The EducationDynamics Advisory Board includes nationally and internationally recognized higher education presidents, researchers, technology innovators, and global business entrepreneurs. Each member offers unique knowledge and diverse expertise in their respective field -- playing a key role in providing guidance to drive future business initiatives, advance the development of EducationDynamics’ products and services, direct research efforts, and influence federal policy to advance higher education.
Our Advisory Board
Josh Baron
Marist College, Director of Academic Technology and eLearning
Josh Baron serves as Director of Academic Technology and eLearning at Marist College where he is responsible for supporting a wide range of instructional technology initiatives, including distance learning, faculty training and student support. He also plays a leadership role in strategic planning for the College in areas of academic and information technology. Mr. Baron is currently serving a three-year term on the Sakai Foundation Board of Directors and was recently elected as Chairman.
Before joining Marist, Mr. Baron was the Associate Director of Instructional Technology at Stevens Institute of Technology. In this capacity, he helped lead a $10 million U.S. Department of Education technology initiative working both at the K-12 and college levels. He also serves as a member of the Stevens WebCampus initiative and developed one of the first Stevens online graduate courses.
Mr. Baron earned an online master’s degree in Educational Technology Leadership from George Washington University and a bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Peggy Blumenthal
Institute of International Education, Executive Vice President
Peggy Blumenthal serves as Executive Vice President of the Institution of International Education (IIE), responsible for the institute’s overall programmatic and administrative operations. She also oversees IIE’s research activities, corporate and foundation-funded scholarships and training activities, Global Engineering Educational Exchange Consortium, and support activities to the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program.
Before joining IIE in 1984, Ms. Blumenthal served as Assistant Director of Stanford University's Overseas Studies, followed by Coordinator of Graduate Services/Fellowships for the University of Hawaii's Center for Asian and Pacific Studies. She was active in the development of U.S.-China exchanges as a staff member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the Asia Society's China Council.
Her publications include a co-edited volume, Academic Mobility in a Changing World: Regional and Global Trends; “Virtual and Physical Mobility: A View from the U.S.”, an article in ACA’s publication: The Virtual Challenge to International Cooperation in Higher Education; and a co-authored article in The Europa World of Learning, “Global Student Mobility: Moving Towards Brain Exchange”. Most recently she co-authored the article on “Expanding Study Abroad in the STEM Fields: A Case Study of U.S. and German Programs,” published in The Online Journal for Global Engineering.
Ms. Blumenthal holds a master’s in American Studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a bachelor’s in Modern Chinese History from Harvard University
Casey Cook
Double Positive Marketing Group, Chief Revenue Officer
Casey Cook serves as Chief Revenue Office for Double Positive Marketing Group, which uses advanced lead generation to provide sales professionals with a live, qualified and interested consumer, along with the consumer’s data, all in real time.
Mr. Cook most recently served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Clientele for Advertising.com. He joined Advertising.com in 2000 and held several senior leadership positions during his eight-plus-year tenure with the company, during which time he lead and developed the Education Sales Vertical. Mr. Cook is also the architect behind numerous global business partnerships worth more than $500 million in revenue and played aninstrumental role in the company’s overall growth, which incited AOL's $495 million acquisition of Advertising.com in 2004.
Prior to joining Advertising.com, Mr. Cook conducted business in 30 countries for Maritz Travel Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri. He also worked and lived in Kyoto, Japan, as a part of the Japan Bilingual Corporation.
Mr. Cook earned a bachelor’s from the Cornell's School of Hotel Administration.
Steven Owlet
Global Education Opportunity Network, Inc. (GEON, Inc.)
Steven Owlett serves as President. GEON is rapidly becoming a leader in international student recruitment for U.S. colleges and universities.
Previously, Mr. Owlett served in various management-level positions with Laureate Education, Kumon Math and Reading (an international Japanese learning company), Siemens AG (Nuclear Power Division), New York Power Authority, and Suburban Energy. Over the course of his career, he has lead diverse teams ranging from six to 59 people, managed budgets in excess of $320 million, and has had full profit-and-loss responsibility for a multi-product retail business. Steve’s experience encompasses nearly all areas of international student recruitment, marketing and sales, supply chain management, information systems, and international and domestic business development.
Mr. Owlett has authored five articles published in leading industry publications on supply chain management; participated in the startup of three new businesses; built five departments from initial conception to full operations; and implemented several major supply chain management and marketing change processes that incorporated the successful use of technology and analytics tools. He also teaches or has taught classes in both a traditional classroom or online, and is on the staff of the American Management Association.
Steven Shapiro
Communications Strategy Group, President
Steven Shapiro serves as President of Communications Strategy Group (CSG), a public relations company he founded in 2004. Mr. Shapiro has designed and executed successful business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing and communications strategies for nearly 20 years, with extensive background in the learning and development, and financial services sectors.
Prior to founding CSG, Mr. Shapiroserved as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Scudder Kemper Investments and Founders Funds after serving as the Assistant Director of Public Relations for the American Stock Exchange. Shapiro started his career as an outside communications consultant for Ernst & Young, Lehman Brothers, Prudential, and Wellington Management.
In addition to the financial sector, Mr. Shapiro also has extensive experience in education having served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Jones Knowledge, a holding company for a series of online education companies. In this capacity, he was directly responsible for establishing Jones International University as a recognized pioneer in the online post secondary education; launching Jones e-global library, a comprehensive suite of online library research tools; and positioning Jones e-education, a learning course management and delivery platform, for dominance in the K-12 market.
Mr. Shapiro received a bachelor's in Economics from Emory University.
John P. Tymitz, Ph.D.
The Institute for Shipboard Education, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus and a member of the Board of Trustees
John Tymitz is co-founder of the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), a non-profit educational organization established in 1976. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer Emeritus and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute.
During his tenure at ISE, Dr. Tymitz retained several titles, including Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director and Director of Administrative Affairs. He has also served as the Executive Dean on 12 shipboard education voyages (Semester at Sea) around the world, while teaching a course on U.S. Diplomatic History. His career in international education has taken him to more than 150 countries. His previous teaching experience includes roles as Assistant Professor of History at University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, and as a faculty member and Assistant Director of Operations for the World Campus Afloat program at Chapman University.
Dr. Tymitz is a member of several international organizations and recently served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Brother’s Brother Foundation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2006. He remains an active member of that Board. Dr. Tymitz was also recently elected to the Board of Trustees of Mitchell college in New London, CT.
Dr. Tymitz earned Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University and a master’s from Southern Illinois University
Jay Weintraub
Jay Weintraub is an internet advertising market strategist and commentator. He is a respected columnist, speaker and operator of two popular industry blogs. Jay spent 2.5 years at Advertising.com and 5 years at Oversee.net in roles ranging from corporate strategy to new product development. Currently, he runs the largest conference series for the online lead generation industry, LeadsCon. Jay is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
Ross Woodard
Bridgepoint Education, Chief Marketing Officer
Ross Woodard serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Bridgepoint Education, a for-profit higher education company headquartered in San Diego, California.
Before starting with Bridgepoint Education in 2004, Mr. Woodard spent 15 years in various senior-level sales and marketing roles. He began his career with sports and fitness leader Nike Inc., serving as a Regional Manager. From 1992 to 1996, he served as Sales Manager for Road Runner Sports, a San Diego-based sports and fitness retailer. In 1996, Mr. Woodard took Road Runner Sports online and served as Director of E-Commerce. His vast experience in the online marketing and advertising space has translated well in his current role at Bridgepoint Education, where he is responsible for all aspects of the Marketing, Advertising, Creative, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations departments.
Mr. Woodard leads Bridgepoint’s community service initiatives and has supported organizations such as the American Red Cross Katrina Fund, the American Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund, the American Heart Association, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Easter Seals, Make-A-Wish Foundation, March of Dimes, YWCA, Poway Unified School District, the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation of San Diego, and the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego.
Mr. Woodard earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.
Paul Edelblut
Robert Haushalter
Mark Shay
Orlando Taylor