MindShare Learning draws on a talent pool of current and former educators, directors of education and industry executives. Together MindShare Learning is capable of providing a total services solution to enabling technology providers to achieve success that transcends lifelong learning possibilities for the young and old.

Our Board Members

06676113_00047437_1442963751-pe_photoLaurent Burman is the Chief Client Officer at POSSIBLE. Prior to joining POSSIBLE, Laurent was the Vice President of Sales and Business Development of GlobalScholar. He has a passion for education and for helping build transformative new ventures. Vice President of Web for Helio, a highly innovative U.S. wireless service provider, where he built and managed the online brand, helio.com and e-commerce. Prior to Helio, Laurent was at Amazon.com, where he served as the General Manager of the retail Wireless business. He has also served as the Vice President of Business Development for GetConnected, a transaction service provider to the Wireless and Broadband industries, and worked in product development for Procter and Gamble and IBM. Laurent holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS in Engineering from Queen’s University.

 

Sandra Chow is a skilled and energetic educator passionate about innovation, educational technology and expanding the horizons of education. She is a Google Certified Innovator, Google Certified Trainer, Smart Exemplary Educator and a Instructional Liaison for the Toronto District School Board. Her experience as a professional accountant, a cross-cultural educator, and a networker provides her with a unique perspective as a leader. She strives to prepare students and train educators to learn, teach, collaborate and create in a globally competitive society.

 
 
 

Kevin Custer offers over 20 years of experience in technology and the education market and is a recognized leader in launching and growing successful businesses in the online and enterprise markets. He has the unique ability to foresee market opportunities and put the right people, products and partners together for success.

 
 
 
 
 

Chip Fesko has been in education publishing and advertising since 1989. He was Senior Vice President of the O.B. Curpier Company, a Magazine Advertising & Representative Firm, for over 15 years until May 2007. During this time he represented such prestigious publications as The Harvard Business Review, American Demographics, AIR & SPACE Smithsonian and Auto Executive just to name a few.

Specifically in education, he has worked for Highlights for Children/Teaching K-8 Magazine, many Scholastic Magazines, such as Instructor and Scholastic Administrator, and since 2007, he has been the Sr. Director of Advertising for the George Lucas Educational Foundation and their web site – www.EDUTOPIA.ORG

 

Ian Fogarty teaches chemistry, physics and science 12 at Riverview High School in Riverview NB. He has been conducting educational research through a number of collaborations with universities and private companies world wide. Ian works as the Program Co-Director at the University of New Brunswick for Shad International, a world prestigious summer program for elite high school students to study science, engineering, entrepreneurship and leadership.

 
 
 

MF-resizedMichael Furdyk is the Co-founder of TakingITGlobal (www.tigweb.org), which provides innovative global education programs that empower youth to understand and act on the world’s greatest challenges. In the past, he turned his interest in technology into several successful online companies, including MyDesktop.com, which sold to Internet.com in 1999. In 2008, he was named by Contribute Magazine as one of 10 Tech Revolutionaries Redefining the Power and Face of Philanthropy.Michael has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, presented at TED, and was named one of Teen People’s “Twenty Teens that will Change the World”. Over the last decade, he has keynoted over 100 events across sectors, sharing his social media expertise and insights on youth engagement and educational reform to audiences in over 30 countries. He sits on several non-profit boards, including the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition, and on the International Advisory Council for Microsoft’s Partners in Learning program.

 

Dr. Eric Hamilton is Professor and Associate Dean of Education at Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.  He holds a joint appointment in mathematics.  Dr. Hamilton currently carries out research activities under support from the US National Science Foundation and Department of Education, studying means to enhance the creativity and media fluencies of mathematics teachers, intergenerational communication in mathematics between, and the use of artificial agents and language parsers in collaborative educational workspaces.

 
 
 
 

1af64640d8fff40d56c3135c4ca4d292_400x400Gary Kern is the Director of Learning at St. George’s School, Vancouver.  He has been working on creating universal access for all students which includes the capacity for students to communicate, collaborate and create digital content in a district wide environment.  Gary’s previous work as a teacher and school administrator provides him with the educational background for his work. His time as a software General Manager provides him with the background related to technology opportunities and trends.

 
 
 
 

SL-resizedDr. Susanne Lajoie, of McGill University, is the Director of the newly funded Learning Environments across Disciplines (LEADS) project. With close to $2.5 million over the next eight years from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), LEADS brings together an international group of experts ranging from educators, psychologists and computer scientists to engineers, physicians and an historian to explore how to best use digital technology to enhance learning not only across disciplines but also across age groups, from kindergarten kids to university students.

 

 

Maxim Jean-Louis is President – Chief Executive Officer of Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network, headquartered in Thunder Bay. Prior to his appointment as President – Chief Executive Officer in 1996, Maxim served in a series of senior management positions in student, regional and marketing services for 14 years at Athabasca University, Canada’s leader in online and distance education. Since joining Contact North | Contact Nord, he has contributed to the education and training sector through his current and past professional involvement, including Ontario Aboriginal Post Secondary Education & Training Working Table, Canadian Polar Commission, Citizen and Immigration Canada-Francophone Minority Communities Steering Committee, and many others.

 

 

David Marsi is an experienced learning professional with a demonstrated history of working in financial services / wealth management. Strong skill set in facilitation, communication and the design & development of learning programs and strategies. Passionate about sales development and coaching.

 
 
 

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Guy Tetrault  started his career in education in 1976. He received his B.Ed. from the University of Calgary, his M.Ed. from the U of Saskatchewan and his Ph.D. from the U of Toronto. He taught French as a Second Language and French Immersion, was the principal of 5 different schools in Alberta and Saskatchewan, was an Educational Consultant for Alberta Education for 7 years, was the Deputy Superintendent for Red Deer Catholic Schools, the Superintendent of Schools (CEO) for Medicine Hat Catholic and is now the Director of Education (CEO) for our Sun West School Division No. 207.”

 

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Zelia capitao-Tavares is a teacher at McMurrich Junior PS, where she empowers students to become entrepreneurs through the McMurrich “Business Day” program. She holds a Master of Education from the University of Toronto; was nominated for the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence; and is the recipient of the BMO Financial Group National Student Innovation Award. With more than 15 years of experience innovating in education, Zélia believes that we need to find the ‘spark’ in each student & step aside to let them shine!”

 
 

Ron SedranRon Sedran Ron Sedran is Managing Director of Equity Capital Markets at Canaccord Genuity, Canada’s largest independent brokerage firm. Prior to joining Canaccord in 1999, Ron held a similar position at Gordon Capital Corporation. During his career, Mr. Sedran has been involved in numerous high profile and innovative financing transactions. Mr. Sedran is a board member of the Humber River Hospital Foundation.
Mr. Sedran is also on the advisory board of MindShare Learning,Canada’s leading Education technology industry consulting firm. http://writemyessay4me.org/

 
 
Dr. Ron OwstonDr. Ron Owston Dr. Ron Owston is a University Professor Emeritus, former Dean of the Faculty of Education, and founding Director of the Institute for Research in Learning Technologies at York University. A pioneer in teaching and learning with the web since its early days, Dr. Owston specializes in the evaluation of technology-based educational programs in K12, government, higher education, and continuing professional education. He has spoken at numerous national and international conferences about blended and online learning, authored/co-authored some 50 commissioned studies, and published over 60 articles in top-tier journals, including Educational Researcher, Teachers College Record, Research in the Teaching of English, Journal of Computer-Based Instruction, Journal of Information Technology in Teacher Education, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Internet & Higher Education, and Journal of Research on Computing in Education. Currently, Dr. Owston ranks 11th in Google Scholar’s list of most cited blended learning researchers in the world. His website is http://ronowston.ca

 
 
Mirella RossiMirella Rossi Mirellaaward-winning principal from my alma mater, Toronto Catholic District School Board. She is an experienced Principal, Instructor with York University in Toronto and is the creator of the Student Led Learning Walk. Mirella is the recipient of Canada’s Outstanding Principal Award in 2014 for her innovative work in transforming school communities. Mirella’s passion for learning, innovation and creativity has led her to continue studying as a Ph.D. Candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Her sincere commitment to researching visible and engaging learning communities focuses on authentic systemic educational experiences that advance equity, student voice, achievement and well-being. Mirella’s work has been published in the Education Canada, the Ministry of Education of Ontario’s Leading Student Achievement Network for Learning, Catholic Principal Council | Ontario Principal Connections, TVO’s Teach Ontario digital platform and Dr. Lyn Sharratt’s book, Leading Collaborative Learning, Empowering Excellence.