SPEAKERS

Tawnya Means, Ph.D.
Founder and Principal at Inspire Higher Ed, Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer of AdvancAI Higher Ed and Co-founder of AI Convergence

Tawnya Means, Ph.D., is founder & principal at Inspire Higher Ed, co-founder and chief academic officer of AdvancAI Higher Ed and co-founder of AI Convergence — ventures collectively focused on helping higher education institutions lead AI transformation. She also serves as strategic innovation and AI advisor at Bowling Green State University and chief learning officer at AristAI. A long-standing AACSB seminar facilitator and published scholar, she holds a Ph.D. in information science and learning technologies from the University of Missouri. With nearly two decades of experience across six continents, she is author of The Collaboration Chronicle: Human+AI in Education on Substack. Her work centers on evidence-based Human+AI partnerships that preserve what makes education irreplaceably human.

Rob Liddell, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Career Services at Florida State University

Dr. Rob Liddell serves as assistant vice president for career services at Florida State University, where he leads an enterprise-wide effort to reimagine how institutions prepare students for meaningful careers in a rapidly evolving workforce. His work centers on aligning academic and administrative partners around a shared strategy, scaling innovative service delivery models, and leveraging technology and analytics to strengthen career outcomes and employer connections. Liddell's national engagement includes service on advisory boards and professional associations, shaping the future of work, career pathways and employer partnerships. He holds a doctoral degree in higher education administration from the University of South Florida's College of Education, a master's degree in leadership and organizational effectiveness from USF's College of Business Administration, and a bachelor's degree in religion from FSU's College of Arts and Sciences.

Justin Draeger
Senior Vice President of Affordability at Strada

As Strada’s senior vice president of affordability, Justin Draeger focuses on connecting individuals to opportunity by making postsecondary education more affordable and accessible. Draeger joined Strada in 2024 after spending more than 14 years as president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He served as a prominent advocate and voice for student financial aid issues and was the principal liaison among NASFAA members, the U.S. Congress, federal agencies and the media. Since 2002, Draeger has played pivotal roles in administering, interpreting, communicating and shaping student financial aid policy. His experience includes positions as a director of financial aid, regulatory and policy analyst, and spokesperson, along with senior roles in government relations, communications and policy development. He serves on several boards dedicated to advancing health and education. Draeger earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. in finance from Baker College.  

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.