John Baker
CEO and Board Chair
John founded D2L in 1999, at the age of twenty-two, while attending the University of Waterloo. D2L is a global software company that believes learning is the foundation upon which all progress and achievement rests.
A strong believer in community involvement, John devotes both his personal and business efforts to supporting young entrepreneurs who are developing and applying technology to improve society worldwide.
He was appointed to the Governing Council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Member (Entrepreneurs’ Circle) of the Business Council of Canada, Business Higher Education Roundtable, Past Chair of the Board of Communitech, and is a board member of Canada’s National Ballet School.
John was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Ontario for Software and Technology), Young Alumni Achievement Medal from University of Waterloo, and Intrepid Entrepreneur of the Year in Waterloo Region Hall of Fame.
John graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours B.A.Sc. in Systems Design Engineering, with First Class Honours and an option in Management Sciences.
Twitter: @JohnBakerD2L
LinkedIn: John Baker
In the News: Want to Learn, Train, and Lead Better? Use These 4 Strategies From Neuroscience
Related Articles
-
Why We Make Accessibility Part of the Whole Student Approach
Improving accessibility has always been important at D2L. Historically, if you were a person with disabilities, it was hard—sometimes impossible—to get the education you really wanted without someone literally being…
-
Expert Advice
What a Year: 5 Things I’m Grateful For
Aristotle wrote that “education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.” While I don’t think education is “ornamental” after the past two years, I definitely feel like…
-
Technology
Accessibility by Design
At D2L, accessibility happens by design. It’s a purposeful, inclusive design practice throughout our product development cycle, and it stems from our shared passion to transform the way the world learns.
-
Trends
The D2L Family is expanding – and we’re ready to take on bigger challenges
Back in April 1999 — like all good startups of the early tech era — D2L headquarters was a pretty modest place. All the founding members were crowded into a…
-
Expert Advice
Changing the World in a Changing World
I have always believed education has the power to change the world. It can lift people out of poverty, create more innovative, stronger economies, and result in better-informed, more engaged…
-
Expert Advice
Don’t Learn to Swim in a Flood: How One University Dealt with the COVID-19 Crisis
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It seems like a lifetime ago that I was reading some of the early stories and saying…
-
Technology
D2L Sweeps Awards in 2020
For many of us, 2020 was a tough year. I think it’s safe to say that the last few months have affected all of us in ways that we won’t…
-
Trends
Growing Our Future Talent Today
That was one of the first points Goldy Hyder made to me when I chatted with him earlier this year. Hyder is President and CEO of the Business Council of…