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SPEAKERS

Sara Custer
Editor in Chief at Inside Higher Ed

Sara Custer became Inside Higher Ed's editor-in-chief in March 2024. Before joining Inside Higher Ed, she was editor of Times Higher Education's (THE) Campus, a collection of daily resources designed for higher education faculty and staff members to learn, share and connect with colleagues at universities and colleges worldwide. Prior to that, she shaped THE’s online presence as its digital editor, helping to launch THE’s newsletter strategy and overseeing daily, weekly and monthly publications. From 2012 to 2017, she served as editor and senior reporter at The PIE News, covering the international education industry. Sara grew up in Cushing, Okla., and earned a B.A. in English literature from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in international journalism from City, University of London.

Bryan N. Alexander
Senior Scholar and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University

Bryan Alexander is an internationally known futurist, researcher, writer and speaker focused on the future of higher education. He earned his Ph.D. in English language and literature from the University of Michigan and taught literature, writing and information technology studies at Centenary College of Louisiana. From 2002 to 2014, Bryan worked with the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), a nonprofit working to help small colleges and universities best integrate digital technologies. In 2013, he launched Bryan Alexander Consulting, LLC, working with institutions across the U.S. and abroad. His books include Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education (winner of an Association of Professional Futurists award), Universities on Fire: Higher Education in the Age of Climate Crisis (winner of the 2025 Frederic W. Ness Book Award) and the forthcoming Peak Higher Ed: How to Survive the Emerging Academic Crisis. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, NPR and Inside Higher Ed, among other publications. A senior scholar at Georgetown University, he teaches graduate seminars in the Learning, Design and Technology program.

Colleen Flaherty
Senior Editor of Special Content at Inside Higher Ed

Colleen Flaherty, senior editor of special content, previously served as Student Voice editor for Inside Higher Ed. Prior to joining the publication in 2012, Colleen was military editor at the Killeen Daily Herald, outside Fort Hood, Texas. Before that, she covered government and land use issues for the Greenwich Time and Hersam Acorn Newspapers in her home state of Connecticut. After graduating from McGill University in Montreal with a degree in English literature, Colleen taught English and English as a second language in public schools in the Bronx, New York. She earned her M.S.Ed. from City University of New York Lehman College as part of the New York City Teaching Fellows program.

Michael Hale
Chief Learning Officer at VitalSource

Michael Hale, Ph.D. has spent 35 years in the field of education, the last 20 at VitalSource as a leader dedicated to enhancing learning outcomes and facilitating the development and delivery of accessible learning solutions. As the chief learning officer at VitalSource, Mike is now primarily focused on steering global learning initiatives. Prior to his work with VitalSource, he devoted 15 years to the improvement of K-12 education, having served in various capacities including as a college professor, high school educator and director of a highly regarded charter school. He is also the author of The Teacher′s Guide to Leading Student-Centered Discussions: Talking About Texts in the Classroom. Mike has a B.A. in Philosophy from Auburn University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Lee Rainie
Director of the Imagining the Digital Future Center at Elon University

Lee Rainie is the director of Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center, which studies the human impact of accelerating digital change. Before that, he was director for 24 years of the Pew Research Center’s team that studied the internet and technology. At the Pew Internet Project, his team produced more than 850 reports about the social, political and economic impact of four technology revolutions: the internet/broadband revolution, the mobile connectivity revolution, the social media revolution and the artificial intelligence revolution. The American Sociological Association described his project as the “most authoritative source of reliable data on the use and impact of the internet and mobile connectivity,” and the ASA awarded him its prize for “excellence in the reporting on social issues award.” His work has been covered by network and cable news and every major global news publication. Lee is co-author of Networked: The New Social Operating System and five books about the future of the internet, based on project surveys. Earlier in his career, he served as managing editor of U.S. News & World Report and previously covered American politics for several publications.

Tricia Bertram Gallant
Director of the Center for Integrity in Education at the University of California, San Diego

Tricia Bertram Gallant is an internationally recognized expert in academic integrity and ethics in higher education. As the director of the Center for Integrity in Education at the University of California, San Diego, she leads innovative efforts to cultivate integrity-centered learning environments and assessment practices. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Dr. Bertram Gallant has advised universities, policymakers and global organizations on fostering cultures of honesty and accountability in the face of emerging challenges—most recently, the integration of generative AI in education. A prolific author, Tricia’s books, including, The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI (2025), have shaped institutional approaches to academic integrity worldwide. Her scholarship blends research with practical strategies, making her a sought-after speaker, consultant and media commentator on issues of cheating, AI, ethics and assessment security. Beyond academia, Tricia’s work has influenced national and international policies on academic integrity, including collaborations with the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the International Center for Academic Integrity. She has delivered keynote addresses and workshops across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, engaging faculty, administrators and students in reimagining integrity for the 21st century. Known for her engaging, research-driven and solution-oriented approach, Dr. Bertram Gallant doesn’t just diagnose problems—she helps institutions and educators implement real, sustainable change. Whether as a keynote speaker, panelist or podcast guest, she brings insight, clarity and a touch of humor to complex conversations about academic integrity, learning and AI’s role in education.

Michael Gerlich
Professor and Head of the Center for Strategic Corporate Foresight and Sustainability at SBS Swiss Business School

Prof. Dr. Michael Gerlich is a distinguished academic, high-ranking government advisor and former industry leader with extensive international experience spanning Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. He currently serves as professor and head of the Center for Strategic Corporate Foresight and Sustainability at SBS Swiss Business School, a Swiss University of Applied Sciences Institute. Recognized as a leading authority on the societal impact of artificial intelligence, change management and strategic analysis, he has consistently bridged academic research with real-world applications in policy and industry. Throughout his career, Prof. Dr. Gerlich has provided high-level advisory services on economic development and corporate strategy, advising prime ministers, ministers of economy and major multinational organizations. His contributions have shaped government policies on economic development, while also leading large-scale organizational transformations. His research on artificial intelligence, ranked in the top 2% on Scopus, examines the impact of AI on higher education, cognitive offloading and critical thinking. His work explores the ethical challenges and transformative potential of AI, particularly its role in reshaping education systems, fostering cognitive development and addressing public anxieties surrounding technological advancements. As an accomplished author and keynote speaker, Prof. Dr. Gerlich is recognized globally for his contributions to discussions on AI. He has delivered keynote speeches at major international conferences, is a repeated speaker at the United Nations on AI and has been featured in the media around the world. His academic affiliations include teaching positions at SBS - Zurich, LSE - London and ARU - Cambridge. Prof. Dr. Gerlich continues to shape the global discourse on AI, strategy and societal change, bringing academic excellence, policy expertise and corporate leadership together to drive impactful transformations in business and governance.