eLearning Trailblazers: Leading EdTech Innovators

Honor EdTech innovators who stay two steps ahead of the trends

It seems that learning technology is constantly evolving and adapting to meet our current needs and expectations. Fortunately, we have EdTech innovators who keep us informed. These forerunners seize every opportunity to showcase new technology and offer tips for choosing the best tool for the task. So today we pay tribute to the thought leaders who are leading us into the future of eLearning technology with their insights and expertise. In no particular order, here are the top EdTech shifts and shakers.

Leading EdTech Innovators You Should Know

Kevin Kruse

Kevin Kruse’s mission is to inspire the leaders of tomorrow. As the founder and CEO of LEADx, he provides AI-driven next-generation leadership that empowers new leaders to master essential skills and build their confidence. Kevin is also a NY Times bestselling author, a Forbes contributor, an advisor to Fortune 500 entrepreneurs, and a keynote speaker on a variety of topics, from employee engagement to entrepreneurship and beginners.

Donald H Taylor

Donald H. Taylor is an award-winning author and researcher on the topics of workplace learning and learning technologies. Throughout his career, he has held various positions, from developer to vice president, but his vision always remains the same: to help Learning and Development professionals move forward. In his speeches, he talks about the professional development of L&D and technology-supported learning. In addition to chairing the Learning Technologies Conference in 2000, he hosts a fortnightly webinar program and edits the Inside Learning Technologies Magazine.

Bartlomiej Polakowski

As a senior e-learning architect for Amazon, Bartlomiej Polakowski plays a major role in helping companies choose the right e-learning solutions that will advance the development of their employees. Bartlomiej shares his knowledge on learning technology in his blog and at conferences, where he talks about topics such as VR / AR, online learning, learning ecosystems, Instructional Design, and many more.

Thomas C Murray

Thomas Murray is the Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools, an Alliance of Excellent Education project aimed at implementing personalized and student-centered learning. Thomas is a bestselling author and keynote speaker named the 2018 National / Global EdTech Leader of the Year by EdTech Digest. He is also one of the co-founders of #edtechchat, a Twitter forum where educators from around the world discuss the effective use of educational technology.

Dr. Catlin Tucker

Dr. Catlin Tucker, a former educator himself, is now a best-selling author, keynote speaker and international coach. She earned her doctorate in learning technologies from Pepperdine University, and since then she has sought to support educators to blend technology with traditional teaching methods. Her main focus is of course mixed learning, which she advocates for in her books, speeches, blog and podcast.

Alice Keeler

Alice Keeler is a solution-driven educator who is passionate about educational technologies, game education, and supporting educators to use learning technologies in the best way possible. She is an expert on EdTech integrations, virtual learning, a Google Certified Innovator and a Microsoft Innovative Educator. You will find that she shares her expert knowledge on educational technology in workshops and conferences around the world.

Ben Drew

Ben Drew is the founder of Open Future Learning, an innovative online learning resource dedicated to the developmental, intellectual and learning disabilities workforce. Ben works with other leading thinkers in the industry and speaks at conferences and workshops on the power of stories, engaging content, on-demand learning, dedicated specialists, action learning and blended learning for people with disabilities.

adam geller

Adam Geller is the founder of Edthena, a video conferencing platform that empowers educators to share best practices, streamline observations, and ensure they reach their maximum potential. He is a published author, as well as an avid speaker on teaching technology and teacher training in conferences around the world.

Doug Lederman

Doug Lederman is the editor and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed, a leading online publication source of news for the higher education community. He is focused on demonstrating new ways in which educational institutions can move towards distance education following the impact of the pandemic. Doug is an award-winning EdTech think tank who regularly shares his insights on higher education in the media or on campuses across the country.

Vicky Davis

Vicki Davis is a teacher, IT director, blogger, podcaster, speaker and general advocate for educating educators to reach their full potential so that they can lead with a positive impact and have access to best practices. Her podcast is in the top ten K12 podcasts on iTunes, and she was also named Top Education Voice 2020 by LinkedIn. You will find her talking about education technology, computer science, classroom blogging and more at conferences across the country.

James Stack

James Stack is a strong supporter of new ways of learning to support the future of work. He makes the most of his background in digital marketing to design workplace learning solutions that change behavior and move key business benchmarks. James’ organization is known for its work with the development of Forget Me Not, a microlear-spaced iteration application.

Jennifer Carolan

Jennifer Carolan is the co-founder and general partner of Reach Capital, a company made up of a diverse group of people who are passionate about empowering learners and educators. She has co-founded several funds since 2011, all with the aim of creating exceptional tools for educators, engaging learning materials for children and a support system for their parents.

Brandon Busted

As Chief Partnership Officer and World Head of Learning-Work Innovation in Kaplan, Brandon Busteed’s mission is to help higher education institutions and employers in the US thrive and grow. Earlier in his career, Brandon was the founder and CEO of Outside the Classroom, an EdTech company whose online courses have been taken by more than 10 million college students. He is a published author and keynote speaker on education and labor force development, as well as a board member at the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Jesse Lubinski

Jesse Lubinsky is the Education Evangelist for Adobe Inc. and the founder and chief learning officer at Ready Learner One, an innovative learning solution provider. He has two decades of experience as a teacher, school administrator and education technologist, and has been named one of the Top 100 Experts in EdTech as well as a Top K12 Technical Leader. In addition to being a regular keynote speaker, Jesse holds a podcast and a Virtual Reality program focused on learning innovation.

Sophie Bailey

Sophie Bailey is the founder of WorkTripp and the EdTech Podcast. The purpose of the former is to help remote-first companies recruit new talent, while the latter focuses on streamlining the dialogue between “ed” and “tech” to achieve further innovation. She has held the position of operations director and mentor, panel discussion moderator, and judge of education and EdTech awards around the world. She always strives to help people bring their ideas to life.

Karl AL Smith

Karl AL Smith is the co-founder of Agile World, a non-profit organization that supports educational and training initiatives that provide free Agile resources to all. He has always been fascinated by the idea of ​​technology and how it can help develop the human experience. Its main focus is customer experience engagement and management in the B2B and B2C sectors. He is an award-winning thought leader and a prolific writer.

Rafranz Davis

Rafranz Davis is an Associate Content Manager at LinkedIn. Prior to that, she was a technology trainer and keynote speaker on technology tools such as Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Suite, and more. She is a Google Certified Innovator and a Microsoft Innovative Education Specialist. Rafranz has been an advisor to several technology companies and an avid speaker at local, state and national events on topics such as linked learning, digital equality, student data and privacy, and creativity and diversity at EdTech.

Are you an e-learning thought leader who would like to appear on a future list?

We would like to congratulate all the EdTech innovators who stay one step ahead of the trends and introduce us to emerging technologies. If you would like to be considered for our next eLearning Trailblazers List, our Editorial Team would love to hear from you. We will be publishing more niche-specific thinking leader lists in the near future, such as eLearning Gamifiers and Learning Experience Designers. We would also like to invite you to post a guest post on our e-learning industry to share your insider expertise. Last but not least, you can also download our guide to delve into submission tips and other essential information.