Dan Arnold, Ph.D., is the Provost Fellow for Artificial Intelligence at Oakland University, where he directs the university’s strategy for AI adoption in education, research, and operations. His leadership focuses on building AI literacy, governance structures, and partnerships that ensure responsible, human-centered integration of AI technologies. With nearly two decades of experience in higher education, Dan has held roles in student recruitment, financial aid, online learning, and educational technology, and concurrently serves as Director of Support & Innovation for OU’s online learning department. He has taught courses in organizational leadership, change management, and team dynamics for over a decade. Dan’s work emphasizes collaboration, equity, and ethics, ensuring that AI enhances, rather than replaces, human expertise. Outside of his university role, he consults on AI literacy and organizational change, blending his expertise in technology and leadership to help others navigate the future of education.

Dr. Nicole Arrighi is an Assistant Dean at Tennessee State University's College of Education. She has over 15 years of experience in the field of education technology and leadership. 
Professor and Education Technology coordinator in the Department of Teaching & Learning at Tennessee State University. Dr. Arrighi also serves as an Apple Distinguished Educator, curriculum specialist for the National Center of Smart Technology, AI Fellows for Teacher Education, and ACUE certified facilitator. She served as a senior member of the National Education Association’s Content Quality & Review board which recommended online professional development courses to the NEA Academy and taught five years as an educator for Metro-Nashville Public Schools.

Dr. Deona Carter is an accomplished higher education leader with nearly twenty years of experience advancing Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and online education. She currently serves as the Executive Director for Georgia Online Learning and Development for the Technical College System of Georgia, a role she assumed in January 2026 after leading statewide initiatives in shared resources and educational technology innovation.
Dr. Carter’s work focuses on student development, online learning, and designing strategies that enhance student success from enrollment through graduation. With twelve years of experience as an online adjunct instructor, she brings a holistic perspective on teaching, learning, and institutional effectiveness.
She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Capella University, a Master of Arts in Post-Secondary Education from Argosy University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Family Studies from Berea College.

Brian Cohen is the vice president of the Center for Digital Government and Center for Digital Education, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government and education. Prior to joining the Center, Brian was vice chancellor and University CIO for the City University of New York (CUNY).
As the vice chancellor and University CIO at CUNY, Brian directed the Office of Computing and Information Services (CIS), developed and managed the enterprise IT vision, strategy and day-to-day technology operations of the University. His areas of focus included academic and business systems, cloud strategies, IT policies and procedures, cybersecurity, project management, IT resiliency and disaster recovery and network and telecommunications.
Brian also served in leadership roles with the City of New York. Among his many accomplishments, Brian developed the City of New York’s e-Government strategy, implemented the City’s award-winning nyc.gov website and managed the City’s effort to address the Y2K technology challenge.

Adam is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of technology in education. With an 19-year tenure at Google spanning diverse roles, Adam has spent the last 10 years dedicated to building cutting-edge technology solutions for the education industry. His expertise lies in leveraging Generative AI to address critical challenges in K-12 and higher education, improving teaching and learning experiences, and empowering research computing. 

Christian Drennen is a higher education technology and academic strategy leader with more than 15 years of experience across university leadership, accreditation consulting, and workforce learning. He serves as Director of Academic Technology & Instructional Support at Oberlin College & Conservatory, where he leads strategy for learning technologies, instructional design, AI innovation, and academic technology governance.
Mr. Drennen is a principal advisor in Oberlin’s institutional AI strategy, serving as the IT representative on the Presidential AI Oversight Team and Chair of the Educational Technology Governance Committee. He works with executive leadership to develop responsible AI frameworks, governance models, and scalable faculty and staff enablement initiatives aligned with mission and academic integrity.
Previously, he led online pedagogical strategies and faculty development programming at the University of Cincinnati, authoring faculty-endorsed resources focused on online course quality and teaching standards. His work centers on empowering faculty to teach the modern student in a rapidly developing landscape of ethical AI experimentation, structured learning, and mission-driven implementations that strengthen teaching, learning, and institutional resilience.

Vice President of Customer Success, e.Republic

Adrienne Garber is a Chief Technology and Innovation Strategist for Higher Education at Dell Technologies. She is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has been involved with Dell Technologies in various capacities since July 2019.
Adrienne has been improving teaching, learning and technology in higher education for the past 20 years. She has an extensive background in instructional design, faculty development, program assessment, and education technology project management.
At Dell, she supports strategy development for higher education leadership in five keys areas: student and institutional success, teaching and learning, research, security, and IT infrastructure. She also has experience designing and building esports and gaming spaces on college campuses for Alienware, Dell’s award-winning gaming hardware brand.

Daniel Gohl joined HP Inc. as head of U.S. Education Strategy in September 2022. He brings three decades of partnering for success through innovation with students and educators from pre-kindergarten through post-graduate studies. Daniel has deep knowledge and extensive experience in teaching, education management and educational policy at the local, state and national level. He is committed to helping communities, and the institutions serving them, ensure that education is contemporary, challenging and continuous. Dan was raised in the Mid-Hudson Valley region of New York and currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his wife and three children.

Tiffany K. Harrison, Ph.D. is director of the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program at the Southern Regional Education Board, where she leads one of the nation’s most established initiatives supporting doctoral scholars pursuing faculty careers. Through this work, she helps advance mentoring networks, leadership development, and institutional strategies that strengthen the academic workforce.
Harrison’s work sits at the intersection of higher education policy, faculty development, and emerging technologies. She currently contributes to regional and national conversations about how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching, learning, and the preparation of future faculty leaders. Prior to joining SREB, she worked in education research and program evaluation with organizations including the North Carolina Partnership for Children and the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Harrison holds a Ph.D. in education management from Hampton University, a master’s in education research from The Ohio State University, and a B.A. in English from North Carolina Central University.

Kevin Hearn has worked in education for nearly 20 years. He holds a BA in English from the University of Texas-Pan American and an M.Ed. from Texas A&M University. He joined Trinity University in August 2021, when the university reopened after Covid, and hasn’t looked back. As the manager of the Academic Technology Team, he’s primarily responsible for maintaining educational software (including the Canvas LMS), designing digital learning solutions, and assisting faculty with research technologies. The best part of his job is that no two days are ever the same; eclectic, varied tasks keep every day interesting! Kevin lives in San Antonio with his wife, two children, and three grumpy dogs.

Vince Kellen, Ph.D. serves as Chief Information Officer for The Texas A&M University System. In this role, Dr. Kellen leads the Office of IT and oversees the A&M System’s information technology strategy, infrastructure, enterprise systems, and data operations. His priorities include advancing digital tools that strengthen research, enhancing student success, and improving efficiency across the A&M System’s 12 universities, health science center, and state agencies.
Dr. Kellen brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in higher education and enterprise IT. He has a strong record of success in AI, supercomputing, and digital transformation. Most recently, he served as Chief Information Officer at the University of California San Diego, where he led major advances in high-performance computing, data analytics, and research support. He previously held senior IT leadership positions at the University of Kentucky and DePaul University.
Dr. Kellen holds a Ph.D. in computer science with a focus on human-computer interaction, as well as a master’s degree in e-commerce and a bachelor’s degree in communications, all from DePaul University. He is a Fellow of the Cutter Consortium, a member of Arthur D. Little’s AMP Network, and a CIO Hall of Fame inductee.

Matt Kenslea is an experienced technology and cybersecurity leader focused on helping higher education, government, and enterprise organizations securely connect people, data, and applications. He currently serves as Senior Account Director for Education at Lumen Technologies, where he delivers solutions spanning adaptive networking, edge cloud, connected security, and managed services to colleges and universities across the U.S.
With a career dedicated to the public sector and education markets, Matt has held senior leadership roles at CyberArk and Rapid7, advising state, local, and education institutions on identity security, risk reduction, and resilience against evolving cyber threats. His work is grounded in a customerfirst philosophy, emphasizing empathy, trust, and a deep understanding of institutional challenges.
Matt is also a longtime community volunteer and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Centre Street Food Pantry in Greater Boston.

Dr. Keith W. McIntosh is Vice President and CIO at the University of Richmond, where he has served for the past 10 years, leading technology strategy and operations to support teaching, learning, research, and institutional operations. He also co-chairs the University’s Presidential Advisory Group on Artificial Intelligence (PAG-AI), guiding the university’s strategic, ethical, and operational integration of AI across academic and administrative domains. With more than 40 years of leadership experience, including 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, including a combat tour in Iraq, and 16 years in senior higher education roles at Ithaca College and the Pima County Community College District, he is known for cultivating inclusive, mission-aligned IT organizations and fostering a sense of belonging across campus, including founding and facilitating Intersections, a weekly cross-cultural conversation open to all students, faculty, and staff since 2017.
Dr. McIntosh has contributed extensively to national higher education leadership through service on the EDUCAUSE Board of Directors (2017–2021) and the NACUBO Board of Directors (2016–2022), where he was the first CIO selected to serve. He currently serves on the NACUBO Student Success Advisory Group, the EDUCAUSE Policy Advisory Committee, and the Center for Digital Education’s Higher Education AI Council, the Leadership Board for CIO's (LBCIO), and he is a mentor for the Next Leaders Fellowship and the Leadership Lounge. His leadership has been recognized with the EDUCAUSE DEI Leadership Award, the Capital CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award (Non-Profit Sector), the inaugural EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award, and induction into the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.

As the Associate Provost for Global and Online Programs at Virginia Union University, Dr. McSwain demonstrates strong leadership in expanding the institution's global reach and fostering academic excellence. With over 15 years of experience in online program compliance, design, and project management, her work emphasizes innovation and inclusiveness in higher education, inspiring trust in her capabilities.  
Certified in Lean Six Sigma, Dr. McSwain specializes in operational efficiency and compliance with accreditation standards such as SACSCOC, HLC, and NC-SARA, demonstrating her expertise in maintaining institutional quality in online education.
Dr. McSwain, a distinguished leader in early childhood special education and online education, earned her PhD from the University of Missouri-Columbia, her Master's in Education, and her Bachelor's in Education from Lincoln University-Missouri. Her extensive experience in launching online programs that comply with national and international accrediting agencies reflects her dedication. She is a passionate advocate for HBCUs, showcasing her leadership and commitment to equity in higher education.
Dr. McSwain is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and Kappa Delta Pi. Her recognition with the prestigious Education 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award in 2022 and her ranking by Women We Admire as one of the Top 25 Women Chief Learning Officers of 2024 highlight her notable achievements, fostering pride and confidence in her leadership.

Dr. Melton is the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President for SMART Global Technology Innovation Strategies. She is also a tenured professor and former dean of Graduate School for Tennessee State University. Dr. Melton is also founder and CEO of ‘RobbieTech4Teach’ and a tenured full professor at Tennessee State University (TSU); formally (20 years) Associate Vice Chancellor of Mobilization Emerging Technology for Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) assigned to develop the system’s Strategic Emerging IOE Technology Planning and provide system-wide Professional Development and Faculty Training related to education technology support and services for teaching, learning, training, and workforce development, product testing, pilots and research. Dr. Melton also oversees research regarding the ‘Emerging Technology of The Internet of Everything (IoE) of Smart Connected Devices and Mixed Reality Technologies’ (VR/AR/Holograms/Wearables) for enhancing teaching, improving learning, and increasing workforce productivity; curating IOE Smart Educational Devices, Gadgets, and Tools; and primary investigator for HBCU OER Affordable Learning Solutions Pilots and OER Workforce Skills Commons Resources. Recently, she served as an invited panel speaker at the 2018 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) Euro Tech: ‘Women in Technology’. 2015-2017, she was an international keynote speaker for conferences in Scotland, Rotterdam, Malawi, Scotland, France, Argentina, and Canada; and invited presenter for Cuba University Congress, Feb. 2018.
Dr. Melton has published and presented globally on the impact and value of mobile devices for education and the workforce and has acquired a new distinction as an “App-ologist” due to her study of the pedagogy and best teaching practices with mobile devices, quality standards for the utilization of mobile apps, and her creation of the Mobile App Education and Workforce Resource Center.  She  is also the winner of numerous awards; the latest being the 2016 Online Learning Consortium Fellow,  2016 WCET Richard Jonsen Educational Technologies top honor for her lifetime work in educational technology, 2015 MERLOT Leadership Visionary Award, CDE Top 30 2014 Technologists, Transformers and Trailblazers, 2013 Apple Distinguished Educator, 2012, Technology WOW Award, 2013 eAfrica Innovator Education Award. 

Jodie Penrod, Ph.D. is the Chief Information Officer at Marshall University, where she leads enterprise technology strategy, digital transformation, and IT governance in support of student success, academic innovation, and institutional efficiency. She holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from Ohio University, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University.
Jodie maintains multiple professional certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS), ITILFoundation, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. With more than two decades of experience across higher education, healthcare, defense, and finance, she is a frequent speaker at EDUCAUSE, InfoComm, Dreamforce, and Oracle Cloud World, where she focuses on AI enablement, infrastructure modernization, and collaborative engagement between institutions and technology partners.

LP Received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He continued his research career at Northwestern University in Chicago, followed by a position at Weill Cornell Medical School in New York. He then became an Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. After this position, he joined the Center for Developmental Neuroscience at the College of Staten Island (CSI), City University of New York, as director of its Master’s program. He was recruited by NYU Langone Medical Center to create a Master's in Biomedical Informatics for the School of Medicine. He returned to CSI as the Executive Academic Officer for Student Success to work on college-wide initiatives. He coordinated the Frontier Set of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the CUNY Momentum Campaign. He oversees CUNY-Coordinated Undergraduate Education on the campus as well as the Office of Academic Support and most pre-college programs. Recently, he became a Transformation Accelerator Data Fellow for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to provide leadership to the cohort of Transformation Accelerator’s Institutions selected by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to advance equitable student success for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and low-income students. He participated with the Psychology Dept. in an NSF-funded project on the use of blockchain technology, ML, and AI to improve academic outcomes, reduce equity gaps, and enhance the acquisition of transferable skills (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/neanda-salvaterra-8197721_earlier-this-yearthe-city-university-of-activity-7099402176770285568-hQ5r?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop).
He is still interested in the effects of alcohol on the brain and recently curated a special issue of Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/21763/plasticity-of-inhibitory-cells-in-health-and-disease) and published the editorial, Plasticity of inhibitory cells in health and disease
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnsyn.2022.1127609/full). Leonardo is an avid traveler and art enthusiast.

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Michigan, Connecticut, Texas, Virginia, Florida (LMHC – Telehealth)
Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW, Clinical & Macro), State of Michigan
Dr. Scott Shaw serves in the role of Associate Provost. Previously, Dr. Shaw served as Dean and Professor in the School of Business Innovation and Public Services, and has taught across the curriculum in the social sciences. Scott continues to teach on campus, online, and in the graduate program.
Scott was clinical supervisor & therapist at Lutheran Child & Family Service of Michigan, from 2000 to 2010. Previously, he worked for seven years (1993-2000) at Hope Network Behavioral Health (Grand Rapids, MI), serving adults with chronic mental illness in various residential, clinical and administrative positions. Scott is a graduate of the 38th Police Academy at Grand Valley State University, and has worked in local and county law enforcement. He is nationally board certified in counseling (NCC), Professional member of the American Psychological Association and American Counseling Association, a Fellow of the American Psychotherapy Association, and a Certified Professional Empowerment Coach (CPEC) through the Grace Center for Empowerment Coaching. Dr. Shaw has maintained a part-time clinical practice since 2001 and worked in mental health since 1992.
Dr. Shaw has also been a frequent conference speaker around the country and internationally on topics from mental health and resilience, to higher education and leadership.
B.R.E., Cornerstone University
B.S., Grace Christian University
M.T.S., Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
M.A., Counseling, Cornerstone University
M.A., Emergency Mgt. & Homeland Security, Arizona State University
M.S.W., Grand Valley State University
Ed.S., University of Michigan
D.Min., Conflict Management, Trinity Theological Seminary
Ed.D., Educational Leadership, University of Michigan
Ph.D., Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine, Northcentral University

Dr. Tolga Tem is an Assistant Professor and the Coordinator of Music Appreciation at Tennessee State University. He has a broad background as a composer, with experience creating music for orchestras and using computers to compose for multimedia, video games, and film. He has a particular interest in Sound Design, Game Audio, and Game Technologies, and he incorporates these fields into the courses he teaches. 
Alongside his teaching, Dr. Tem has served as the Director of the Music & Sound Production Department at SEBIT LLC for 25 years, focusing on E-Learning, Multimedia, and Game Development, and conducting research in these areas. As a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence to the arts, Tem has been an advocate and consultant in educational technology since 1994. His recent work includes keynote presentations at the 2024 AI for All Open Education Summit in Nashville, TN, and the 100th Annual Meeting of the National Association of Schools of Music, where he showcased AI’s creative potential in music and education. His teaching blends storytelling, technology, and artistic exploration, preparing students to navigate the future of music with both innovation and imagination.

Dr. Dina Vyortkina works as Assistant Dean for Innovation and Instructional Technology Enhancement at the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, Florida State University (FSU). Her areas of expertise and interests include but are not limited to educational technologies, innovation in higher education, professional development for in-service and pre-service teachers, professional development for educational leaders, embedding instructional technologies into both K-12 and higher education settings, online and blended learning and teaching, active learning spaces, learning materials development, portfolio assessment, and artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education and K-12. Dina is a member of the Academic Innovation Committee and FSU Artificial Intelligence in Education Advisory Committee (AIEAC). She is actively involved in exploring AI benefits, limitations, and human-centered considerations in education, healthcare, and counseling.
Dr. Vyortkina taught in Kazakhstan and UK. She worked on grant projects related to teacher education and learning materials development in Uzbekistan and Egypt. 

Kevin Yee is the Special Assistant to the Provost for Artificial Intelligence at the University of Central Florida. He also directs the UCF’s teaching center, and has worked in educational development since 2004. He leads a team on campus that is tasked with increasing student AI fluency, and has written numerous faculty-facing resources that help faculty infuse AI into the curriculum.

Dr. Lin Zhou is Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Executive Director of AI & Quantum Computing at Texas Tech University, where he leads technology strategy to enhance education, expand career pathways for students, accelerate innovation and strengthen the university’s global reputation.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning Fortune 500 companies and higher education, Dr. Zhou played a pivotal role in growing IBM Watson Education from a startup into a global leader in artificial intelligence for education. A visionary executive and educator, he holds a Ph.D. in physics and is recognized as an expert in quantum computing, artificial intelligence and cloud computing. He holds numerous patents and has been honored as a Master Inventor by IBM.
During his tenure as Senior Vice President at The New School, Dr. Zhou established the university’s Innovation Center, founded its Quantum Initiative and launched the first Quantum Design Art Exhibition in Manhattan. He also led a transformation in customer experience, tripling the university’s Net Promoter Score and fostering a customer-centric culture.
Dr. Zhou’s work has been prominently featured on the Discovery Channel and has earned prestigious national and international recognition, including the CIO 100 Award, FutureEdge 50 Award and the QS Reimagine Education Gold Prize.
Passionate about talent development, Dr. Zhou has mentored high school students who became U.S. national winners in the world’s largest K–12 science competition. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and has shared his insights on global stages across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.