The Champions Coffee Podcast

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Chris Baker-Brown sits down with Caroline Tolond. Caroline is the Head of Careers and Employability at  Arden University. She is passionate about creating institutional-wide strategies for delivering excellence in employability and careers, building innovative and creative teams, and implementing technology to enable career information, advice, and guidance accessible to all students, regardless of their background and circumstances.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Head of Partner Engagement for APAC, Lyndin Francis sits down with Hiedi Wilkinson from the University of the Sunshine Coast. She is currently the Equity Impact Evaluation Analyst at the University. She believes in doing work that matters, connecting with great people, and contributing to an extraordinary journey.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder Ben Hallet sits down with Sukhwant Jhaj, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Student Achievement at Arizona State University. In his role as vice provost, Jhaj pursues ways to create greater levels of student success for all learners across all degree types. He works to identify new ways the university can improve learning outcomes and helps ASU set a new standard of quality and accessibility that can be shared with institutions of higher education around the country and the world. In addition to his role in the Office of the University Provost, Jhaj is the dean of University College, an instrumental and significant part of ASU’s efforts to enhance retention, graduation, and overall student achievement.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founders, Joel Di Trapani &  Ben Hallet sits down with Robert H. McDonald, Dean of University Libraries/Sr. Vice Provost of Online and Extended Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is active professionally with several national and international organizations and conferences, serving on the Association of Research Libraries Board of Directors, the Board of Directors of the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, the HathiTrust Board of Governors, and as general co-chair for the ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries in 2013 and 2017.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founders, Joel Di Trapani sits down with Paul Le Blanc, President of Southern New Hampshire University. Paul is also an Ascend Fellow at the Aspen Institute which is a premier leadership program advancing opportunity and equity. He was a winner of the Global Leadership Award in 2018. He is also a current Board advisor at the Guild Education.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founders, Joel Di Trapani & Ben Hallett sits down with Marie Papazian, the Executive Vice President of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Marie is an experienced higher education leader committed to innovation, impact, and inclusion with over a decade of experience as President & CEO of two public universities including San Jose State University. She was also the board chair of the Business-Higher Education Forum.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast,Vygo’s Regional Director of Partners for EMEAHannah Gardner sits down with Mark Crittenden from the University of Greenwich. He is the Associate Director of Student Centres and Engagement. He was a member of the board of trustees in the Association of University Administrators (AUA).

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Ben Hallet sits down with Dr Ryan Goodwin from the University of Central Florida. He is the Assistant Vice President for Strategy & Innovation and Chief of Staff. Ryan’s research and practice focus on higher education innovations that improve access, success, and completion for all. He is particularly interested in the educational systems and organizational structures that influence student movement to and through postsecondary education.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani sits down with Mary Ellen Wiltrout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is the Director of Online and Blended Learning. Mary is also a Lecturer in Digital Learning. She enjoys training and mentoring postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. She also manages three of the best online courses in Class Central.

Ben sits down with Professor Robyn Latimer OAM from Torrens University. Robyn is currently the Director - Learning Services at the University. She is an Experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in design, education and not-for-profit industries. Robyn was also the president of the Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia.  

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s APAC Director of Partner Engagement, Lyndin Francis sits down with Dr.Kylie Austin from the University of Wollongong . She is currently the Associate Director of Student Equity and Success and has been with the University for over 15 years in key positions covering student affairs, student partnerships and outreach. Dr. Austin is also the current president of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA).

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani sits down with Gareth Trainer from the University of Sunderland. He is currently the Head of the Centre for Graduate Prospects at the University. The Centre for Graduate Prospects (CfGP) embeds employability and enterprise across the University of Sunderland, creating confident and motivated students who develop into professional, adaptable, and engaged graduates with rich and rewarding life and career prospects. 

Prior to this role, he held multiple positions at the University of Newcastle, where he led the University’s employability, enterprise and entrepreneurship functions and spearheaded major initiatives aligned with the University's Vision and Strategy. Gareth is also an Honorary Fellow of Enterprise Educators UK and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. 

In this episode of the student edition of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Sharna Silloux, Vygo’s Global Community Lead, sits down with Natasha Do from Deakin University. She graduated this year from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Nutrition Science and Commerce, majoring in Management and is currently a Partnership Consultant at BUPA.

In this episode of the student edition of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Sharna Silloux, Vygo’s Global Community Lead, sits down with Dr.Dinesh Palipana from Griffith University. He is a researcher and senior lecturer at Griffith University and works in the emergency department at the Gold Coast University Hospital.

Dinesh is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, and researcher and was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland. Dinesh is a senior advisor to the Disability Royal Commission, an ambassador to the Human Rights Commission’s Includeability program and a founding member of Doctors with Disabilities Australia. He was the third Australian to be awarded a Henry Viscardi Achievement Award and was the Queensland Australian of the Year for 2021. 

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s VP of Partners, James Grew sits down with Hannah Giles from Coventry University. She is currently the Student Success Lead Practitioner at the University.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Regional Director of Partners for EMEA, Hannah Gardner sits down with Sam Grogan from the University of Salford. He is currently the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at the University. Following an early career in the creative industries, Sam has spent the last decade and a half in student-centric leadership positions within a range of higher education institutions. Alongside work at Salford, Sam continues to work in leadership and thought leadership nationally and internationally, building on a range of external engagements and board experiences.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s APAC Director of Sales, Lyndin Francis sits down with Kevin Ashford-Rowe from the Queensland University of Technology. He is currently the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)  at the University and the institutional lead for the digital transformation of the University’s teaching and learning experience. Kevin has a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, management, development and implementation of innovative and flexible education and training delivery at all levels of curriculum design, development, and delivery. 

Ben sits down with Tania Struetzel from the University of Greenwich. She is currently the Head of Student Engagement and Success at the University. Before joining Greenwich, she worked across Students' Unions and Universities, including Middlesex University where she was the institutional project lead for the TSEP Inclusive Engagement project exploring the experience of student representatives identifying as students of colour. She was also previously a member of the student engagement network RAISE committee and a member of the QAA Student Strategic Advisory Committee.

Ben sits down with David Whyte from Torrens University. David is currently the Head of Student Wellbeing & Diversity at the University. His role focuses on the well-being of students at every stage of their student journey, as well as building a strong, diverse and active student community and representation within the University.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Joel Di Trapani sits down with Ben Lewis from Cardiff University. Ben is currently the Director of Student Life at the University. Ben's previous roles include being the Chair of AMOSSHE (The Student Services Organisation), Policy Adviser for the HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) and the Deputy Head of the Electoral Commission Wales Office.

In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo’s APAC Director of Sales, Lyndin Francis sits down with Damon Ferris from the University of Newcastle. Damon is currently the Director - International for Global Engagement and Partnerships at the University.

Ben sits down with Louise Batchelor from Bond University. Louise is currently the Registrar at the University and has an extensive career with senior positions all across Australia, from the University of Notre Dame, the Australian Maritime College, Curtin University and Victoria University. 

Ben sits down with Brett Berquist from the University of Canterbury. Brett is the Assistant Vice Chancellor - Engagement at the University. He brings three decades of university experience in several countries, from lecturer to department head to senior administrator. His passion is collaboratively developing and implementing strategies to help institutions address changing conditions, demographics, and objectives. 

Ben sits down with Christa Smith from the Sheridan Institute of Higher Education. Christa is currently the Director of Student Services at the Institute and is passionate about quality education for students of every age. She enjoys working with and supporting students, especially international students, to achieve their goals. 

Ben sits down with Aron Cornwall from the Australian Catholic University.  Aaron is dedicated to supporting veterans and their families realise the possibilities available in higher education. Currently the Student Veteran Services Manager at the university, Aaron is on the ground developing and implementing support to student veterans completing tertiary study. Having served as a Combat Engineer within the ADF and deploying as a High-Risk Searcher during Mentoring Task Force 3 (MTF-3), Aaron can speak firsthand of the challenges faced post-service. 

Ben sits down with Associate Professor Fion Lim from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Fion is currently the Director of the UTS Learning Centre (SILC) and has over a decade of experience in various forms of international education. Fion’s research interests explore various aspects of international education, particularly third-party arrangements, academic governance, quality assurance and management and teaching and learning in the international education space. Fion is an award winner for her PhD thesis and a recipient of the Association for Tertiary Education Management’s (ATEM) Best Practice Award in the category of Excellence in Governance and Policy. 

Ben sits down with Dr.Leanne Holt from Macquarie University. She has over twenty-five years of experience in the higher education sector and is the inaugural Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy) at the University. Dr.Holt is the Immediate Past President of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium (NATSIHEC) and serves on a range of boards, committees and government expert panels, focusing on the advancement of Indigenous education. Previously at the University of Newcastle as co-Director of the Wollotuka Institute, Dr Holt led Wollotuka to be the first in Australia to achieve international accreditation through the World Indigenous Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC) and is the current Deputy Co-Chair of this organisation. 

Ben sits down with David Morales from Western Governors University. He is the Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President at the University, where he is responsible for all technology aspects of the Institution. He has over 19 years of experience as a Software Engineer and Technology Leader. He has worked for different companies during his career, from a Research and Development centre for NASA, litigation support, technology consulting firms to Retail Fortune 1.  He is passionate about solving business problems with the right technology. 

Ben sits down with Chris Shelley from the University of Greenwich. Chris is the Director of Student and Academic Services at the University, where he leads a range of services and functions that are crucial to the student experience. Previously, he was the Director of Student Services at King’s College London, where he revitalised the health and wellbeing services and integrated multiple functions to improve the impact on students. Chris is an alumnus of the Liverpool Hope University and Chair of the Trustee Board at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

Ben sits down with Alice Wilby from University College Birmingham. She is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Access, Participation and Student Experience) at the University and her role focuses on ensuring the University attracts students from a wide range of backgrounds and supports them during their studies, reporting on progress to external bodies and regulators. Alice joined the University in February 2020 having previously worked at the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and the University of Wolverhampton. Her past roles covered access and participation, student recruitment and institutional partnerships.

Ben sits down with Dr.Julie Greenwood from Arizona State University. Julie is the EdPlus Vice Dean for Educational Initiatives and in this role, she works with the academic units at all ASU campuses, including deans, department chairs, faculty and staff to strengthen online programming, including driving course development that transforms student learning experiences. In addition, she is the EdPlus liaison to the University Innovation Alliance and the APLU Personalized Learning Consortium. 

Ben sits down with Prof.Kris Ryan from Monash University. Kris has been with the University since 2009 and is currently the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), leading a portfolio that includes student experience, diversity and inclusion, education innovation, education policy and HEPPP (Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program) funding. Previously, Kris was the Academic Director of Monash Education Innovation, where he led a multidisciplinary team to establish and implement the University-wide education technology roadmap and contributed to the design of innovative learning and teaching spaces across Monash.

Ben sits down with Prof. Jonathan Shaw from the Coventry University Group. He is a professor of photography and media and the director of Coventry University’s disruptive media learning lab. Jonathan has been actively engaged as an interdisciplinary practitioner and academic leader with Higher Education for nearly 20 years. During the past 10 years, he has been instrumental in driving innovation within curricula design, envisioning next-generation learning spaces and leading the implementation of cutting edge educational technology initiatives.

Ben sits down with Tanya Rutherford, the CEO & founder of Learn Grow Become. Tanya is a highly experienced program designer, facilitator, mentor and coach in both leadership and education; with a significant background in management accounting and business management spanning several industries in both Australia and the UK. She holds a master's in business administration (Leadership & Communication) from Deakin University and a bachelor's of business (Accounting and IT) from La Trobe University.

Ben sits down with Jessica Luquin from the University of New South Wales. Jessica currently leads the student engagement team at the university. Her team aims to ensure that every first-year student at UNSW has access to a qualified mentor and a quality orientation and transition experience. She is a qualified social worker with over 8 years of experience in working with students from low-SES and disadvantaged backgrounds.

Ben sits down with Georgia Baker from the University of Queensland. She is currently the International Student Advisor for the faculty of engineering, architecture and information technology at the university and has been with the University for over 10 years. Since graduating with a master's degree in International Studies from the University of Queensland, she has focused her career on international partnerships, student mobility and international student support.

Ben sits down with Matt Hoskins from Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild. He is currently the Head of Student Services and leads nine very talented teams in the delivery of a range of programs, events and services at the Gold Coast campus, including initiatives around student wellbeing, academic support and diversity. Matt is a proud product of Griffith University and brings over 10 years of experience in the field of student support and engagement. 

Ben sits down with Kerry Valentine from Laureate International Universities. She has a long history of involvement in the industry of international education at both an instructional and management level and is currently the Head of Student Experience at Laureate International Universities. Her previous engagements involved leadership roles at Curtin University &  Study Group Australia. 

Ben sits down with Belinda Tynan from RMIT.  She is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Vice-President at the University with extensive executive leadership experience in Higher Education and Vocational Education of over 10 years. Belinda is the winner of the Australian Financial Review's Top 100 Women of Influence (Board and Management Category) in 2019 and in 2020 the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year's Victorian Winner (Academia and Professional Category).

Ben sits down with Jodie Davis from University of Newcastle. Jodie is the associate director of student engagement at the University. She has over two decades of experience in higher education working in a broad range of roles, including senior positions, at the University of Newcastle and GraduateSchool.com Pty Ltd (GradSchool). Her educational background, combined with extensive employment history, provides her with a distinctive blend of design thinking, education, business knowledge and experience.

Ben sits down with Ian Dunn from Coventry University Group. Ian has been with the University since 1992 and is currently the Provost . In 2016 he was awarded “Inspiring Leader” of the year in the Guardian Higher Education Awards. Ian led the development of the University’s colleges in Coventry and Scarborough. A Coventry graduate, he is a member of the jobs and skills group of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and a board member of the Midlands Academies Trust.

Ben sits down with Emeritus Professor Beverley Oliver. Beverley was Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Alfred Deakin Professor at Deakin until December 2018 and led Deakin's ambitious Student Learning and Experience strategy. She was the Deputy Chair of Universities Australia’s Deputy Vice-Chancellors (Academic) and Deputy Chair of the Board of EduGrowth, a not-for-profit Australian acceleration network for high-growth, scalable, borderless education. She currently works as a higher education consultant and continues to research, publish and present on topics such as digital education, micro-credentials, curriculum transformation, quality assurance and graduate employability.

Ben sits down with Rafael Estrada from Anáhuac Online. Rafael is the  Academic Director - Anáhuac Online at Anahuac University based in Mexico. He holds holds a Doctorate in International Education from the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, a Master's Degree in Human Capital Management and an Industrial Engineering Degree in Administration from the Universidad Anáhuac. 

 Ben sits down with  Phillip Scharf from Arizona State University. Phillip has been with the University (ASU) since 2005.  During that time he has been responsible for the creation of the pre-professional advising office at ASU combining the pre-health and pre-law advising activities around campus into a unified office.  For the past 5 years, Phillip has overseen the advising and retention efforts of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).

Ben sits down with Michael Burgess from Western Sydney University. Michael Burgess joined Western Sydney University in February 2016 as the Chief Student Experience Officer and brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in complex consumer environments. Michael is a creative innovator with extensive experience in business strategy, customer experience, marketing communications, digital strategy, brand development and data analytics.

Professor Mark Hoffman is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and a Vice-President of the University of Newcastle.

In this role he is responsible for the academic activities of the University including its education programs, encompassing: enabling and pathways programs; the Wollotuka Institute for advancement and leadership of Indigenous education; and education innovation and technology. His portfolio includes student health and wellbeing, work integrated learning, careers and employment, academic administration and student conduct. Prof Hoffman’s responsibilities include academic promotions and staff and student equity, diversity and inclusion.

In today's episode, Ben chats with Liam Kenna from Wirltu Yarlu - The University of Adelaide's Indigneous and Torres Straight Islander arm of the University.

You can learn more about the program here: www.adelaide.edu.au/wirltu-yarlu/
You can learn more about Vygo here: www.vygoapp.com

Ben chats with fellow Vygo Co-Founder, Joel Di Trapani.

Learn more about Vygo here: www.vygoapp.com