The Higher Ed Geek Podcast

In this energizing live episode, Dustin chats with Brian LeDuc—consultant, design strategist, and founder of Learning, Designed—about what it really takes to make higher ed more human-centered in an AI-drenched era. From the UC San Diego Design Lab to his own EDUxDesign Fellowship, Brian shares tangible ways schools can move beyond best practices and toward meaningful, student-first innovation.Spoiler: It’s not about jumping on every AI tool. It’s about understanding the real problems you're solving—and who you're solving them for.Guest Name: Brian LeDuc, Principal, Design Strategist + Education Consultant at Learning, DesignedGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Brian LeDuc is a design strategist and Principal Consultant of Learning, Designed, a consulting practice helping colleges, universities, and workforce organizations build learner-centered programs that align with the future of work. With over a decade of experience across higher ed and Fortune 500 companies, he specializes in human-centered design and community-driven change. Brian has led projects with institutions nationwide—from improving student retention and academic advising to launching innovative academic models—and currently serves as a Designer-in-Residence at UC San Diego’s Design Lab. His work has been featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and Higher Ed Dive. He shares stories, tips, and work in progress weekly on his Substack, Learning, Designed. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special live episode from the AI Show at the ASU+GSV Summit, Dustin sits down with Alejandra Acosta—Chief of Staff at JK K-12 and a longtime higher ed veteran—to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping education. But here’s the twist: it’s not just about tech. It’s about grounding innovation in human connection, staying true to institutional values, and using AI to spark the kind of transformation higher ed actually needs.From real talk on AI literacy to the future of school partnerships, Alejandra shares a balanced, insightful take on what matters most in the AI wave: people.Guest Name: Alejandra Acosta - Chief of Staff at JK K12Guest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Alejandra Acosta is an education technology professional with a decade of experience in higher education, ranging from working directly with students to working at an edtech and AI startup. She has conducted research on digital learning, the ethical use of predictive analytics in higher ed, and how colleges use technology in admissions. Most recently she has been passionate about connecting schools and colleges to edtech and AI solutions that help them improve student outcomes. Born and raised in San Jose, she is passionate about educational and digital equity. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special episode recorded on site at SXSW EDU, Dustin chats with Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer at Turnitin. Annie shares the exciting launch of Turnitin Clarity, a new tool designed to support both educators and students in navigating AI’s role in academic writing. From AI detection to responsible AI use in the classroom, this conversation unpacks the evolving challenges and opportunities in maintaining academic integrity.Guest Name: Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer, TurnitinGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Annie Chechitelli has spent the past two decades innovating with educators to expand access to education, meet the quickly changing needs of learners, and empower students to do their best, original work. As the Chief Product Officer at Turnitin, Annie oversees the Turnitin suite of applications which includes academic integrity, grading and feedback, and assessment capabilities.Prior to joining Turnitin, Annie spent over five years at Amazon where she led Kindle Content for School, Work, and Government and launched the AWS EdTech Growth Advisory team, advising education technology companies on how to grow their product and go-to-market strategies with AWS. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this live episode from Transact 360, we talk with Don Smith, General Manager of Integrated Payments at Transact, about the rapid evolution of student payments. Don shares insights on how unified payment systems improve the student experience, the growing demand for financial flexibility, and how institutions can remove friction from the payment process. We also explore AI, embedded finance, and the future of digital wallets on campus.Guest Name: Don Smith - General Manager of Payments at TransactGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: With over 15 years of experience driving innovation in software and financial services, Don is a seasoned product leader specializing in building high-performing teams. Skilled in talent development and cross-functional collaboration, Don creates cultures of excellence in both startups and established corporations across diverse industries, including education, financial services, nonprofits, and commercial real estate.Don came to Transact + CBORD after serving as the Chief Product Officer at MountainSeed for three years. He excels at translating stakeholder insights into strategic product visions and actionable roadmaps, consistently delivering revenue growth and disciplined cost control. Passionate about leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges, Don thrives in fast-paced environments that push the boundaries of innovation. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Brady Colby, a market research expert at Validated Insights, joins the podcast to break down their latest report on the Online Program Management (OPM) market. Brady shares key insights on how institutions are moving away from revenue-share OPM models in favor of fee-for-service partnerships, why colleges now have more control over their online programs, and what this means for the future of digital education. If your institution is considering launching or scaling online programs, this episode is packed with data-driven takeaways you won’t want to miss!Guest Name: Brady Colby - Head of Market Research at Validated InsightsGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Brady Colby is the head of the market research practice at Validated Insights. Brady previously founded a boutique, data-centric higher education and educational technology market research firm called 32EDU in 2019. Following the Validated Insights acquisition of 32EDU in November of 2023, Brady now serves as the Head of Market Research at VI. Brady has more than a decade of experience in higher education market research and has provided valuable data and insights to hundreds of institutions and businesses across the globe. Brady was the first ever “Expert in Residence” at HolonIQ and has been featured in nearly every higher education focused publication. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special live episode from Transact 360, we sit down with Taran Lent, SVP of Product Development and Technology at Transact. Taran shares insights on how cloud migration is transforming campus operations, why user experience is more critical than ever, and the role of biometrics and AI in the future of higher ed tech. He also reflects on lessons learned as an entrepreneur and how institutions can adapt to rapid technological change while keeping students at the center. Guest Name: Taran Lent - SVP of Product Development & Technology at Transact Guest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Taran Lent has been building and operating payment technology companies his entire professional career. He is an accomplished entrepreneurial leader with experience in start-up, growth and public organizations. His specialty is forming and motivating high-performance teams to focus and execute on major new product ideas. Taran currently serves as SVP of Product Development & Technology at Transact. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if you could get the benefits of an OPM (Online Program Management) model without fully outsourcing control? That’s exactly what Augusta University Online did with its DIY+ approach in partnership with Collegis Education. In this episode, Cristina Raecke, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Enrollment at Augusta University Online, and Dan Antonson, AVP of Analytics and Technology Solutions at Collegis Education, walk us through how Augusta built a scalable, data-driven enrollment strategy—without a traditional OPM.They discuss how they leveraged existing technology, optimized data access, and created a system that allowed for rapid growth while maintaining a seamless student experience. Plus, they share insights into forecasting, AI’s role in their efforts, and the future of digital education.If you’re an enrollment leader looking to build a smarter, more sustainable strategy for online programs, this one’s for you.Guest Names: Cristina Raecke - AVP of Strategic Marketing & Enrollment at Augusta University Dan Antonson - AVP of Tech. and Analytics Solutions at Collegis EducationGuest Socials: Cristina - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-raecke-3a52b8a/Dan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danantonson/ Guest Bios: Cristina - Cristina Raecke is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience, excels at bridging marketing and enrollment teams to enhance prospective student engagement and drive increased enrollment. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Marketing and Enrollment Management at Augusta University Online. In this role, she leverages her extensive experience to build and promote online programs. Cristina is instrumental in developing and executing marketing strategies that align with enrollment goals, ensuring a seamless integration of marketing efforts to attract and retain students. Her work has been pivotal in the successful launch of Augusta University Online's programs, which have already enrolled about 900 students in a year and a half. Previously, Cristina consulted for Wiley Education Services, advising institutions like George Mason University and Babson College on strategic marketing initiatives. She has also held executive roles at Miami Herbert Business School and Florida International University, where she significantly grew online enrollment.Dan - Dan Antonson helps higher education institutions leverage technology and analytics to tackle some of higher education's biggest challenges across the student lifecycle.  Whether it is to grow and optimize enrollment or create a better learning experience, Dan has hands-on experience with higher education data and systems to drive meaningful use-cases that create real tangible impact.   Dan has more than 15 years of experience in digital analytics, marketing attribution and measurement, and he has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. When he is not scribbling data and analytics systems on whiteboards, you’ll find him trying to stay upright on his mountain bike or tinkering with his home automation system (his robot lawn mower is his favorite gadget at the moment).  - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this bonus episode recorded at Transact 360, we’re hearing from a variety of individuals who attended the conference about what they were seeing, hearing, and excited about from this year’s event.Here is everyone showcased:James Loveland, Southern Utah UniversityErica Rigler, Assa AbloyDaniel Piotrowski, The Johns Hopkins UniversityAbby Harris, JenzabarJason Colucci, Cleveland State UniversityNoah Sellers, GrubHub CampusNathan Gray, James Madison UniversityRaymond Blackwood, AnthologyJulie Weser, Virginia TechSterling Dunham, EllucianSheri Milhollin, Texas Christian UniversitySajini Patel, TopangaMike Henderson, University of TennesseeMarilu Ybanez, Texas A&M San AntonioWe’re grateful to all of these individuals for being willing to share their authentic reflections with us! - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Higher ed is at a crossroads, and Christine Looser is here to challenge institutions to rethink everything—from curriculum design to digital transformation. As a cognitive neuroscientist and Senior Director at Minerva Project, Christine helps universities craft student learning experiences that are relevant, effective, and experiential. In this episode, she and Dustin dive into the intersection of neuroscience and education, the power of digital learning tools, and how institutions can adapt to a rapidly changing world.Guest Name: Christine Looser - Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Minerva ProjectGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: Christine Looser is a behavioral scientist at Minerva, where she was initially the first faculty hire for the business college. Christine built the team, designed curricula, taught brand strategy, led the business college, headed up our professional learning partnerships, and she now works on the business development team. In her current role, Christine helps other institutions make their learning programs more effective, experiential, and relevant for today’s world. Her ultimate goal is to ensure that the way people teach aligns with the ways that brains learn. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, joins Dustin for a candid conversation about the urgent need for higher ed to take a proactive role in shaping the future workforce. From talent shortages to AI’s impact on job readiness, Bridget shares why hope isn’t a strategy—and what institutions must do to stay ahead. She challenges universities to work together, rethink traditional learning models, and create real-world solutions that benefit students and society.Guest Name: Dr. Bridget Burns, CEO at the University Innovation AllianceGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: As a trusted advisor to university presidents and policymakers, Dr. Bridget Burns is on a mission to transform the way institutions think about and take action on behalf of low-income, first generation, and students of color. She is the founding CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, a multi-campus laboratory for student success innovation that helps university leaders dramatically accelerate the implementation of scalable solutions to increase the number and diversity of college graduates. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.