice President of Global Social Impact & Innovation, where she launched edX for Impact. As a result of her work with CodeConnect, she was selected as one of the inaugural 25 fellows of the Clinton Global Initiative Fellowship. Juanita holds an MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill and a B.A. from San Francisco State University. A sought-after speaker, she has presented at Google Women Techmakers, SXSW EDU, and TEDxAyala Avenue.

Professor Karopczyc earned his B.S. in Computer Science from Cornell University and his M.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University. Prior to joining St. Thomas Aquinas College’s CS department in 2021, he was the Chief Technology Officer and co-owner of Bristol Capital, a data analytics and consulting firm in the field of telecommunications. In 2023, he co-developed the College’s undergraduate program in Data Science, and teaches several of the program’s courses. During the summers, he helps run STEM-focused camps to teach middle and high school students about robotics, Python programming, and data analysis. His primary areas of interest are artificial intelligence and machine learning, and he enjoys keeping up with the latest advancements in deep neural networks and reinforcement learning.

Max is a seasoned machine learning engineer. He most recently worked on autonomous vehicles at Nuro, leading their active learning effort. He has a long history of deploying successful machine learning products at Google, Two Sigma, and Yelp. Max holds a B.S. in theoretical computer science and an M.S. in artificial intelligence from Stanford University. In addition to his passion for building, he is also an active member of the Magic: The Gathering cube community.

Lola W. Brabham was appointed the ninth President of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) in 2021. As president, she leads the Albany-based nonprofit organization that represents the chief executives of New York's 100+ independent colleges and universities on issues of public policy. Ms. Brabham joins CICU after a nearly three decades career in public service. Most recently, she served as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service and President of the Civil Service Commission. In that role, she led the central personnel agency for the Executive Branch of New York State Government, serving approximately 150,000 employees. She also directed the administration of the civil service merit system for state and local government and the New York State Health Insurance Program — one of the largest public employer health insurance programs in the nation. Prior to leading the Department of Civil Service, Ms. Brabham was Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Chief Financial Officer for the New York State Department of Labor, managing internal operations and overseeing the fiscal health of the agency’s $4 billion budget. In addition, she has served as the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Health, Medicaid and Oversight and the Director of Human Services in the New York State Executive Chamber. She also held senior positions in the New York State Division of Budget. Her career began as a Legislative Budget Analyst for the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and as Chief of Staff in the New York State Assembly. Ms. Brabham possesses a dual Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the State University of New York and a Master of Public Administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy. President Brabham was recently named to City & State’s 2025 Trailblazers in Higher Education, which recognizes leaders who are keeping New York at the forefront of higher education. She has also been named to PoliticsNY’s Power Players in Education, and City & State’s 2023 Upstate Power 100 and 2023 Higher Education Power 100. She serves as a Board Director of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy and the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society. Ms. Brabham is a member of the NYS Private Student Loan Refinancing Task Force, the NYS Department of Education Advisory Council on Higher Education, the NYS Department of Health Board for Professional Medical Conduct, and the New York State Insurance Fund. A proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Ms. Brabham continues to champion equity, access, and opportunity in education and public service.

Charles J. Gibbs, Ed.D. is the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of 100 Black Men of America, Incorporated, the largest African American male mentoring organization in the country. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Dr. Gibbs served as the President of the Propel Center HBCU Consortium at Clark Atlanta University, a $50 million initiative supported by Apple Inc. and the Southern Company to expand the higher education Black talent pipeline in the fields of health, social justice, arts and entertainment, agriculture, and technology. Dr. Gibbs, one of the foremost executives in higher education, previously served as Vice President for University Affairs and Chief of Staff at Clark Atlanta University, Dean and Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Miles College, and Vice Provost at Howard University. Widely known as an expert in policy, accreditation, legislation, strategic partnership development, and fundraising, Dr. Gibbs is a visionary leader who has dedicated his career to transforming higher education and facilitating highly successful fundraising initiatives for institutions of higher learning, especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Dr. Gibbs has built a stellar 25-year track record of accomplishments in higher education administration through his various leadership roles that have experienced a renaissance in enrollment, academic programs, and research initiatives. His strategic vision and proactive approach to fundraising have resulted in record-breaking levels of financial support for academic programs and faculty development, allowing for the expansion of leading-edge facilities, enhanced student scholarships, and greater opportunities for career pathway exploration for students. Dr. Gibbs’ commitment to student success and community engagement is evident in his hands-on approach to leadership. He is known for his open-door policy, regularly meeting with students, faculty, and staff to listen to their ideas and concerns. This collaborative spirit has fostered a strong sense of unity and pride within the university communities he has served. In addition to his higher education work, Dr. Gibbs is actively involved in various national organizations focused on higher education and philanthropy. He is a sought-after speaker and mentor, sharing his insights and expertise with the next generation of leaders. Overall, Dr. Gibbs’ impact as a transformative leader and fundraiser cannot be overstated. His unwavering dedication to excellence and his innovative approach to challenges have positioned him as a beacon of progress and opportunity in the world of higher education. Dr. Gibbs earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from Howard University — an academic foundation that fuels his enthusiasm for safeguarding and advancing innovation in higher education.

Kelsey Cook serves as Senior Director of AI Strategy and Enablement within NYU's AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE). In this role, she helps lead the university's strategic investment in artificial intelligence, driving operational excellence, research innovation, and pedagogical development across NYU's vast global network—spanning campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, alongside 12 global academic centers. Kelsey draws on more than 11 years of experience at NYU—most recently as Senior Director of Digital Innovation and Learning at NYU Steinhardt—to shape how the university approaches AI adoption. She is dedicated to ensuring the AI CoE equitably and responsibly executes its charge: scaling enterprise-level AI solutions, accelerating data readiness & security, and fostering AI literacy for students, faculty, and staff. An alumnus of NYU, Kelsey holds an MA in Learning Technology Experience Design from New York University, as well as a BA in Psychology from Quinnipiac University.

Angelo Santabarbara is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Siena University, bringing 28 years of IT industry experience, including 14 years of dedicated leadership within the Siena community. Prior to his appointment as CIO, Angelo served as the university's Information Security Officer and Director of Networks and Systems, where he was instrumental in modernizing Siena’s technology infrastructure and strengthening its overall cybersecurity posture.