Executive Summit

Presenters

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  Doris Savron, MBA
  Vice Provost – Colleges, Assessment, and Curriculum, University of Phoenix

  Doris Savron has over 23 years of experience in higher education in a variety of settings. Doris serves as Vice Provost overseeing the strategy for University of Phoenix academic programs and curriculum design, institutional assessment, and faculty. This includes oversight of strategy for degree, certificate and course offerings, design of curriculum and student learning outcomes for the University. She works collaboratively with her team members to innovate academic solutions that enable the University to provide exceptional student experiences and learning environments to support student success. In her tenure with University of Phoenix she has served as associate faculty, campus vice president, regional Vice president of student services, and college operations. Prior to the University of Phoenix, Doris served in a variety of senior leadership roles in health care operations and in IT consulting.

  Doris is passionate about giving back to the community and serves on several boards including Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and Career Connectors. She also serves on several committees and advisory councils including the DEI professionals committee for the Greater Phoenix Chamber, and most recently the advisory council for UPCEA and AACRAO’s new Converge Conference in 2023 focused on the emerging field of alternative credentials in Higher Education.

  Doris’s significant contributions in her profession, mentoring, and community leadership has led to being selected as Greater Phoenix Chamber’s Private Sector Athena Finalist in 2020. Her advocacy for women in leadership has led her to project work in India, Zambia and the U.S. supporting women to achieve their potential in their profession. She has designed, led, and presented in several international empowerment conferences.

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  Landon K. Pirius
  Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Colorado Community College System

  Landon K. Pirius is the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). Landon serves as the Chief Academic Officer for the Colorado Community College System providing strategic leadership related to all aspects of academic affairs, student affairs, and institutional research. Landon also provides leadership and coordination among college Presidents and college Vice Presidents, and works closely with other System and college staff to improve, expand, evaluate and promote academic and student affairs leadership resulting in excellence in teaching, learning, thinking, experiencing, and succeeding for all students. Landon leads diversity, equity, and inclusivity initiatives aimed at exceptional teaching and learning.

  Prior to his current position, Landon was the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at North Hennepin Community College in Minnesota where he was committed to building a collaborative culture of student success, data-driven decision-making, strategic planning, and continuous quality improvement. Landon also served in a variety of leadership roles at Inver Hills Community College, Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Walden University, and as an adjunct faculty member at different institutions. Landon completed his undergraduate degree in Russian Studies and Environmental Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota. His focus in graduate school was on comparative and international development education. In his free time, Landon enjoys spending time with his family, obstacle course racing, cooking, gardening, traveling, and playing video games.

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  Jeremy Auger
  Chief Strategy Officer

  Jeremy drives D2L’s strategy, public affairs, strategic communications, D2L Labs, new ventures, IP strategy, and philanthropy.

  Jeremy has been actively involved in starting and running transformative tech companies for over 20 years and was part of the founding team at D2L. Since D2L’s founding, he has served as the COO and CTO, and continues to take a leadership role in driving the organization’s success as its chief strategy officer.

  Beyond the tech sector, Jeremy has helped advise policymakers in a variety of ways—most recently as a member of the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Council, where he advised on a national strategy on the future of skills, work, and learning. He is also an advisor on ISTE’s Education Industry Advisory Council and is a national board member for TECHNATION—Canada’s Technology Industry Association. He is a past chair of the Economic Development Advisory Board for the city of Kitchener, Canada, and a former board member for the IMS Global Learning Consortium.

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  Dr. Cristi Ford
  Vice President of Academic Affairs, D2L

  Dr. Cristi Ford serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at D2L. She brings more than 20 years of cumulative experience in higher education, secondary education, project management, program evaluation, training and student services to her role. In this role, she offers thought leadership and direction to the academic affairs unit of the organization. Her previous roles have allowed her to have impact in education from secondary and higher education settings within North America and as part of the international landscape. Her reach has allowed her to focus on building online education in the US and in Africa.

  In addition to her experience building new online learning programs and research related to online teaching and learning, Dr. Ford possesses significant experience in the design and delivery of integrated educational support, training and transition services for young adults and children with neurodevelopment disabilities.

  Dr. Ford was selected by the Online Learning Consortium as the 2022 OLC Fellow (the highest professional distinction offered by the association). She is a tireless advocate for quality online education and has leveraged her passion and expertise in many realms in the education space. She is known for utilizing her leadership in extraordinary ways to help institutions build capacity to launch and expand online programming through effective faculty development, instructional design and pedagogical practices.

  Dr. Ford holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia and undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of Psychology from Hampton University and University of Baltimore, respectively.