About the Talk:
This panel brings together leaders from OpenAI, GSV Ventures, and top academic institutions to discuss how AI is shaping the future of higher education. The conversation will explore the integration of AI technologies, the evolving university model, and insights for institutions navigating their own AI transformations. This panel discussion will conclude with a live Q&A session, offering community members the chance to engage directly with the panelists. The event is tailored for education leaders, including provosts, presidents, CIOs, and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of AI and education.
About OpenAI Education: OpenAI Education is transforming how students, educators, and institutions engage with learning. ChatGPT Edu empowers institutions with advanced AI tools to enhance teaching, streamline administrative tasks, and foster personalized learning experiences, equipping the next generation of learners with future-ready skills.
About the Speakers:
Leah Belsky is a tech executive and Board Director with over 20 years of experience leading high-growth business and initiatives in the education, tech, and health sectors in both public and private companies. She is currently the VP and GM of Education at OpenAI. Prior to this role Leah was the Chief Revenue Officer at Coursera and also a Board Director at Oyster, a +$1B HR tech company that enables organization to build a globally distributed workforce. Leah has been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the "40 under 40" leaders in Tech, by Inc Magazine as one of the "15 Top Emerging Executives to Follow," and by GSV Ventures as a "Woman leading the AI revolution in EDU." Leah is passionate about leveraging technology to create positive social change and democratize access to education and opportunity. She has a diverse background in international development and science policy, having worked at the World Bank and the National Institutes of Health. She also served as a member of Obama's Technology Policy Committee. She is a graduate of Yale Law School and Brown University, and was a fellow at the Yale Information Society Project and Council on Foreign Relations.
GSV Ventures is a global venture capital firm focused on the "PreK to Gray" learning and talent innovation sector. With a mission to back innovative companies in education, GSV Ventures has funded game-changing organizations shaping the future of learning, work, and human potential.
Jason Horne is a Partner & Co-President at GSV. He has spent the majority of his career as a technology investment banker, specializing in the education and human capital management technology sectors. Throughout his career, Jason has personally executed or advised on a wide range of transactions within growth sub-sectors across the PreK-12, Higher Ed, and enterprise learning and talent continuum. Jason is actively involved across GSV's broader education and talent technology franchise, including the ASU GSV Summit, GSVlabs, and GSV AcceleraTE. Just prior to re-joining GSV Advisors in 2016, Jason led Corporate Development for London-based TES Global (then backed by TPG Capital, now majority owned by Providence Equity Partners). As part of the leadership team at TES Global, Jason helped to transform the organization into a leading digital education business through the execution of nine strategic transactions across the USA, Europe, and Australia.
Axel Persaud is the Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Engineering and Operations within the Division of IT at the University of Maryland, a position he has held since 2017. He oversees critical areas such as the campus network infrastructure, on-prem and cloud infrastructure, identity management, data warehouse/analytics, and software development, including financial, HR, and student information systems. In addition to his role, Axel co-chaired the University of Maryland’s Presidential Commission on AI and was honored with the President's Distinguished Service Award in 2022 for his outstanding contributions to the university.
Dr. Jaci Lindburg has worked in higher education for nearly two decades, serving in a number of key leadership roles that serve to accelerate innovation in postsecondary education. She currently serves jointly as Associate Vice Chancellor of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), as well as Associate Vice President for Digital Learning & IT Strategy at the University of Nebraska System. As Associate Vice Chancellor, Lindburg leads a unit responsible for uniting the institution’s educational mission, technological capabilities, and student support initiatives to develop and execute digital learning experiences designed to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff. This includes leading online/hybrid/blended learning, academic technology, workforce development, micro-credentials, experimental pedagogies, lifelong learning, digital badging and various other exploratory pilots. In this role, Dr. Lindburg has envisioned and launched the AI Learning Lab as well as the Center for Competencies, Skills and Workforce Development. Dr. Lindburg also has extensive college teaching experience as affiliate faculty in UNO’s College of Arts & Sciences and UNO’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, building curriculum and delivering 45 sections of 17 courses from 2009-2022.
David Brubaker is the Senior IT Director for AI Initiatives and Strategic Partnerships at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He leads efforts to align Wharton Computing's AI initiatives with the School’s priorities, focusing on enhancing learning experiences, streamlining faculty support, and fostering innovation. With 19 years of experience at Penn, David is recognized for his collaborative approach to creating positive organizational change. He builds strong relationships and develops partnerships that ensure technology supports the University’s mission. His work reflects a deep commitment to delivering thoughtful, impactful solutions that empower individuals and strengthen the Wharton and Penn communities.
