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PANELISTS

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.

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.

Greg Pillar
Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs at Gardner-Webb University

Greg Pillar, Ph.D., serves as assistant provost for academic affairs and professor of environmental chemistry, with nearly two decades of experience spanning academic operations, curriculum development, faculty affairs, accreditation, institutional effectiveness, adult and continuing education, student success, and online and digital learning. He has held a wide range of leadership roles across academic affairs, including department chair, honors program director, associate provost and multiple interim appointments such as interim dean, interim director of the university library, and interim director of international education. These cross-functional interim roles reflect his versatility and trusted leadership during periods of transition and strategic change. Dr. Pillar’s academic background is rooted in interdisciplinary science, with a doctorate in agronomy (environmental chemistry) from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree from Kansas State University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. His teaching and scholarship focus on sustainability, soil and water quality, and integrated approaches to science education.

Elliot Felix
Partner and Higher Ed Sector Lead at Buro Happold

Elliot Felix is a student success author, speaker and consultant to more than a hundred colleges and universities. He uses his background in design to create better connected colleges and universities by improving the spaces students learn and live in, the support services they rely on and the technology they use. Over the last 20 years, he has spoken at SxSW Edu, taught courses on innovation and worked with more than 100 universities including Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State and the University of Virginia. brightspot strategy, the higher education strategy consulting company he founded in 2011, was acquired by Buro Happold in 2020, where he now leads the higher education advisory practice. Elliot has improved the experience of more than 1,000,000 students. You can find his work in Fast Company, Forbes and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His book How to Get the Most Out of College was published in January 2022 and received a blue star from Kirkus Reviews, calling it “A knowledgeable, enthusiastic guide packed with strategies and encouragement.” His new book The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success was published in July 2025 and is the #1 new release in education administration. He lives in Minneapolis with his son Theo, daughter Nora and wife Liz. 

Tammy Aagard
Managing Consultant at AACRAO Consulting

Dr. Tammy Aagard currently works as a managing consultant for AACRAO Consulting. She has over 30 years of experience in higher education. Prior to her current role, she served as associate vice president for enrollment management at the University of Florida, as well as registrar at the University of Wyoming. Her portfolio includes experience in the enrollment management areas of admissions, academic advising, graduate school, financial aid and registrar. Dr. Aagard has worked extensively with academic and administrative leaders on multiple campuses through her consulting and professional work. Her passions include all areas of enrollment management, strategic planning, and aligning division goals with the mission and goals of the institution. Dr. Aagard has extensive experience in leadership development and has presented sessions on functional and leadership topics at the institution, state, regional, national and international levels. Her goals are to give back to the profession she loves by providing information that is actionable and motivating to support the success of individuals and institutions.

Eric Boyd
System Programmer/Analyst at the University of Oklahoma

With over 16 years of IT expertise across higher education and the private sector, Eric Boyd specializes in ERP integration, Laserfiche solutions and data automation, with strong command of Oracle PL/SQL and SQL. Currently transitioning toward data governance, Eric bridges technical execution with strategic leadership. He holds a B.B.A. in MIS and is pursuing PMP certification to support growth into strategic roles that blend innovation, compliance and team leadership.

Andy MacIsaac
Senior Strategic Solutions Manager for Government and Education at Laserfiche

Andy MacIsaac is a seasoned marketing and communications leader with over 25 years of experience shaping go-to-market strategies, brand development, and audience engagement across SaaS, public sector and higher education industries. With deep expertise in industry marketing, integrated campaigns and sales enablement, he has led global teams at top tech firms, including Laserfiche, Alteryx, Accenture and IBM. Passionate about the power of technology, Andy thrives on collaborating with government and education leaders to drive innovation and accelerate mission outcomes.