The Learning Curve: Higher Education's Rapid Road to Virtual

Dr. Irma Becerra is the President of Marymount University, a Catholic university located in Arlington, VA. She is known for expanding educational access for students and keenly targeting programming to meet societal needs and changing demographics. Her academic career, both as student and professional, has blended mathematics, engineering and systems thinking and processes in her studies, teaching and administrative leadership.

A Cuban-born American, Dr. Becerra immigrated to the United States with her parents when she was an infant, living in Puerto Rico through high school. Those formative experiences ignited her mind, imbuing her with a passion for knowledge along with a deep-seated belief that “no one can take away your education.” She earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Miami and went on to become the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Florida International University (FIU).

Anne Wells is the Director of Finance and Business Planning for the University of Findlay, a private institution known for excellence in its science, health professions, animal science and equestrian studies programs. Anne is responsible for the long-term strategy of operations and business planning, currently leading the Workday Student implementation, providing vision for processes, design, and system configuration. Anne holds a B.S. in Finance and an M.B.A., both from the University of Findlay.

Lori Yacisin is the Director, Talent Acquisition for The Pennsylvania State University. She provides strategic leadership to a talent acquisition organization that supports 25 campuses throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including more than 9,000 full-time and 30,000 part-time hires per year. Lori has over 24 years of diverse Human Resources experience, serving in several significant global talent acquisition roles in technology, management consulting and financial services companies. Lori is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Labor and Industrial Relations.

Ken Taylor is the Regional Vice President of Higher Education and Non-Profit for Collaborative Solutions. He has over 15 years’ experience in the sector and has a passion for finding his clients the right solutions and technology to enhance their organization. Ken is a graduate of James Madison University and also holds an M.B.A. from The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.