Executive Summit

Amrit Ahluwalia

Amrit Ahluwalia is the Executive Director of Continuing Studies at Western University, overseeing post-degree programming, professional and corporate education, and the Western English Language Centre. Ahluwalia joined Western in 2024 after founding and serving as Editor-in-Chief of The EvoLLLution, the online newspaper developed by Modern Campus focused on postsecondary transformation.

Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan

Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan is President and CEO of Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning. She is the first woman to hold the position and is the fifth President and CEO in Humber’s history. Dr. Vaughan is a highly distinguished senior executive with nearly 30 years of success in the postsecondary sector. She joined Humber from Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario where she served as President and CEO since 2016, and successfully drove an ambitious growth plan that strengthened Loyalist’s financial positioning, and saw the College take on a new strategic direction Prior to that she was the president and CEO of the College of the North Atlantic, in Newfoundland and Labrador, from 2011-2016. In 2015, she was recognized as a Top 50 CEO in Atlantic Canada.

Driven by her passion to advance social and economic development through expanding access to education, Dr. Vaughan is helping to pioneer the sector’s micro-credential movement as co-Chair of eCampusOntario’s Board of Directors. In addition, she serves as Chair on the Board of Directors for Ontario Genomics, a non-profit organization that is focused on nurturing genomics innovation in Ontario, and applying these technologies across key sectors, such as health, agriculture, bioproducts, and environment, to advance the province’s knowledge-based economy. Dr. Vaughan’s forward-thinking approach and significant contributions to the evolution of online learning have earned numerous accolades nationally and internationally, including being selected as a participant in the 2004 Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference.

In 2018, Dr. Vaughan was appointed to serve as an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, affiliated with the 426 Training Squadron, 8 Wing, CFB Trenton. Dr. Vaughan is actively engaged in the college sector and currently also serves as Chair of the Management Board for College Employers Council.

Dr. Vaughan is proud of her early roots in student leadership which sparked her interest and career in higher education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Memorial University; certificates in Public Administration and Business from Memorial University; a Master of Arts in Higher Education from the University of British Columbia, and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from York University/Memorial University. Continuing her lifelong learning journey, in 2015 Dr. Vaughan received her doctorate in higher education leadership from the University of Calgary.

Dr. Greg Fowler

Gregory W. Fowler, PhD, is president of University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), Maryland’s largest provider of post-secondary education, the country’s most transfer-friendly university, and the premier learning partner of the U.S. military, both stateside and abroad.

A nationally recognized leader in developing innovative learning models and experiences for adult and nontraditional populations, Dr. Fowler is leading a transformation at UMGC that aligns the entire learning journey with the needs and expectations of nontraditional populations and the global workforce.

A two-time Fulbright Senior Scholar and a graduate of Morehouse College, Dr. Fowler holds master’s degrees from George Mason University and Western Governors University and a PhD from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.

Joel Vargas

Joel Vargas is vice president of the Education practice at JFF, overseeing programs focused on improving learning systems and outcomes. He was previously vice president of programs and launched our West Coast office in 2015.

His skills and areas of expertise include:

• Designing and implementing research, systems changes, and state policy agendas for integrating high school, college, and career
• Creating policy frameworks, tools, and model legislation
• Providing technical assistance to state task forces and policy working groups

Before joining JFF, Vargas directed, initiated, and studied programs designed to help students from populations underrepresented in postsecondary education enter and complete college.

Educational background:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, Boston University
• Master’s degree and EdD in education planning, administration, and social policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Katherine Macnaughton, CHRL

Katherine is passionate about building a strong Manulife culture that attracts and retains the best talent, connects people with the company’s purpose, and provides an intentional colleague experience.

She brings over 25 years of human resource experience in learning, leadership development and talent management in various roles across non-profit, consultancy, high tech, and financial services sectors.

At Manulife, Katherine leads the Global Talent Management and Development team, and partners with leaders to meet their strategic talent and development objectives – helping to elevate Manulife as an employer of choice.

Katherine is a member of the Center for Executive Succession & their Talent Leader’s Network and is also a member of the i4cp Chief Learning & Talent Officer Board – which is at the forefront of cutting-edge HR research – uncovering new insights and best practices to help organizations stay ahead of the curve and drive performance.

In support of her community, she sits on the Board for Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington; a passion driven by her time living and working in Japan early in her career, which fostered her lens on diversity and the value of a growth mindset.

Katherine received a bachelor’s degree in Honours English Language & Literature from Western University, an Adult ESL education certificate from St. Mary’s University, and a CHRL certification from HRPA. She is a Certified Practitioner of Human-Centered Design from the LUMA Institute.

Katherine lives in Guelph with her husband and two children.

Dr. Neil Fassina

Dr. Neil Fassina became Okanagan College’s President in April 2021, drawn to the institution for its reputation for transforming lives and communities.

Fassina holds a PhD in Management from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto, a BSc in Psychology from the University of Calgary and is a chartered professional in human resources (CPHR), and a chartered director through the Institute of Chartered Directors (ICD.D). As an active researcher, he has authored or co-authored a number of refereed articles, a Canadian Human Resource Management text, and pursues research interests in negotiations, applied decision making, and the role of education in shaping societies.

Prior to joining OC, Fassina was the President of Athabasca University (2016-21). He served previously as Provost and Vice President Academic at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and the Dean of the JR Shaw School of Business and School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. He has taught as part of his academic career at the University of Toronto, the University of Calgary, the University of Manitoba, and in executive environments.

Phoutsady Gunnell

Phoutsady has nearly 20 years of experience in L&D in the financial services, mining, and auto manufacturing industries. She currently leads Learning & Development for Magna International, globally. Magna is a mobility technology company with over 180,000 employees operating in 29 countries around the world.

In her role Phoutsady is accountable for the development and execution of the global learning strategy which includes the Magna global Leadership Development Framework, cross-group business and operational training, apprenticeship program, and learning technology. Phoutsady is passionate about leadership development and culture, and her main priority in any organization is to deliver learning experiences to all employees that are meaningful, practical, and free of obstacles.

Shingai Manjengwa

Shingai Manjengwa is the Head of AI Education and leads Solutions Engineering at ChainML. ChainML is a startup based in Toronto and San Francisco specializing in conversational analytics. This AI technology allows clients to interact with databases through a chat interface, receiving accurate, insightful responses in natural language. Shingai oversees all aspects of AI adoption with clients, from conceptualization to scalable, cost-effective deployment. ChainML has also developed an open-source platform for the rapid and responsible development of a variety of AI agents and generative AI tools: > pip install council-ai.

A seasoned data scientist, Shingai previously directed Technical Education at the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, where she transformed complex AI research into practical educational programs. These initiatives promoted AI adoption and spurred innovation across industries and government. She is also the founder of Fireside Analytics Inc., a company dedicated to educating diverse audiences about AI literacy, data science, and issues of bias and fairness in AI. Her online courses on platforms like IBM’s CognitiveClass.ai and Coursera have engaged over 500,000 learners. Additionally, Shingai authored ‘The Computer and the Cancelled Music Lessons,’ a book that introduces data science concepts to children aged 5 to 12.

An acclaimed leader in the AI field, Shingai has been recognized with numerous awards and is a Public Policy Forum Fellow. Connect with Shingai on LinkedIn and Twitter/X at @Tjido.

Sotos Poulimenos

Sotos is a leader in workforce transformation and talent development. Currently leading Sun Life’s Global Talent Development function, Sotos is passionate about the intersection of business, human behavior, and the bottom-line.

Throughout his career, Sotos has held various roles. Most prominently, he has served at Sun Life as the Director of Learning and Practice Management in Canada, at Deloitte Consulting (US and Canada) as a leader of the Lifelong Learning practice, and at the National Bank of Greece as a Commercial Banking officer.

Sotos holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from The American College of Greece, a Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and a Master of Science in Project Management from Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. He is a certified practitioner in Collective Organizational Intelligence and Workplace Conflict Resolution and has been awarded for his academic achievements by the International Propeller Club and the Gerondelis Foundation.

Soulaymane Kachani

Soulaymane Kachani is the Senior Vice Provost for Columbia University. In his role, he oversees the development of Columbia University’s teaching, learning, and innovation strategies. He led the establishment of Columbia+, Columbia’s online platform to engage alumni and learners from around the world, and chairs the Provost’s Working Group on Generative AI.

He focuses on propelling Columbia’s excellence as a global university, working to enhance existing international academic partnerships and develop new ones, and to make its campuses ever more welcoming to students and scholars from around the world.

He manages many aspects of academic management, including overseeing budget, human resources, and administrative planning across the units of the Office of the Provost. He oversees Columbia’s International Students and Scholars Office, the Alliance program, Columbia University Press, and The University Seminars. He serves on the board of the Research Collections and Preservation Facility.

Prior to this role, Professor Kachani served as Vice Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation. He led the establishment of the Center for Teaching and Learning in 2015. His book Leveling the Learning Curve: Creating a More Inclusive and Diverse University, published in October 2023, is an exploration of the digital higher education landscape in the post-pandemic era.

Professor Kachani served as the Senior Vice Dean of Columbia Engineering and for over a decade oversaw the School’s academic programs. He led the establishment of dozens of dual degree collaborations with leading international universities in Asia, Europe and South America, and developed flagship degree programs in partnership with Columbia Business School and Arts and Sciences.

Professor Kachani conducts research in dynamic pricing, revenue management, machine learning, logistics, supply chain management, algorithmic trading, traffic flow modeling, and transportation analysis.

Professor Kachani was honored with the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association 2005 Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, the 2007 Kim Award for Faculty Involvement, the 2010 Avanessians Diversity Award, and the 2012 Egleston Distinguished Service Award. Prior to joining Columbia in 2003, he worked as a senior consultant at McKinsey & Company. He received a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Operations Research from MIT and a Diplôme d’Ingénieur from École Centrale Paris.

Dr. Susan Elkins

Dr. Susan Elkins was named as the inaugural Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Palmetto College in February 2013. The Chancellor serves as the chief administrative officer of Palmetto College, which includes the University of South Carolina’s four regional Palmetto College campuses, USC Lancaster, USC Salkehatchie, USC Sumter, and USC Union, along with USC Palmetto College Columbia, and online bachelor’s degree completion programs offered by the three comprehensive universities, USC Aiken, USC Beaufort, and USC Upstate, and the Research University in Columbia. Dr. Elkins also holds the rank of Professor as a member of the faculty of Palmetto College. Her scholarly activities have focused on leadership, continuing higher education, and online/distance learning throughout her career of over three decades that has been dedicated to access to higher education and student success. Elkins previously served as Vice President of Extended Programs and Regional Development and Dean of the College of lnterdisciplinary Studies at Tennessee Technological University (TTU). She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Education from TTU and did her doctoral work in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration at Vanderbilt University. Elkins currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Society for Advancement of Management International (SAM), Immediate Past President of the Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE), and she has been involved in service to numerous other professional and community organizations.

Tom Andriola

Tom Andriola is UC Irvine’s Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Data (ODIT) and Chief Digital Officer. His role is designed to ensure the strategic use of data and technology, drive interdisciplinary partnerships, and champion digital strategies that expand UC Irvine’s role as a leading research university, healthcare provider & community partner.

His office has developed and implemented a variety of thriving initiatives:

• The Collaboratories @ UCI leverage data ecosystem’s for meaningful insights to guide continuous organizational improvement, innovation and collaboration.
• The Experiential Learning Program (ELP) and The HUB, programs offer employees and students the opportunity to interact with emerging technologies that foster ideation and innovation using Web3 technologies and artificial intelligence.
• His podcast, Digital Squared, invites guests to discuss the trends that are shaping our interactions with technology in a digital world.

Andriola is a global business & technology leader with a broad array of experience in the public and private sector. Throughout his career, he has been an agent for change and disruptive innovation in the marketplace. During his tenure as Vice President & Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the University of California System, he created a platform to support the collaboration of 8,500 IT professionals across the University, launched a nationally-recognized IT Leadership Academy, and was integral in developing UC Health’s big data strategy, which led to the creation of the UC-wide clinical data warehouse representing 16 million patients.

Previous to his University experience, Andriola held technology and business executive roles with organizations such as Philips, Marconi PLC, Sapient and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Eventually entering the healthcare industry and leading teams to develop solutions across the globe, including enabling the first national mammography program in Europe, introducing a virtual care solution for intensive care patients in India, and collaborating with Peking University and the China Association for Cardiologists to build its first clinical data repository of cardiology patients in China.

He remains active in the higher education and healthcare industries as an advocate for progress and equity utilizing technology and data, serving on the boards of OCHIN and Unizin. Andriola is also an advisor to various software startups, medical device, and life sciences companies, and maintains advisory relationships with UC Irvine’s Institute for Precision Health, UC Health’s Center for Data Driven Insights & Innovation, and with UC Davis’ Innovation Institute for Food and Health.

Andriola 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.