A GDN Conversation Series

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Women in Leadership in the New AI World

Rewriting the rules of leadership. Reimagining recognition. Powering the future of work.

Across the world, women are not just participating in the evolution of credential recognition and digital learning ecosystems—they are leading it.

The Series at a Glance

From national qualification frameworks to AI-enabled credentialing systems, women leaders are shaping how learning is recognized, trusted, and translated into opportunity. Yet they continue to navigate structural barriers—within policy environments, technology sectors, and global systems historically designed without them in mind.

Part A: Europe, North America, Latin America time slot panel

Part B: Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, ASEAN time slot panel

What You’ll Explore

Across five dynamic sessions, participants will engage with global leaders to explore:

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Leadership across policy, technology, and global mobility ecosystems

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The role of AI and emerging technologies in credential recognition

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Strategies to navigate and challenge gender bias

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Innovative models for recognizing alternative learning

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Building influence and coalitions to scale global impact

This webinar series gratefully acknowledges the support of Instructure, a patron of the GDN.

Gender Leadership by the Numbers

Leadership in Education & Quality Assurance

Women make up the majority of the global education workforce, yet hold less than 30% of leadership roles in the sector.
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UNESCO reports a 20-percentage point gender gap in education leadership positions globally.
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A global “glass ceiling” persists across all levels of education leadership, from institutions to ministries.

What this means:
 Even in systems where women are the majority, they are underrepresented in decision-making roles—including those shaping credential recognition and quality assurance frameworks.

Women in Technology Leadership (Including EdTech & Credentialing Systems)

Globally, 74% of C-suite roles are held by men, with women significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of leadership.
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In education technology specifically, leadership representation can be as low as 29% women in some digital leadership pipelines.
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Women remain underrepresented in engineering, AI, and technology leadership roles, despite growing participation overall.

What this means: As credential recognition becomes increasingly digital and AI-driven, women are still underrepresented in designing and governing the systems shaping the future of work.

Governance & Boards in Education and Mobility Ecosystems

Women hold approximately 31–37% of leadership and governance roles globally, depending on sector and region.

Even where board representation improves, executive decision-making roles remain male-dominated.

What this means:
 Organizations shaping learner mobility, recognition, and global education policy do not yet fully reflect the diversity of the populations they serve.

The Pipeline Paradox

Women now outnumber men in higher education participation globally.

Yet their representation declines sharply at each leadership level.

What this means:
 The challenge is not a lack of qualified women—it is systemic barriers to advancement and leadership access.

The Opportunity

The data is clear—but so is the opportunity.

Advancing women into leadership roles across credential recognition, technology, and learner mobility is not just about representation—it is about:

Better system design

More inclusive innovation

Fairer access to education and work globally

Five-Part Global Webinar Series

Webinar 1: Leading Across Borders

Women and Strategic Oversight in Learner Mobility Platforms

Wednesday, June 8, 2026 — 10:00 AM ET / 4:00 PM CET

This opening session spotlights women in senior leadership roles responsible for national and multinational credential exchange and learner mobility platforms. It explores how they set strategic direction, align complex stakeholder ecosystems, and build trust across borders.

Participants will gain insight into how women leaders:

  • Navigate authority and credibility in male-dominated policy and governance environments
  • Lead large-scale initiatives involving governments, institutions, and funding bodies
  • Balance cultural expectations while shaping global mobility strategies

This session sets the foundation by examining leadership at the highest levels—where vision, diplomacy, and influence intersect.

Register now

Panelist

Mary Strain

Generative AI and Machine Learning, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Mary Strain leads strategy for artificial intelligence and machine learning in the US public sector at AWS. Mary began her career as a middle school teacher in the Bronx, NY. Since that time, she has held leadership roles in education and educational technology organizations as a product and strategy lead. Mary has advised higher education, technology companies, and state and local government on innovative policies and practices leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities focused on competency-based assessment; micro credentialing; curriculum design and workforce development. As an advisor to The Education Design Studio at The University of Pennsylvania, The State of NJ AI Task Force and the California State University AI Workforce Acceleration Board. Mary has been on the leading edge of bringing innovative solutions to serve the public interest for two decades. Mary holds a BA from Fordham University and an MPA from The City University of New York.

Webinar 2: From Vision to Implementation

Women Driving Credential Exchange in Tech-Inflected Ecosystems

Moving from strategy to execution, this session focuses on the operational realities of building and scaling digital credential systems. Featuring women leading implementation efforts, it highlights how ideas become functioning platforms.

Participants will explore how women leaders:

  • Drive adoption of digital credentials, interoperability frameworks, and emerging technologies
  • Lead in male-dominated tech environments while building credibility and securing resources
  • Manage stakeholder resistance and align policy, funding, and technical requirements

This session offers practical insight into leading transformation in environments where technology, policy, and power dynamics converge.

Registration opens soon

Panelists - Part A: North America, Europe, South Africa time slot panel

Charmaine Hack

Board Vice President, The GDN Network; Vice President, Partnerships, Enrolment, and External Relationships, Centennial College
In addition to her VP role at Centennial, Charmaine is VP of the GDN Network Board. She is also a former President of the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC), former chair of the Ontario University Registrars' Association, and co-founder of the ARUCC MyCreds National Network. Charmaine’s national leadership scope, and exposure to numerous governance models within colleges and universities, has provided her with rich insights for supporting learner mobility. She is a strong advocate of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), both personally and professionally, Charmaine was appointed to the inaugural University Aboriginal Education Council and initiated several firsts such as a division-wide Anti-Black Racism (ABR) learning and reflection initiative at her former institution, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). This work focused on critical consciousness and transformative systemic change. With a unique and strong background in higher education governance, she has led many more initiatives such as the Strategic Enrolment Management transformative change process at Centennial College and the creation of a University Equity Admissions Framework and a new University Equity Admissions and Recruitment Advisory Group while at TMU to facilitate warm invitations and welcomes for learners from equity-deserving communities.

Dr. Rooksana Rajab

Founder and Director, Resonance Consulting Services
Dr. Rooksana Rajab is the founder and director of the company, is an expert in organizational development, with a particular focus on systems change for transformation. Using a systems thinking approach that emphasizes innovation, research, and development, she helps organizations to lead effectively, work collaboratively, and achieve their goals and long-term vision. Dr. Rajab prioritizes human-centeredness, inclusivity, and collaboration, and is also a published researcher, motivational speaker, and qualified personal and leadership development coach. She currently leads and manages Resonance Consulting Services, which has a broad spectrum of clients from government, the nonprofit sector, and private corporate companies. She consults both in South Africa and internationally. She willingly shares her knowledge and experiences at national and international conferences and has recently supported the Commonwealth of Learning in establishing and managing systems change project in Zambia. Rooksana is a senior Associate of the Da Vinci Business School, JET Education Services and the Commonwealth of Learning. Through JET she has been instrumental in the establishment of the National Association for Social Change Entities (NASCEE) in 2020 – 2021. She was also lead consultant in the PSET CLOUD project for five years from 2018 – 2023.

Panelists - Part B: Australia, Asean time slot panel

Siobhan O'Sullivan

Consultant - AI Accelerator Lab, Future Skills Australia

Webinar 3: Inclusive Leadership for Sustainable Mobility

Women Charting the Future of Recognition and Access

This forward-looking session explores how women are designing more inclusive, equitable, and learner-centered credentialing ecosystems. It focuses on leadership approaches that prioritize sustainability, access, and cultural responsiveness.

Participants will learn how women leaders:

• Embed equity, inclusion, and alternative learning recognition into mobility systems

• Navigate complex governance and funding landscapes

• Build cross-sector and cross-border alliances to advance systemic change

This session emphasizes leadership as a force for shaping not just systems—but the values that underpin them. 

Part A Panel: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 — 10:00 AM ET / 4:00 PM CET

Part B Panel: Registration Coming Soon

Register now for the Part A Panel

Panelists - Part A: Europe, North America, Latin America time slot panel

Dr. Julie Reddy

Professor of Practice, University of Johannesburg
Julie Reddy is currently a Professor of Practice in the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation (CERT), Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), until her retirement in 2022. Over the 40+ years of her formal professional career in the education, training and civil society sectors, she has served in senior management and leadership positions both in South African and internationally. She is currently pursuing and advancing her passion and interests in research, writing and sharing her knowledge, experience and views on topics relating to “Whose and what learning and recognition matters?” from a human rights and social justice perspective. Internationally, Julie Reddy has contributed to various UNESCO/UIL global initiatives. She is the current Deputy Chair of the South African National Commission to UNESCO and a Director on the Boards of the Groningen Declaration Network (GDN) and World Education Services (WES), in the USA. Julie Reddy’s academic qualifications includes an MSc (as a Fulbright Scholar) and PhD from Cornell University in the USA.

Kirthi Jayakumar

Researcher, Inclusive AI Lab, and PhD Candidate, Utrecht University
Kirthi Jayakumar is an AI policy researcher at the Inclusive AI Lab at Utrecht University. She specializes in AI and law, tech geopolitics, women, peace and security. Kirthi runs Civitatem Resolutions, focusing on human-centric governance of emerging technologies through feminist approaches. She has served on the Steering Committee for the UN Women AI School and on Women 7, the advisory group to the G7 on emerging technologies.

Panelists - Part B: Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Asean time slot panel

Dr. Mamta Chauhan

Executive Director, VETASSESS

Teresa Tjia

Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)
Teresa Tjia is a senior leader in tertiary education, with a deep commitment to student participation, engagement and success in tertiary education, no matter their background. Teresa has experience in service and organisational transformations, leading initiatives with impact and influencing with data and insights. Currently Teresa is the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). Teresa contributes more broadly as member of sector and government committees, working groups and is a Board Director of community organisations.

Joanne Ligouris

Executive Director Student and Scholarly Services and Academic Registrar, University of Melbourne

Webinar 4: Breaking Barriers with Technology

AI, Digital Credentials, and the Future of Women’s Leadership

As AI and advanced technologies reshape credential recognition, this session examines both opportunity and risk—and the critical role of women in shaping this future.

Participants will explore how women leaders:

  • Leverage AI and digital tools to improve recognition, transparency, and access to work
  • Address bias in algorithmic systems and advocate for ethical, inclusive design
  • Position themselves as leaders in emerging, tech-driven ecosystems

This session highlights a pivotal moment: ensuring that the future of credentialing is not only innovative—but equitable.

Registration opens soon

Panelists

Sasha Thackaberry-Voinovich, PhD

President and CEO, Newstate University
Dr. Thackaberry-Voinovich is the president and founder of Newstate University, bringing two decades of leadership across K–12 ed tech, community colleges, major online universities, an R1 flagship, and global ed‑tech companies to reimagine affordable, scalable, AI‑first higher education. She previously served as President of SkillsWave, where she led the Wave platform implementation for Walmart’s LiveBetterU in Canada, and held senior roles at Pearson and Louisiana State University, where she built an internal OPM, grew online enrollment over 12X over, quadrupled revenue in under 4 years, unified six institutions under one brand, and secured national employer partnerships. Earlier roles at Southern New Hampshire University and Cuyahoga Community College included leading the nation’s fastest large‑scale LMS implementation and helping Tri‑C become Ohio’s largest online provider while launching the first community college MOOC. A published author and frequent contributor to leading education outlets, she received the 2021 Influential Women in Business award and earlier national innovation awards. She holds a PhD in higher education administration focused on Competency-Based Education, an MAT from Kent State University, and a BFA in Dance from the University of Akron.

Webinar 5: Power, Influence, and the Next Generation of Leaders

Building Pathways for Women to Lead Systemic Change

The final session turns to sustainability and legacy—focusing on how to expand women’s leadership across the credentialing and learner mobility ecosystem.

Participants will examine how women leaders:

  • Build influence within institutions, networks, and global systems
  • Mentor and elevate the next generation of leaders
  • Create pathways for greater representation in governance, technology, and policy

This session closes the series by shifting from individual leadership to collective impact—ensuring long-term, systemic change.

Registration opens soon

Panelists

Melanie Gottlieb

Interim Executive Director, AACRAO; President, the GDN Network
Melanie is the first woman to hold the role of Executive Director in the association’s history after nearly six years as the Deputy Director. She brings a global perspective rooted in an understanding of the technological proficiency and flexibility needed to move AACRAO forward. Melanie came to the national office with 18 years as an AACRAO member, with experience in Records & Registration, Enrollment Management and International Recruitment and Credential Evaluation. She has served the association in a variety of volunteer leadership roles throughout her career, most recently as Vice President for International Education on the AACRAO Board of Directors. Melanie earned an MA in Information Science from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a BA in History /American Studies from Marlboro College in Vermont.

Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert

President & CEO, The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI)
Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert is the Founder, President, and CEO of Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI). A published author and speaker on global education systems, she advises institutions and organizations on emerging markets, credential evaluation standards, and international pathway initiatives. She has chaired committees for leading professional associations, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators, AACRAO, and AICE. Currently, Jasmin serves as Chair of the International Education Standards Council, which oversees country profiles and credential recommendations for AACRAO’s Electronic Database on Global Education (EDGE). She is also President of the Board of Directors of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), a U.S.-based non-profit professional association of credential evaluation service providers. She earned her BA in Political Science from the University of San Diego and an MBA from Pepperdine University. Jasmin’s leadership and contributions have been recognized with the 2023 Award for Excellence in International Education from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). In 2024, she was inducted into the TAICEP Hall of Acclaim for her distinguished impact on the field of international credential evaluation.

Moderators for the Sessions

Joanne Duklas

Executive Director, The GDN Network
Joanne Duklas is an award-winning leader in higher education who serves as the executive director of the GDN Network while also leading scholarly research projects and her own consulting firm in higher education providing research and consulting support to governments, institutions, and sector organizations. She most recently served as one of the co-founders and executive lead for the MyCreds™ | MesCertif™ National Network in Canada. She is an expert in the higher education field and has authored several publications, presentations, and keynote addresses to advance best practice, standards, transfer, and student mobility including recent chapter contributions on digitization, trust, privacy, and fraud in the Second Handbook on Academic Integrity and Fake Degrees and Fraudulent Credentials in Higher Education.

Melissa Loble

Chief Academic Officer, Instructure
Melissa Loble is a globally recognized learning futurist and Chief Learning Officer at Instructure, where she works with institutions and organizations to design the future of learning. With more than 25 years of experience across K-12, higher education and workforce development, she helps leaders build connected, evidence-based learning ecosystems that support the new learner, who is balancing education with work and life and seeking flexible, skills-driven pathways. At Instructure, Melissa serves as a trusted advisor to education and industry leaders, helping translate strategy into actionable approaches that support lifelong learning and readiness. She chairs the board of directors for 1EdTech, serves on the CSU AI Workforce Acceleration Board, and convenes the AI and Academic Integrity Working Group, bringing together leaders to advance responsible, human-centered approaches to AI and better align learning with workforce outcomes. An educator at her core, Melissa began her career as a classroom teacher and continues to engage directly with learners and educators. She is a frequent keynote speaker and co-host of Instructure’s podcast.

Be Part of the Movement

This is more than a webinar series—it’s a call to action.
A call to redefine leadership,
to recognize all forms of learning,
and to build systems where opportunity is not limited by gender, geography, or traditional pathways.
Join us—and help shape the future of global learner mobility.

Africa: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/closing-the-loop-the-quest-for-gender-parity-in-african-tech

Africa: https://disruptafrica.com/2024/08/02/steady-growth-in-female-leadership-of-african-tech-startups-report/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984324000870?via%3Dihub

https://www.emerald.com/joepp/article-abstract/2/4/306/237524/The-glass-ceiling-what-have-we-learned-20-years-on?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/featured%20insights/diversity%20and%20inclusion/women%20in%20the%20workplace%202022/women-in-the-workplace-2022.pdf

https://arxiv.org/abs/2003.11746

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1485395/full

https://www.investopedia.com/academic-leadership-by-gender-5101144

India:- https://educationworld.in/fewer-women-in-leadership-roles-in-education-sector-than-men-unesco/

https://mediaindia.eu/politics/unesco-gem-report-flags-gender-gap-in-education-leadership/

https://repository.gheli.harvard.edu/repository/14593/